Academic & Student Support
Academic Advisors
University College learners bring rich array of backgrounds and experiences to the classroom. Adults entering or returning to higher education may need academic advising, guidance, and special services. Academic advisors are available to provide guidance and information about admission requirements, degree requirements, academics, course selection, transfer and registration procedures, and special programs and services. For information about advising and all student services, call the University College Office of Admissions and Student Services, (314) 935-6777.
Information on University College degree and certificate programs and courses is available free of charge to all current and prospective students. As a prospective student, you can meet with an academic advisor to discuss your academic goals and interests prior to submitting an application for admission. Advising is also recommended if you are undecided about your academic goals or want to become more familiar with college before applying for admission.
When you are admitted to a degree or certificate program, you should consult with your advisor on a regular basis to discuss course sequences, degree requirements, and other important information related to your academic program.
Transfer Advising/ Transcript Evaluation
Advisors will evaluate transcripts to determine transfer credit and remaining course requirements toward a University College degree or certificate. There is no fee for this service. To receive transfer credit, you must be admitted to a University College degree or certificate program and request that official transcripts be mailed directly to University College from all institutions previously attended. If you are applying for admission to a degree or certificate program, you should arrange for an evaluation prior to or immediately after applying for degree or certificate candidacy. If you are a student at one of the St. Louis area community colleges thinking about transferring to a four-year institution, you may consult with an academic advisor to learn about the transfer of community college credit to University College. Several degree programs are designed specifically to build on the community college associate degree program.
Campus Map
For a printable version (PDF) of the Hilltop (main campus) map.
Libraries
The Washington University community is served by a network of libraries designed to meet the teaching and research needs of faculty and students. On the Hilltop Campus are the John M. Olin Library, the general library housing collections in the humanities, social sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Also on the Hilltop Campus are departmental and school libraries: art and architecture, biology, business, chemistry, earth and planetary sciences, East Asian studies, law, mathematics, music, physics, and social work. The Medical Campus is served by the Bernard Becker Medical Library and Biomedical Communications Center. The West Campus Library, which houses older and lesser-used materials, is located at 7425 Forsyth in Clayton. These libraries currently house more than 3.5 million volumes and several thousand periodicals, in addition to sizable collections in microfilms, manuscripts, maps, government publications, and audiovisual materials. You may check out books and other resources from any Washington University library with a valid ID card. Through the University Libraries web site, you can access the online catalog, as well as a wide range of electronic resources, from the catalogs of other libraries throughout the world to full-text journal articles. This Web site can be accessed through dial-up or from any personal computer linked to the University's computing system. For more information on University Libraries and their hours, call General Reference Services, (314) 935-5410, or visit the Web site.
Computer Facilities
The Arts & Sciences Computing Center provides a variety of computing resources for all Arts & Sciences students, faculty, and staff, including computer labs, e-mail, and Internet activities. The center also maintains an assortment of word-processing, spreadsheet, graphic, and Internet software. All students, faculty, and staff in Arts & Sciences are eligible for accounts that provide access to e-mail and the Internet.
The Writing Center
Free writing advice for compositions, term papers, theses, and reports is available to all Washington University students and faculty. You may drop by the Writing Center, located in Eads Hall, Room 111, visit our website or call (314) 935-4981 for an appointment.
Center for Advanced Learning at Cornerstone
The Center for Advanced Learning is located in Greg Hall on the "South 40." Cornerstone offers active, individualized and collaborative learning opportunities including: facilitated study groups, workshops and help sessions for specific courses and one-on-one academic mentoring. Dorm-based academic peer mentors and evening help desks are also available. Students can take advantage of academic coaching, learning style assessment sessions and study skills activities as well. Also at Cornerstone: Disability Resources provides technology and services to students with documented disabilities and assists students with suspected disabilities and temporary injuries. The federally-funded TRIO program offers supplementary educational experiences to first-generation students, students from low-income families and eligible students with documented disabilities. The Technology Laboratory provides course-related software, problem sets and software to assist with writing and test-taking skills. For further information, contact Cornerstone at (314) 935-5970, or visit the website Cornerstone Center for Advanced Learning at Cornerstone.
Career Planning
University College offers career planning assistance to students through career management workshops and referral to other campus facilities that provide career information. Contact your academic advisor for additional information or visit the Career Center web site, or call the Career Center at 314/935-5930, or University College, 314/935-6777. Graduates of University College are eligible for the same career-planning services available to other Washington University alumni. Services to alumni are on a fee-for-service basis. Details of these services are available from the University College academic advisors.
Disability Resource Center
If you are seeking accommodations or services for a disability-hearing, visual, orthopedic, learning, physical, psychiatric, or another disability, contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC), Cornerstone, Gregg House, (314) 935-4062. Please visit the DRC Web site to obtain information regarding eligibility, services offered, documentation requirements, and policies and procedures. Accommodations can include note takers, American sign language interpreters, and distraction-free testing. Tutoring and counseling are also available.
E-Mail Accounts
You will automatically receive a Washington University e-mail account when you register for courses in University College. This will remain your account as long as you are an active student. If you are registered on a nondegree basis, you may obtain an e-mail account for the semester in which you are enrolled.
Student Identification Cards
After registering, you can obtain a student ID card from the Office of Student Records. This card is required to check books out of the library and to obtain student discounts at Edison Theatre and admission to the sports facilities. The ID card will automatically be validated for any subsequent semester of registration; returning students do not need to have their IDs validated.
