Student Academic Services: Get Answers

If you are a freshman, the instructor of your University Seminar will be your faculty advisor for your first year at Seattle Pacific University.

When you’re ready to apply for a major, you may request that a major advisor be assigned to you if you do not already have a faculty advisor in the department in which you are interested. You may request a new advisor online through the Banner Information System. Enter the system and choose “Student Menu” followed by “Academic Progress Menu,” which includes the “Change of Advisor” option.

If you have not yet declared a major, schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor before your registration appointment time. Once you have met with your advisor they will lift your hold so you are able to register.

If you do not know who your advisor is, find out by viewing “Check your Registration Information” in the Student Menu of the Banner Information System, and clicking on the Degree Link in the curriculum section at the bottom of the page.

See the SPU Handbook for more information.

Note: Your “faculty advisor” is different from your “academic counselor,” who’s in Student Academic Services. 

• Your academic counselor is a resource — for you and your faculty advisor — regarding policies related to completing your degree.
• Your academic counselor follows your progress from admission through graduation, specifically by evaluating transcripts for transfer students, confirming the transferability of courses you may want to take elsewhere while a student at SPU, completing graduation checklists, and awarding honors and degrees.

Meet your academic counselor.

All undergraduate students at Seattle Pacific must demonstrate math and English competency early in their career at SPU and as a condition of graduation. To determine competency and assign any necessary remedial coursework, incoming students must take a math proficiency test and English Placement Test.

Other requirements include taking the required number of “W” courses and fulfilling a foreign language requirement.

With careful planning, students can complete most majors in four years (or less, for students with transfer credit). The following yearly guidelines will help you to stay on track academically. Although the guidelines are written for an entering freshman, some items in all four years, (even the first two years) also pertain to students with transfer credit.

Find out more about graduating early.

Unless they are exempt from the math exam based on the standards stated below, all students pursuing a first undergraduate degree, including transfer students, are required to take a Math Proficiency Examination before they register for a second quarter of classes at SPU.

Exemption from the Math Proficiency Examination

Students who submit official documents indicating they have achieved one of the following will be exempt from the Mathematics Proficiency Exam:

• A quantitative score of 500 or above in the math portion of an SAT exam taken prior to April 1995, or
• A quantitative score of 580 or above on the math portion of an SAT exam taken April 1995 or later , or
• An ACT math score of 21 or above on a test taken prior to April 1995, or
• An ACT math score of 25 or above on a test taken April 1995 or later, or
• A grade of C (2.0) or better in a college calculus class. (Note: Survey of Calculus and Elements of Calculus type courses do not meet this requirement.).
• Completion of an approved DTA associate’s degree.

Students who do not pass the Mathematics Proficiency Exam will be required to enroll in and complete a specified number of credits in MAT 0121-0126, or MAT 0131 and 0132, “Arithmetic Review.” These credits are not considered college-level work, and thus do not count toward the minimum 180 credits required for graduation.

During their first quarter, students who have not already taken and passed, with a “C” or better, a college-level writing (composition) course on a college or university campus are required to take the English Placement Exam, which samples their writing. (AP credit in English composition taken during high school does not substitute, in this context, for a college-level writing course, nor does any composition course taken as part of “Running Start” or other “college in the high schools” programs.)

Freshmen take the English Placement test toward the end of Autumn Quarter in their University Seminar courses. Most transfer students are exempt from the test based on prior coursework. Those transfers who need to take the test may arrange to do so by contacting the English Department [LINK http://www.spu.edu/depts/eng/] and arranging a test date and time by calling 206-281-2036. The test must be completed before registration for a second quarter at SPU.

Students whose scores on this test indicate they do not yet write on the college level will be required during their first year of registration to enroll in ENG 0102, which will raise their ability to the college level, and ENG 2201. ENG 0102 is not considered a college-level course. Credits earned in this course do not count toward the 180 minimum credits required for graduation.

Students whose scores indicate that they can write minimally at the college level but need the introductory course in writing (ENG 2201) in order to succeed in college will be required to take that course.

All required coursework in writing must be completed by the end of a student’s fourth quarter at SPU.

Banner is the student registration system. It is accessible to students by clicking “Banner” under Online Services in the burgundy bar at the top of the SPU homepage.

Banner is used to:

• Register, add, or drop classes during the designated dates each quarter.
• View transcripts and other student records, print unofficial copies of your transcript.
• Check financial aid information.
• Make payments on your student account.
• Submit timesheets and view student employment records.
• Request and maintain computer resources such as email and personal homepages.
• Register for or sign up for other events, such as Commencement and ASSP elections.

If you are have difficulty logging into Banner or using the registration functions, contact Student Academic Services at 206-281-2031 or sasinfo@spu.edu.

Blackboard Learning System is SPU’s online learning resource. Not all classes utilize this system, though many instructors use Blackboard in a "blended" instructional format that integrates classroom lectures with online resources and components. Access Blackboard under Online Services in the burgundy bar at the top of the SPU homepage.

Blackboard is used to:

• Operate instructional tools for courses in which you’re currently registered.
• Submit coursework for current classes.

If you have difficulty logging into Blackboard or using its resources, contact Instructional Technology Services at 206-281-2170 or onlinelearning@spu.edu.