Stanford Engineering
SoE Undergrad Handbook

Exceptions & Waivers

Exceptions or Waivers to Requirements within your Engineering Major

Program Deviation Petitions: Departmental and School of Engineering 

Students have the option to petition to ask for exceptions/deviations from curricular requirements, or to waive requirements where no credit can be transferred, etc. Petitions should be approved prior to a senior student's last quarter to avoid any delay in graduation if the petition is denied.

Be sure to have completely filled out the petition form and your program sheet prior to handing them in.

Departmental Deviation Petition Form: Use this form only for changes to depth requirements and electives; petitions to deviate from breadth requirements are handled by the OSA office in 135 Huang. As each department has its own procedures, students are advised to check with their major departmental Student Services Office for guidance.

School of Engineering Deviation Petition Form: Use this petition to deviate from Math, Science, Technology in Society, or Fundamentals requirements. Petitions to deviate from non-departmental School of Engineering requirements are reviewed twice: First by your major department/advisor (UNLESS the petition is to waive units from Math 19, 20, and/or 21. In this case only, skip the department/advisor approval and and send/take directly to OSA), and second by the Senior Associate Dean in the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). Petitions are evaluated individually. Placement via Math or Science diagnostic exams are not criteria for waiving out of any requirement.

When submitting an SoE petition:

  1. Be sure to include the reasoning behind your request and to obtain the signature of your faculty advisor.
  2. Attach a completed Program Sheet and a current Stanford Transcript (an unofficial AXESS copy is fine) to the petition request.
  3. Obtain a signature of approval from your major department and/or advisor (check with your department about local process; if the petition is to waive units from Math 19, 20, and/or 21, see paragraph above)
  4. Return the completed package to the School of Engineering Office of Student Affairs, 135 Huang Engineering Center.

A completed petition package will include:

  • Completed form with reasoning behind request and faculty signature
  • Completed program sheet (it is not necessary to have your PS signed for a petition to be processed)
  • Unofficial Stanford Transcript.