Evening & Weekend Studies

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Getting Started

Frequently Asked Questions

Admissions and Getting Started

Curriculum and Academics

Student Support and Advising

For many more answers regarding support and advising, please see the Academic Advising web pages.

Do I have to be formally admitted to the college to start my studies?

No. You will need to be formally admitted to receive your degree and to transfer in any qualifying credits from other schools, but you can begin your studies at Evergreen as a Special Student without having to do anything other than register for the classes you want to take for the upcoming quarter.

What is a "Special Student"?

A special student is someone who has not yet gone through the formal admission process at Evergreen. A special student can take up to eight credits per quarter simply by registering for the classes that interest them. All the credits earned as a special student will count toward a degree once a student is admitted. This is the easiest way to get started.

Can I take classes if I already have a Bachelors' degree?

Yes. You can take classes for professional development, personal growth, or just for fun by registering as a Special Student, or you can apply for formal admission to work toward a second Bachelors' degree from Evergreen.

How do I get transfer credit for prior college course work?

Evergreen has a generous policy regarding the acceptance of credit from other colleges and universities. The award of transfer credit is done when you apply and are accepted for admission to the college and you pay your tuition deposit. See the college's Transfer Policy for more details.

Can I get credit for work or life experience?

Evergreen's Prior Learning from Experience (PLE) program recognizes that learning results not only from academic studies, but also from life experience. At Evergreen, students can apply to the college to receive credit for knowledge gained from such experience. It is important to understand that credit is never awarded for experience alone, but for the demonstration that the student has gained college-level learning as a result of the experience. This is done through the development of an extensive portfolio document that describes the experience and analyzes the knowledge gained through a combination of autobiographical and expository writing and research. For more details see the PLE web site .

Evergreen also awards credit for some learning that earns a certificate acknowledging participation and completion of a workshop, seminar, training program, etc. This review process is performed after a student has been admitted to Evergreen. A completed certificate evaluation cover sheet, pamphlet and course outline and/or syllabus for the course or learning must accompany each certificate submitted.

How much does it cost to attend Evergreen?

Your tuition will depend on the number of credits you are taking for a given quarter. Students who are taking nine credits or fewer pay on a per-credit basis, while students taking ten to eighteen credits pay a flat fee. Tuition also depends on whether or not you are a resident of the state of Washington.

Tuition is set each year by the Washington State Legislature.

How do I apply for financial aid?

Financial aid is available to students who have been formally admitted to Evergreen. We recommend that you apply as early as possible to ensure full consideration of your financial aid application. See our Financial Aid page for more details.

What can I study?

We offer evening and weekend classes in management, computer science, psychology, writing, labor studies, environmental studies, language, science and more. At Evergreen, students choose their own academic path and create an area of emphasis that meets their personal educational goals. No one will ever tell you what to take, but there are plenty of people to help you make your decisions. For more information on academic planning, see the Academic Advising pages.

To see exactly what we are offering for the upcoming quarter and the rest of the academic year, explore the class offerings listed on these pages, or call (360) 867-6164 to ask for a copy of our class listings.

Are there classes for new or returning students?

New or returning students looking for a starting place in Evening and Weekend Studies will want to look at our Entry Points Curriculum. This set of classes is specifically designed for adult students who are new to the college experience or are returning to college after some years have passed.

What would my class schedule be like?

Our classes are scheduled to fit the varying needs of our students and their busy lives. You can choose whatever combination of programs and courses fits your situation.

Some students will choose to attend evening classes only. These students might take an eight-credit interdisciplinary program, which meets on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. They might also add a four-credit class that meets on one of their open evenings (usually 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.).

Other students will want to attend on the weekends and might choose an eight-credit program that meets on Saturdays, or they may choose a program that is an intensive weekends format. These programs may meet four times each quarter on Saturdays and Sundays, with Internet work in between class meetings.

In addition, there are also programs that meet on a combination of weekday evenings and Saturdays. Remember, the choice of when you take classes is up to you. Pick the classes with schedules that meet your needs.

What's the difference between a Program and a Course?

Because Evergreen takes a distinctive and innovative approach to education, it has coined some terms to describe what it does.

