Basic Requirements **
- Analytical Writing (U11 111)*
- Critical and Researched Writing (U11 203)*
- One additional 3-unit advanced writing course, chosen from U11 304, U11 3120, U11 324, U11 331*
- One 3-unit course in numerical applications with a minimum grade of C-. To meet the numerical application requirement, you must take one of the following:
- Any course from the CAPS (U20) Math department, including statistics and programming coursesU03 117 Quantitative Reasoning
- U03 117 Quantitative Reasoning
- U09 300 Introductory Psychological Statistics
- U25 323 Introduction to Quantitative Methods
- One course in moral reasoning.
- One 3-unit course in cultural diversity. Courses that satisfy the cultural diversity requirement explore issues of global human diversity and the interactions among cultures.
Transfer Policies
Transfer Policies
*Students who receive a grade lower than a C- in U11 111 Analytical Writing taken at WashU School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) must repeat the course. Students who receive a grade lower than a C- in U11 203 Critical and Researched Writing taken at CAPS must, in consultation with the Department of English and CAPS, choose between two options to satisfy the requirement: 1) repeat the course; or 2) complete a 3-unit composition tutorial with a grade of C or higher. Students who have completed English Composition courses at another college or university should be well prepared for the required writing courses at CAPS and transfer credit will be awarded for this work according to our regular transfer credit policies. However, new students will begin with U11 111 at CAPS. Students who feel they have a strong writing background may petition to take a placement test to demonstrate the skills needed to begin with U11 203 Critical and Researched Writing instead. All students will complete U11 203 and a 300-level writing course at CAPS. If you have any questions about the writing evaluation process or requirements, please contact your advisor. Learn more about transferring previously earned credit from other schools on our Transfer Policy page.
Distribution Requirements**
27 units, 9 units in each area noted below. Major courses also may fulfill basic and distribution requirements; however, each distribution area must include course work from at least two disciplines:
- Humanities: (9 credits) Courses from Art History, Classics, History*, Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Creative Writing, Film Studies, Foreign Languages, Music, and Speech, and other courses where noted.
- Social Sciences: (9 credits) Courses from: Anthropology, Economics, History*, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and other courses where noted.
- Natural Sciences & Mathematics: (9 credits) Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Physics, and Science.
*History courses may satisfy either the Humanities or Social Sciences requirements, but not both.
**These requirements effective as of Summer 2023. Students admitted to CAPS programs prior to Summer 2023 are expected to fulfill the requirements in place at the time of their admission.
Learn more about transferring previously earned credit from other schools on our Transfer Policy page.
Additional Information
Advanced Courses
At least 30 units of advanced courses must be completed at Washington University.
Residency Requirement
Students working toward the Bachelor of Science degree at Washington University must complete the final 36 units of course work at Washington University. At least half of the units for the major must be completed at Washington University.
Additional Elective Courses
Students must complete a total of 120 credit units of course work for the degree by taking additional courses in either the liberal arts or professional areas. No more than 10 percent of a student’s course work may be in independent work (including internships, directed readings), and no more than 60 units in one department may count toward the degree.
Grade Requirements
To receive the Bachelor of Science degree, you must maintain a 2.0 GPA in all courses taken and receive a grade of C- or better in all courses applied to your major.