Limit on the Number of Withdrawals (Policy 3170)

University Policy 3170

Download a Printable Version of Policy 3170

Effective Date

September 1995

Last Revision Date

March 2014

Responsible Party

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, (208) 426-1212
Office of the Registrar, (208) 426-4249

Scope and Audience

This policy applies to all University students.

Additional Authority

University Policy 3190 (Course Repetition – GPA Relationship)

1. Policy Purpose

To limit the number of withdrawals (W’s) a student may accrue in an academic program.

2. Policy Statement

Boise State University recognizes that students may occasionally need to drop a course. Students are allowed a maximum number of withdrawals (W’s) for any one course and/or a maximum number of W’s associated with the completion of a degree.

3. Guidelines

a. Students may accrue up to ten (10) withdrawals for a baccalaureate degree and up to five (5) for an associate degree. Any “W’s” received in an associate degree program count toward the 10 allowed for the baccalaureate degree program.

b. Withdrawals from co-requisite courses (lecture/lab) will count as one “W,” unless the co-requisite courses are two separate courses.

c. Any withdrawal grade (W) given as a result of a complete withdrawal will not count toward the ten total allowed or the two allowed per course.

d. Once a student has exhausted the number of “W’s” allowed, the student may be removed from their major.

e. Students may earn an additional ten W’s toward a second baccalaureate degree or an additional five W’s toward an additional associate degree.

f. “W’s” earned prior to Spring 2014 semester are not counted toward the number allowed.

Revision History

July 1995; July 1999; July 2001; November 2001; April 2012; December 2012; March 2014