University of Washington Graduate Programs: An Overview
The University of Washington (UW) offers a wide array of graduate programs across various disciplines, fostering a vibrant and collaborative scholarly community. These programs are designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and research experience necessary to become leaders in their respective fields. Degrees are conferred through various schools, such as the Michael G. Foster School of Business, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, the College of Engineering, the School of Nursing, and the College of Education.
Department of Sociology Graduate Program
Graduate training is central to the Department of Sociology at the University of Washington. The graduate program has a long and distinguished tradition of producing leading scholars and teachers who make important contributions to the discipline of sociology and to our collective understanding of social processes.
Mission and Focus
The Department of Sociology's graduate program centers on several key aspects. The program emphasizes understanding and critically evaluating social theory and empirical research. It also focuses on conducting theoretically guided research that explores, assesses, and further develops explanatory theories. Developing communication skills, with emphasis on scholarly writing and teaching, that transmit sociological knowledge is another key aspect. Together, graduate students and faculty form a vibrant and collaborative scholarly community and interact regularly in courses, colloquia, departmental seminars, and in joint research projects. Sociology graduate students are actively involved in all aspects of academic life, such as teaching, conducting research, presenting their findings at national conferences, and publishing in the field's leading journals. They also write fascinating dissertations. The program prides itself on placing students in tenure-track jobs at well-respected peer institutions.
Coursework and Training
The Department of Sociology admits students to a Ph.D. degree program and does not offer a terminal M.A. degree. Students complete an MA degree before beginning Ph.D. level work. After successfully completing the MA degree, students advance to the Ph.D. portion of the graduate program. At the Ph.D. level, training is less structured and increasingly focused on dissertation research.
Master's Program (MA)
For students arriving with a bachelor's degree, the first two years of the program are relatively structured. Students work on completing their course requirements and a master's thesis. The master's program is designed primarily as preparation for Ph.D. work; it is not a terminal degree but may serve as good training for non-academic research.
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The MA program consists of three elements:
- Substantive training: coursework in substantive areas and social theory
- Methodological training: work in social statistics and general social science methodologies
- Master's Thesis: independent empirical research conducted under the supervision of the MA Committee.
Doctoral Program (Ph.D.)
The Ph.D. program focuses on the development of research skills and sociological knowledge. These are the milestones:
- Completion of 4 graded elective courses in Sociology beyond the theory and methods courses required for the MA
- Completion of a Ph.D. Training Plan, which is a program of additional courses approved by the Supervisory Committee
- Successful completion of a Comprehensive Exam
- Successful completion of a General Exam/Dissertation Prospectus
- Completion of dissertation research project
- Final exam/dissertation defense dissertation
Key Personnel
Sarah Quinn serves as the graduate program Director. In this role, she provides guidance and support to students and serves as chair of the departmental Graduate Program Committee (GPC). The GPC reviews students as they progress through the program and advises the department on graduate program policy. Tess McShane is the graduate program advisor (GPA). She helps students navigate the administrative side of the program. Jessica Warren is the graduate program committee student representative.
Commitment to Diversity
The Department of Sociology has a long-standing commitment to a diverse student population. These efforts are aided by the Hubert M. Blalock Endowment, which provides financial support during the first year of study to a graduate student from an underrepresented group. Further, the department endorses the University's statements on diversity and works with the Graduate Student Equity and Excellence Program (GSEE) to enhance the climate of diversity in its graduate program.
Department of Microbiology Graduate Program
The Department of Microbiology at UW offers a rigorous Ph.D. program focused on training the next generation of microbiologists.
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Curriculum and Training
During their first and second years, students take a number of graduate courses in the Department of Microbiology as well as other basic science departments. In addition to formal courses, students participate in a departmental journal club and attend weekly microbiology seminar series. In addition to meeting formal requirements, students take part in various scholarly activities on a voluntary basis. This includes a student journal club and an annual graduate student weekend retreat combining science and recreation.
