Non-Clinical Electives (NCEs)

Students taking courses in the Foundations curriculum may pursue electives that will enhance their personal medical education. Special electives that are relevant to medical education but do not involve direct patient care are offered by various departments in the School of Medicine. These are referred to as non-clinical electives (NCEs).

All UW NCEs run on the regular quarterly academic calendar, which means their schedules may not correspond exactly with other courses in the School of Medicine.

NCEs are offered by UW SOM departments, so if you have questions about how these might fit in with your goals, please contact the departments directly. Otherwise, you can reach out to us at somnce@uw.edu if you have any other questions or need more information.

Visit the NCE webpages for more information on Non-Clinical Electives for Seattle Students, WWAMI Non-Clinical Electives for Spokane, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho Students, and registering for non-clinical elective courses.

Requirements

  • Students must either register through MyUW (Seattle, Spokane) or be registered (WAMI) and pay tuition for these electives.
    • If you register for 13 or more credits, you will pay one set tuition price. If you register for 12 or fewer credits, you will pay a prorated amount depending on the number of credits.
  • Students cannot take an elective that conflicts with required Foundations Phase course hours.

If you have questions or need more information, please contact us at somnce@uw.edu

Dates of Instruction

Non-Clinical Electives do not follow the same timeline as block courses and requirements in the School of Medicine. If your course has a final examination that conflicts with your block courses and requirements, we encourage you to work with the instructor to find a solution. Please refer to the current UW Academic Calendar for more information.

AUTUMN 2026WINTER 2027SPRING 2027SUMMER 2027
Full-termA-termB-term
Instruction Begins WAC 478-132-030Sep 30, 2026Jan 4, 2027Mar 29, 2027Jun 21, 2027Jun 21, 2027Jul 22, 2027
Last Day of InstructionDec 11, 2026Mar 12, 2027Jun 4, 2027Aug 20, 2027Jul 21, 2027Aug 20, 2027
Final Examination WeekDec 12-18, 2026Mar 13-19, 2027Jun 5-11, 2027Typically the last class day of class - Aug 20, 2027Typically the last class day of class - Jul 21, 2027Typically the last class day of class - Aug 20, 2027
CommencementTacoma, Jun 11

Seattle, Jun 12

Bothell, Jun 13
Quarter BreaksWinter Break
Dec 19, 2026–Jan 3, 2027		Spring Break
Mar 20–28, 2027		Summer Break
Jun 12–20, 2027		Autumn Break
Aug 21–Sep 28, 2027		Autumn Break
Aug 21–Sep 28, 2027		Autumn Break
Aug 21–Sep 28, 2027
Related Pages
Non-Clinical Elective Registration

Information about late add/drops, dropping NCEs, and registration deadlines for NCEs.

Non-Clinical Elective Registration
Seattle Non-Clinical Electives

Information on course offerings each academic term for medical students based in Seattle.

Seattle NCE Courses
WWAMI Non-Clinical Electives: Spokane, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho

Information on course offerings each academic term for medical students based in Spokane or WAMI.

WWAMI NCE Courses