Navigating the process of transferring college credits can be complex, especially when aiming for the University of Washington (UW). The Uw Equivalency Guide serves as your essential tool to understand how courses you’ve taken at other institutions, particularly community colleges, will transfer to UW. This guide clarifies how your previous coursework aligns with UW courses and degree requirements.
Decoding the Course Equivalency Table
The core of the UW Equivalency Guide is the course equivalency table. Let’s break down its components to ensure you can effectively interpret the information.
Anatomy of a UW Equivalency Table
Below is an example of what a typical UW equivalency table looks like:
| Community College Course | UW Equivalency | Meets UW Requirements? | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL& 101 (5) formerly ENG 101 | ENGL 131 (5) | [C] | SUM Qtr. 2008 |
| GEG 260 (5) | GEOG 2XX | SSc |
This table provides a clear comparison between courses offered at community colleges and their equivalent courses at the University of Washington. Understanding each column is key to successful transfer planning.
Column-by-Column Breakdown
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Column 1: Community College Course: This column details the course information from the community or technical college you attended. It includes the course prefix (like ENGL for English), the course number (e.g., 101), the number of credits (in parentheses), and any former course prefixes or numbers if applicable. The prefixes listed are specific to the community or technical college.
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Column 2: UW Equivalency: This crucial column indicates the direct equivalent University of Washington course prefix and number for the community college course listed in Column 1. This is how your course will be recognized and transferred to UW. For instance, ENGL& 101 at a community college might be equivalent to ENGL 131 at UW.
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Column 3: Meets UW Requirements?: This column specifies whether the community college course fulfills any of the University of Washington’s general education requirements. If this column is blank, the course doesn’t satisfy any specific UW requirements. Abbreviations like [C], SSc, and NSc indicate fulfillment of Composition, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences requirements, respectively. We’ll delve deeper into these abbreviations later.
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Column 4: Effective Date: This column is vital for understanding the timeframe of the course equivalency. It indicates when the equivalency became effective and if there are any date restrictions.
Understanding Effective Dates in the UW Equivalency Guide
The “Effective Date” column is critical for ensuring the course equivalency is valid for when you took the course. Here’s a detailed explanation of the different notations you might encounter:
| Description | Examples | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Space is blank | No date parameters | The course equivalency is valid regardless of when you took the course. |
| Quarter and year specified | AUT Qtr. 2004 | The equivalency is effective starting from Autumn Quarter 2004. It is not valid for courses taken before this date. Sometimes, you might see the same course number listed below with a “§” symbol indicating “no longer offered” and a different effective date, showing a change in equivalency over time. |
| “Prior to” specified | Prior to AUT Qtr. 1991 | The course equivalency is only valid if you completed the course before Autumn Quarter 1991 (not including Autumn Quarter 1991 itself). |
| Date range given | AUT Qtr. 1988 thru SUM Qtr. 2007 | The equivalency is valid only for courses taken between Autumn Quarter 1988 and Summer Quarter 2007, inclusive. A course number may appear multiple times with different equivalencies and effective dates, reflecting changes over the years. |
| Multiple date ranges | AUT Qtr. 1995, and AUT Qtr. 1988 thru SUM Qtr. 1990 | The equivalency is effective during specific periods. In this example, it’s valid from Autumn Quarter 1988 to Summer Quarter 1990, and then again starting from Autumn Quarter 1995. It was not valid between Autumn Quarter 1990 and Summer Quarter 1995, nor before Autumn Quarter 1988. |
Paying close attention to the effective dates is crucial for accurately assessing your transferable credits.
Navigating UW Course Prefixes
To effectively use the UW Equivalency Guide, familiarity with UW course prefixes is essential. These prefixes are used throughout the tables to denote University of Washington departments and courses.
Common UW Course Prefixes
The following table lists common UW prefixes found in the Course Equivalency Tables. For a comprehensive list and detailed course information, refer to the University of Washington Course Descriptions.