Graduate Policy and Advising Committee (GPAC)
The GPAC is responsible for reviewing and updating the Microbiology Graduate Program curriculum, guidelines, and requirements. During a graduate student's career, the GPAC provides advice and mentoring concerning coursework, lab rotations, choice of a thesis lab, and exams. The GPAC is chaired by the Departmental Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) and includes one or two additional faculty members. Current members are Jason G. Smith (GPC), Beth A.
Admissions Committee
The Microbiology Admissions Committee is responsible for overseeing the application, admission, and entry practices of students into the graduate program. The committee consists of a chair (currently Joshua J.
Financial Support
Tuition for fulltime graduate students in the Microbiology PhD Program is provided by research assistantships and predoctoral trainee fellowships, with salaries and benefits at rates similar to other UW School of Medicine programs.
Department of Economics Graduate Program
The Department of Economics at the University of Washington offers a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in economics. The PhD program is designed for students interested in pursuing advanced study and doing original research in economics.
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Program Structure
The Economics PhD program is structured in three phases, ensuring a comprehensive and rigorous training experience.
Phase 1: Core Courses and Examinations
The initial phase involves intensive coursework covering core economic principles. These exams are scheduled one to two weeks before the second year in the program. The program expects students to review and integrate material from the first-year courses in preparation for the exams.
Phase 2: Field Courses and Examinations
Beginning in the second year of the program, students focus on field specialization. The goal is satisfactorily complete at least eight elective field courses in economics at the graduate level. At least one of these must be in advanced microeconomics or advanced macroeconomics, and at least three must be in applied areas. Field coursework prepares students to satisfy the requirements for two fields of specialization. The requirement is completed in one of two ways:
Pass one field exam and earn an average grade of at least 3.8 in the coursework corresponding to a second field
Pass exams in two fields of specialization
Phase 3: Dissertation Research
The doctoral dissertation is the final major requirement for the PhD degree. After completing the core and field requirements, the student identifies a dissertation topic and forms a doctoral supervisory committee. Students are encouraged to discuss potential dissertation topics with faculty members early in their graduate studies. The Department offers three ongoing workshops in the areas of macro and international economics, labor and development economics, and natural resource economics. Students and faculty use these workshops to present work in progress as well. Attending and presenting at workshops helps students identify and develop dissertation topics. After the supervisory committee has been appointed and a dissertation topic has been developed, the student takes the general examination. This examination is an oral defense of the formal dissertation proposal. When the dissertation is completed, the student takes the final examination, which is an oral defense of the completed dissertation. Students typically complete the program in 5-6 years.
Other Graduate Programs and Resources
Enrollment Statistics
Of the 383 graduate students enrolled in the department, 263 are master's students, and 120 are Ph.D. students.
Interdisciplinary Programs
Instruction focuses on the integration of technological systems to solve practical problems. Students have the opportunity to take master's classes online, on a full- or part-time basis. These classes are taught by the same expert UW faculty, but they provide the convenience of completing the master's degree from anywhere, at any time.
Affiliated Units
The UW Graduate School, Graduate Student Equity & Excellence, Computational Finance Certificate Program, The UW Business School, and The Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies are all affiliated units that support graduate education at the University of Washington.
Professional Schools
The University of Washington confers degrees through various schools, such as the Michael G. Foster School of Business, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, the College of Engineering, the School of Nursing, and the College of Education.
Specific Professional School Programs
Michael G. Foster School of Business
The Michael G. Foster School of Business offers a variety of graduate programs, including:
- Accounting
- Business Analytics
- Entrepreneurship
- Executive MBA
- Finance
- Information Systems
- International Management
- Marketing
- Part-time MBA
School of Law
The School of Law offers a comprehensive legal education with various specializations.
- Enrollment (full-time): 537
- Tuition and fees:
- In-state: $44,844
- Out-of-state: $56,691
Programs and Specialties:
- Business/Corporate Law
- Clinical Training
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Commercial Law
- Criminal Law
- Dispute Resolution
- Environmental Law
- Health Care Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Law
- Legal Writing
- Tax Law
- Trial Advocacy
School of Medicine
The School of Medicine is a leading institution for medical education and research.
- Applications accepted June 1 (Begins) Oct.
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