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Policies

Laptop Policy

All students majoring in Human Centered Design & Engineering are required to have a laptop they can use in classes and for their studies. See the Computing & Technology Resources page for information about laptop specifications and many free or low-cost software resources.

Research Credits Policy
(Formerly "Variable Credit Registration Policy")

Research Credits Policy
HCDE students admitted prior to Autumn 2024

HCDE students may register for no more than 10 credits total of HCDE 496 over the course of the degree. In addition, no more than 4 credits maximum of HCDE 496 may apply to any one of the following degree requirements: engineering fundamentals, experiential learning, or HCDE electives. HCDE 499 credits associated with research or research credits taken outside the HCDE Department may be considered towards the HCDE experiential learning requirement via course substitution petition, but HCDE students may count no more than 10 credits combined of HCDE 496, 499, or other research courses towards their HCDE major requirements. More information about variable credit course registration is available on the Variable Credit Courses and Registration Process page.

Research Credits Policy
HCDE students admitted Autumn 2024 or later

HCDE students may register for no more than 10 credits total of HCDE 496 and no more than 6 credits total of HCDE 499 over the course of the degree. Any HCDE 496 or HCDE 499 credits beyond those taken to satisfy the 2-credit experiential learning requirement may be taken as general electives, but will not satisfy any specific HCDE major requirements. Research credits taken outside the HCDE Department may be considered towards the HCDE experiential learning requirement via course substitution petition, but are similarly not eligible to apply to any other HCDE major requirements. More information about variable credit course registration is available on the Variable Credit Courses and Registration Process page.

Group Code Registration Policy

To ensure that HCDE majors are able to register for the capstone prerequisites during their second-to-last year and that graduating students are able to register for the courses needed to complete the degree in their final year, the HCDE Department uses group codes to manage registration for our 300- and 400-level courses (excluding HCDE 496). Group code eligibility and registration priority is outlined in the tables below. HCDE majors receive pre-registration emails with more information and should plan to contact HCDE Advising before their assigned registration date with any questions.

HCDE does not make exceptions to this policy for students who wish to graduate early or pursue study abroad, internships, or quarter(s) off during the regular academic year; it is the responsibility of HCDE students to meet with HCDE Advising prior to making these plans to discuss whether or not this will be feasible within the HCDE Continuation Policy and UW Satisfactory Progress Policy and how this may impact their degree plan.

Eligibility for HCDSR and HCDJR Group Codes

Group Code Eligibility Criteria
HCDSR
  • Graduation application on file.
  • OR 4th year student, based on quarter of admission and admission pathway
  • OR All 300-level core HCDE courses in completed or in progress prior to the first day of registration.
HCDJR*
  • 3rd year student, based on quarter of admission and admission pathway
  • OR Student has 2 or fewer courses left to take that would satisfy degree requirements without access to HCDE 300-level courses. Students in this situation who wish to be moved into the HCDJR group code must submit a petition and draft a degree plan in MyPlan outlining all their remaining degree requirements. Approval of these petitions is not guaranteed, and these petitions are not reviewed until 1 week before the end of Period 1 registration.

*Newly admitted students must also complete the HCDE admissions acceptance/placement form before they are eligible to be added to HCDE group codes.

Who Can Register for HCDE 300- and 400-Level Courses by Registration Period

Registration Period 300-Level HCDE Courses 400-Level HCDE Courses (excluding HCDE 496)
Period 1 Registration HCDJR and HCDSR Only HCDSR Only
Period 2 Registration All Declared HCDE Majors HCDJR and HCDSR Only
Period 3 Registration All UW Undergraduates HCDJR and HCDSR Only

Add Codes Policy

HCDE BS students are encouraged to register early - as soon as their Period 1 registration date begins - to secure a full schedule. If a desired class is full, sign up for Notify.UW to receive a text message or email when space becomes available and register for a backup course in the meantime. HCDE does not provide add codes during the Late Add Period or to override course prerequisites, group code restrictions, or course enrollment limits. All HCDE students should plan to finalize their schedules no later than the first week of the quarter. Students who have questions regarding upcoming registration deadlines should meet with an academic adviser as early possible and should consult the UW Academic Calendar for information regarding registration fees and tuition forfeiture.

Repeat registration for 300-level HCDE core courses is not available via online registration during Period 1 registration. This restriction cannot be overridden with an add code. Students who will need to repeat a 300-level core course in order to meet an HCDE degree requirement should schedule a current BS student advising appointment prior to the first day of Period 1 registration.

With the exception of Directed Research Group (DRG) registration, registration for HCDE courses is managed by the HCDE Academic Advising Office, and instructors do not have add codes. Do not contact HCDE instructors for an add code.

Non-HCDE students seeking to register for a majors-only HCDE course should refer to our non-major course registration petition. This petition process applies to non-majors only.

1 Credit Waiver Policy

1 Credit Waiver Policy
HCDE students admitted prior to Autumn 2024

HCDE students are permitted to waive 1 credit from either the additional math/science, engineering fundamentals, or HCDE electives requirement, but only from one of these three requirements and no more than 1 credit total. Students who wish to use this 1 credit waiver must contact the HCDE BS adviser for this waiver to be applied.

1 Credit Waiver Policy
HCDE students admitted Autumn 2024 or later

HCDE students are permitted to waive 1 credit from the HCDE Systems and Society Electives requirement, but only from this requirement and no more than 1 credit total. Students who wish to use this 1 credit waiver must contact the HCDE BS adviser for this waiver to be applied.

Undergraduate Continuation Policy

While the University has general regulations governing scholastic eligibility for continuation, departments in the College of Engineering have adopted additional requirements in order to make the best use of the limited facilities and resources available and to provide reasonable assurance of academic success. Read more ยป

Additional HCDE Student Policies

Additional HCDE student policies which apply to both undergraduate and graduate students can be found on our Current Student Resources & Policies page.

University Policies

In addition to the HCDE policies above, HCDE majors should be sure to familiarize themselves with the university policies below.

  • Satisfactory Progress Policy: This policy outlines the points at which UW undergraduates will receive registration holds if they have not made satisfactory progress towards graduation.
  • Satisfactory/Non-Satisfactory (S/NS) Grading and Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters: This page describes how S/NS grading works and how that differs in Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters and Non-Extraordinary Circumstances Quarters. Outside of an Extraordinary Circumstances Quarter, S graded courses cannot be used towards majors and degree requirements. We recommend meeting with HCDE Advising prior to changing a course to S/NS grading. Additional grading information can be found on the UW Grading System page in the General Catalog.
  • Registration Tampering and Abuse: This policy describes the registration activities which are classified as registration tampering and abuse under the UW Student Conduct Code and related disciplinary actions. Registering for extra seats to hold spaces for other students, buying or selling seats, or using robots or other automated tools to submit registration requests is expressly forbidden.
  • Quarter Off Eligibility Policy: This policy describes the eligibility criteria for undergraduates to take one quarter off from the university, as well as the registration implications and steps that must be taken to re-enroll if a student takes off more than one quarter consecutively. HCDE students should review the Continuation Policy above and schedule an appointment with HCDE Advising before taking a quarter off and before returning to the university. Students considering time off should also consult with other relevant UW offices (e.g., International Student Services, Financial Aid).