Quick Navigation: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
| Prefix | Curriculum/Discipline | School or College |
|---|---|---|
| A A | Aeronautics and Astronautics | Engineering |
| AAS | Asian American Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| ACCTG | Accounting | Foster School of Business |
| AES | American Ethnic Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| AFRAM | Afro-American Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| AIS | American Indian Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| ANTH | Anthropology | Arts and Sciences |
| ARCH | Architecture | Built Environments |
| ARCHY | Archaeology | Arts and Sciences |
| ART | Art | Arts and Sciences |
| ART H | Art History | Arts and Sciences |
| ASIAN | Asian Languages and Literature | Arts and Sciences |
| ASTR | Astronomy | Arts and Sciences |
| ATM S | Atmospheric Sciences | Arts and Sciences |
| B A | Business Administration | Foster School of Business |
| BIO A | Biocultural Anthropology | Arts and Sciences |
| BIOL | Biology | Arts and Sciences |
| BOTANY | Botany | Arts and Sciences |
| B STR | Biological Structure | Medicine |
| CEE | Civil and Environmental Engineering | Engineering |
| CHEM | Chemistry | Arts and Sciences |
| CHEM E | Chemical Engineering | Engineering |
| CHID | Comparative History of Ideas | Arts and Sciences |
| CHIN | Chinese | Arts and Sciences |
| CHSTU | Chicano Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| CLAS | Classics | Arts and Sciences |
| C LIT | Comparative Literature | Arts and Sciences |
| COM | Communication | Arts and Sciences |
| CSE | Computer Science and Engineering | Engineering |
| DANCE | Dance | Arts and Sciences |
| D HYG | Dental Hygiene | Dentistry |
| DRAMA | Drama | Arts and Sciences |
| ECON | Economics | Arts and Sciences |
| EDUC | Education | Education |
| E E | Electrical Engineering | Engineering |
| ENGL | English | Arts and Sciences |
| ENGR | Engineering | Engineering |
| ENVIR | Program on the Environment | Environment |
| ESRM | Environmental Science and Resource Management | Environment |
| ESS | Earth and Space Sciences | Environment |
| FISH | Fisheries | Environment |
| FRENCH | French | Arts and Sciences |
| GENOME | Genome Sciences | Medicine |
| GEN ST | General Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| GEOG | Geography | Arts and Sciences |
| GERMAN | Germanics | Arts and Sciences |
| GREEK | Greek | Arts and Sciences |
| GWSS | Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| HCDE | Human Centered Design and Engineering | Engineering |
| HEBR | Hebrew | Arts and Sciences |
| HIST | History | Arts and Sciences |
| HSTAA | History of the Americas | Arts and Sciences |
| HSTAM | Ancient and Medieval History | Arts and Sciences |
| HSTAS | History of Asia | Arts and Sciences |
| HSTEU | Modern European History | Arts and Sciences |
| I S | Information Systems | Foster School of Business |
| ITAL | Italian | Arts and Sciences |
| JAPAN | Japanese | Arts and Sciences |
| KIN | Kinesiology | No longer offered at the UW |
| KINPE | Kinesiology/Physical Education | No longer offered at the UW |
| KOREAN | Korean | Arts and Sciences |
| LAB M | Laboratory Medicine | Medicine |
| L ARCH | Landscape Architecture | Built Environments |
| LATIN | Latin | Arts and Sciences |
| LING | Linguistics | Arts and Sciences |
| LSJ | Laws, Societies, and Justice | Arts and Sciences |
| MATH | Mathematics | Arts and Sciences |
| M E | Mechanical Engineering | Engineering |
| MICROM | Microbiology | Medicine |
| MKTG | Marketing | Foster School of Business |
| MS E | Materials Science and Engineering | Engineering |
| MUSIC | Music | Arts and Sciences |
| NORW | Norwegian | Arts and Sciences |
| NURS | Nursing | Nursing |
| NUTR | Nutritional Science | Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs |
| OCEAN | Oceanography | Environment |
| O E | Organization and Environment | Foster School of Business |
| PE | Physical Education | No longer offered at the UW |
| PHIL | Philosophy | Arts and Sciences |
| PHYS | Physics | Arts and Sciences |
| POL S | Political Science | Arts and Sciences |
| PSYCH | Psychology | Arts and Sciences |
| QMETH | Quantitative Methods | Foster School of Business |
| REHAB | Rehabilitation Medicine | Medicine |
| RELIG | Comparative Religion | Arts and Sciences |
| RUSS | Russian | Arts and Sciences |
| SCAND | Scandinavian | Arts and Sciences |
| SIS | International Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| SISA | Asian Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| SISAF | African Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| SISEA | East Asian Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| SISSA | South Asian Studies | Arts and Sciences |
| SOC | Sociology | Arts and Sciences |
| SOC WF | Social Welfare | Social Work |
| SPAN | Spanish | Arts and Sciences |
| SPHSC | Speech and Hearing Sciences | Arts and Sciences |
| STAT | Statistics | Arts and Sciences |
| SWED | Swedish | Arts and Sciences |
| URBDP | Urban Planning | Built Environments |
| ZOOL | Zoology | Arts and Sciences |
Understanding these prefixes will help you quickly identify the UW department to which your transfer credit might apply.