Programs are the team-taught, interdisciplinary classes that form the core of Evergreen's curriculum. Instead of taking an assortment of classes on isolated topics, most Evergreen students take programs, with faculty members working in teams, each drawing on several disciplines to explore a central idea, theme, problem or question. Programs may last one, two or even three quarters, building on themes developed in previous quarters.

Evening and Weekend Studies at Evergreen offers half-time programs in which students receive eight (or sometimes 12) credits each quarter. They meet in the evenings or weekends, but in other respects they are much like the 16-credit programs taken by most students who enroll full time during the day. Look under Program Listings to see a list of upcoming half-time programs.

Courses typically focus on a single subject area, run for one quarter and are taught by one faculty member. Courses are usually offered for four credits each, although some may be for two or six credits. Look under Course Listings to see a list of upcoming courses.

We proudly offer a wide range of courses, but we strongly encourage degree-seeking students to take an interdisciplinary program rather than a handful of courses. That's because Evergreen's unique programs offer students a rare opportunity to develop important skills--students learn to make connections between seemingly disparate concepts, to think critically, to solve problems and to work as a team. Students enrolled in one half-time program at a time also know they won't have to cope with conflicting assignments and class activities.

If you can take more than eight credits, consider enrolling in a half-time program and one related course. If you're new to Evergreen, consider taking Cornerstone Seminar, to plan your studies and career possibilities.

Does Evergreen offer course work required for the Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS)?

The Evening and Weekend Studies program regularly offers coursework required for the Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) certification. Most courses related to CDMS are offered under the Society, Politics, Behavior and Change planning unit. Please see the course listings in this area for upcoming offerings.

When is the next Academic Fair?

Monday, September 22nd, 2008, 4-6 p.m.
Campus Recreation Center (CRC) Gymnasium

This Academic Fair will be for winter quarter.

The Academic Fair brings together faculty and Student Services staff to help students get information about Evergreen's programs, courses and graduate programs. All faculty from both Evening and Weekend Studies and the full-time, daytime curriculum gather in one location on campus for you to talk to. You can find out more about about program content and requirements, pick up book lists and syllabi, obtain faculty signatures if required for registration, and get suggestions for alternative classes. Plan to be at the fair early in order to explore your options.

More about Academic Fairs

Are there other working adults in class?

The average age of students who start in Evergreen’s Evening and Weekend Studies program is 34. Evening and Weekend Studies at Evergreen is filled with students just like you—adults with work, family and other responsibilities that demand a lot of time and attention. But these students make time to achieve a dream they all hold in common: earning a college degree.

Read what some of our adult students have to say about their Evergreen experience.

How do I contact a faculty member?

If you need to contact faculty to get a signature or override, or would just like to talk to them to see if one of their classes would work for you, you can either call them or send email. You can find contact information for faculty in the class descriptions on this web site, in the printed Evening and Weekend Studies class listings, or through the online faculty directory. You can also attend the Academic Fair held before each quarter begins.

Is childcare available?

Childcare is not available during the evenings or on Saturdays. For information on the Campus Children's Center, contact the Center at (360) 867-6060. South Puget Sound Community College is located nearby and offers child care during the evening. Please contact them at (360) 236-1443.

How am I going to find the time to attend class and do homework assignments?

Since most of us lead very full lives without being in school, this is a very good question. It will probably require some negotiating with the important people in your life (spouse, children, partner, friends, etc.). There are 24 hours in the day; nobody gets any more. You will need several hours a week to attend class and study. Try to make an estimate of how many hours it will take. Will you take those hours from your family time, your leisure time, your work time, your sleeping time, your private time --where will you get them? After you have an idea about how you think you can arrange the needed time, negotiate with your family and friends and try to enlist their support before you begin attending classes. If everyone accepts your plan, then ask for their support to help you complete your plan. In the long term, just a little sacrifice on everyone's part should get the job done.

Are campus offices open during the evening or on weekends?

Many of the offices on campus have extended hours to support Evening and Weekend students. Schedules vary for each office. Please see our list of extended office hours for more details.

To learn more about our programs contact the Evening and Weekend Studies Outreach Office at (360) 867- 6164