International Students and Scholars
The Office for International Students and Scholars serves students and scholars from other countries. The office issues certificates of eligibility (visa documents) to international students, conducts programs of orientation for newly arrived students, offers a wide range of courses in English Language Programs, and provides personal and cross-cultural counseling. The Office for International Students and Scholars also arranges a wide variety of social, cultural, and recreational activities designed to foster international understanding and enrich the life of the campus. International students who reside in the St. Louis area and hold an appropriate visa are welcome to enroll in University College. In addition to meeting the basic enrollment and visa requirements, you must present evidence of your ability to speak, read, and write the English language. Normally, results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or equivalent English proficiency examinations are used to make this determination. If you wish to be admitted to a degree or certificate program in University College, you must submit, in addition to the regular application form, a nonrefundable $50 application fee, official transcripts or certifying credentials verifying secondary school and college studies, and written authorization concerning visa and language status from the Office for International Students and Scholars. All academic records from institutions outside the United States must be in English and be properly notarized. The Office for International Students and Scholars is in the Stix International House at 6470 Forsyth Blvd., opposite Mallinckrodt Center, and can be reached by calling (314)935-5910 or visiting the International Office web site.
Humanities Digital Workshop
Many University College foreign language classes make use of the extensive resources, including films, audio resources, and foreign language broadcasts, in the Humanities Digital Workshop in Eads Hall. For information about the hours and services of the Humanities Digital Workshop, call (314) 935-5165 or visit the Web site.
Bookstore
Textbooks, school supplies, general reading and reference books, CDs, and a variety of gift items may be purchased at the Washington University Campus Stores in the Mallinckrodt Student Center. Store hours during the academic year are: Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5:00 p.m. Hours during the summer months differ. Call (314) 935-5500 or visit the Web site.
Parking and Transportation
If you plan to park on campus, you will need to purchase an evening parking permit at the Transportation Office, located at 700 Rosedale Ave. Applications for parking permits are also available at University College, January Hall, Room 20. Evening permits are valid between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. for the entire academic year. A separate permit must be purchased for summer sessions. Each student is responsible for complying with campus parking regulations. For further information, consult the parking regulations brochure, available in January Hall, Room 20, or call the Transportation Department at (314) 935-5601, or visit its web site. Shuttle buses connect the campus with nearby neighborhoods, MetroLink stations, the West Campus, and the Medical Campus. Schedule information is available from the Transportation Department Web site. Visitors to campus may park in the metered places east of Brookings Hall and on the south side of Mallinckrodt or near the Athletic Center. A pay lot is available near Mallinckrodt. Well-lighted parking lots are adjacent to classroom buildings.
Athletic Complex
University College students may use the facilities in the Athletic Complex, which includes the Field House, indoor pool, racquet and handball courts, indoor track, weight room, and fitness center. A validated Washington University identification is required for admission to these facilities. A fee is charged to part-time and evening students. For information, call (314) 935-5220 or visit the Athletic Center web site.
Food Service
The Whispers Cafe, located in Olin Library, serves coffee and coffee-shop items until 10 p.m. during the weekdays of the academic year.
Edison Theatre
Edison Theatre, located in Mallinckrodt Center, showcases high-quality, innovative productions in theater, dance, and music. University College students may obtain student tickets to productions. For information regarding the schedule of events, call (314) 935-6564, or visit the web site.
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Housed in Steinberg Hall at the east end of campus, this museum (formerly the Washington University Gallery of Art) is the first art museum established west of the Mississippi River. Its permanent collection of more than 3,000 pieces includes important 19th- and 20th-century American and European works. The gallery schedules lectures, special exhibits, and programs throughout the year. Call (314) 935-4237 for more information or visit its web site.
Center for the Humanities
The Center for the Humanities (formerly the International Writers Center) publishes a monthly listing of literary events in the St. Louis area, and sponsors conferences on humanities topics and a reading series featuring award-winning national and international writers and academics. Call (314) 935-5576 or visit the web site.
The Department of Music
The Department of Music sponsors numerous concerts and recitals, from jazz to opera, throughout the entire year. The department also sponsors numerous performing ensembles, members of which are drawn from the University and the St. Louis community. Admission to an ensemble is based on audition. For information call (314) 935-5581 or visit the Web site.
The Assembly Series
The Assembly Series sponsors speakers of national and international reputation in politics, science, education, religion, the arts, journalism, and world affairs. The lectures, held weekly during the academic year, are free and open to the public. For information, call (314) 935-5285, or visit the Assembly Series web site.
Campus Security
The University's Police Department patrols campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides emergency first aid, as well as assistance with stalled cars and failed batteries. The University Police Department is at 6515 Wydown Blvd, (314) 935-5555. "Blue light" telephones, connected directly to the police department, are located throughout the campus and instantly alert University Police to the location of someone in need of assistance. A shuttle operates at night to transport students around campus. Additionally, an evening escort can be called to walk a student to a car or residence hall. The Campus Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 requires the University to publish an annual report of campus security policies and crime statistics and to make it available to prospective students and employees upon request. This report is published on the police web site.
All degree and certificate candidates must complete an Intent to Graduate Form early in their last semester. Forms and instructions with deadline dates are available from University College. All candidates for degrees and certificates are responsible for meeting the deadlines for filing their Intent to Graduate forms. All graduates are invited to be at commencement and recognition ceremonies in May when degrees are conferred and certificates presented.
Need Your Washington University Transcript?
The Washington University Office of Student Records website has information on obtaining your Washington University transcript.