Types of Transfer Credit Explained
Transfer credit isn’t always a direct course-for-course match. The UW Equivalency Guide outlines different types of transfer credit you might receive.
Courses Without Direct UW Equivalents
Sometimes, a community college course doesn’t have a specific equivalent at UW. In these cases, you might see a UW equivalency listed as 1XX or 2XX.
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Departmental 1XX or 2XX: This indicates the course content aligns with a general UW program area but isn’t equivalent to a specific UW course. “1XX” usually represents community college courses at the 100 level, and “2XX” for 200-level courses. For example:
Community College Course UW Equivalency Meets UW Requirements? Effective Date BIOL 214 (3) BIOL 2XX NSc Here, BIOL 214 transfers as general Biology (BIOL 2XX) credit and fulfills the Natural Sciences (NSc) requirement.
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UW 1XX or 2XX: This designation means the course is considered interdepartmental or doesn’t directly correspond to a specific UW program. It’s assigned a generic UW 1XX or 2XX equivalency and can often be used towards general graduation credit. For example:
Community College Course UW Equivalency Meets UW Requirements? Effective Date HUM 101 (5) UW 1XX HUM 101 transfers as general UW 1XX credit.
Courses With Specific UW Equivalents
In other cases, you’ll find a direct course-to-course equivalency. For instance:
| Community College Course | UW Equivalency | Meets UW Requirements? | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTH 201 (5) | BIO A 201 (5) | NSc |
Here, ANTH 201 at the community college is directly equivalent to BIO A 201 at UW and also satisfies the Natural Sciences (NSc) requirement.
Credit Discrepancies
Be aware that credit amounts may differ between community colleges and UW.
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UW Never Awards More Credit: You will never receive more credits at UW than the original course awarded.
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Fewer Credits at Community College: If a community college course has fewer credits than its UW equivalent, you will receive the lower credit amount. For example:
Community College Course UW Equivalency Meets UW Requirements? Effective Date ANTH 230 (3) GWSS 200 (5) [3 credits allowed] SSc ANTH 230 transfers as GWSS 200 but only awards 3 credits, though it still counts toward the Social Sciences (SSc) requirement.
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More Credits at Community College: If a community college course has more credits, the excess credits are typically assigned as departmental 1XX or 2XX credit, or UW 1XX or 2XX. Examples include:
Community College Course UW Equivalency Meets UW Requirements? Effective Date CHEM 199 (1-5, max. 10) CHEM 199 (1-6) [credit allowed varies 1-6], 1XX (1-4) HIS 218 (5) HIST 199 (3-5) [2 credits allowed], UW 2XX (3) SSc AUT Qtr. 1994 MATH 221 (5) MATH 308 (3), 2XX (2) NSc
Course Sequences
Some science or language courses require completing a sequence at the community college to receive specific UW equivalencies. For example, in Chemistry:
| Community College Course | UW Equivalency | Meets UW Requirements? | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHEM& 162,163 (5,6) | CHEM 152,162 (5,6) if both courses taken; otherwise, CHEM 1XX | NSc | SUM Qtr. 2008 |
Completing both CHEM& 162 and 163 is required for the CHEM 152, 162 equivalency. Otherwise, it transfers as general CHEM 1XX credit.
Business Course Transfers
Business courses that align with the UW Business Administration program are generally listed in the guide. Extra credits from community college business courses usually transfer as B A 1XX or 2XX. A limited number of lower-division business credits beyond admission requirements may be applicable to a UW Business degree with approval.
| Community College Course | UW Equivalency | Meets UW Requirements? | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCT& 203 (5) | ACCTG 225 (5) |
Understanding “Meets UW Requirements” Column
The “Meets UW requirements” column uses abbreviations to indicate how a course can fulfill UW’s general education requirements for bachelor’s degrees.
Areas of Inquiry
These abbreviations correspond to UW’s Areas of Inquiry (formerly Areas of Knowledge):
- SSc (Social Sciences) (formerly I&S – Individuals & Societies)
- NSc (Natural Sciences) (formerly NW – Natural World)
- A&H (Arts & Humanities) (formerly VLPA – Visual, Literary, & Performing Arts)
Language Skills & Reasoning
These notations indicate fulfillment of essential skills requirements:
- [C] Composition: Satisfies the UW Composition requirement.
- [RSN] Reasoning (formerly [Q] – Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning): Fulfills the Reasoning requirement.
Important Note: Writing credit [W] is not listed in the equivalency guide and is evaluated separately. See the Additional Writing Requirement for more information.
Examples in the Table
| Community College Course | UW Equivalency | Meets UW Requirements? | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTH& 217 (5) | ANTH 2XX | SSc | |
| ASTR 101 (5) | ASTR 101 (5) | NSc [RSN] | |
| BIO 106 (5) | BIOL 1XX | SSc, NSc | |
| DRAMA 120 (3) | DRAMA 1XX | A&H | |
| ENGL& 101 (5) | ENGL 131 (5) | [C] | |
| ENGL 240 (5) | LING 200 (5) | A&H, SSc [RSN] |
These examples demonstrate how community college courses can meet various UW general education requirements.
English Composition Credit
While a 3-credit English composition course might contribute towards the UW composition requirement, you still need a minimum of 5 composition credits to fully satisfy it.
Foreign Language Requirements for UW Admission and Graduation
Foreign language study is crucial for many UW programs.
Foreign Language Admission and College of Arts & Sciences Graduation Requirement
- Admission: Applicants typically need two years of high school foreign language or 10 quarter credits of a single foreign language at the college level for admission.
- Graduation (College of Arts & Sciences): Fifteen quarter credits (third quarter level proficiency) in a foreign language are required for graduation in the College of Arts and Sciences, Occupational Therapy, and Social Welfare majors. It’s highly recommended to complete the full 15 credits before transferring.
Foreign Language and A&H Credit
While foreign language courses fulfilling the graduation requirement cannot also count towards Arts & Humanities (A&H) requirements, up to 15 credits of first-year courses in a second foreign language can be used for A&H credit (except in Engineering), after completing a full 15-credit sequence in that second language.
What If Your Course Isn’t Listed?
If a course you’ve taken isn’t in the UW Equivalency Guide, several reasons could explain why:
- Non-Transferable Course: The course might not be transferable to UW. Review Notable Restrictions on Transfer Credit and Courses Receiving No Credit for details on non-transferable courses.
- New Course: The course may be recently introduced, and its review for equivalency might still be pending. Course reviews can take time.
- Course Not in Catalog: For a course to be reviewed, it must be officially listed in the community college’s catalog (past, present, or future).
Finding Out About Unlisted Courses
To inquire about an unlisted course’s transferability or for any admissions questions, contact the Office of Admissions.
If you are a representative from a UW department or a Washington State community or technical college with questions about the equivalency review process, consult the Equivalency Review Process Guidelines.
Conclusion: Your UW Equivalency Guide is Your Roadmap
The UW Equivalency Guide is an indispensable resource for students planning to transfer to the University of Washington. By understanding how to read and interpret these tables, you can effectively plan your coursework, ensure your credits transfer smoothly, and make informed decisions about your academic pathway to UW. Take the time to familiarize yourself with this guide and leverage it to make your transfer process as seamless as possible.
