University of Washington: A Comprehensive Guide to Undergraduate Majors

The University of Washington (UW) offers a wide array of undergraduate majors, catering to diverse interests and career aspirations. This article provides an overview of these programs, drawing upon detailed descriptions to give prospective students a comprehensive understanding of the academic landscape.

Aeronautical and Astronautics

This major focuses on the design, analysis, and performance of air and space vehicles. It encompasses a broad spectrum of engineering sciences, including aerodynamics, structural mechanics, automatic controls, flight mechanics, and space dynamics.

American Ethnic Studies

American Ethnic Studies offers an interdisciplinary and comparative exploration of historical and contemporary relations of power and issues of social justice in American societies. The program's research and pedagogy primarily focus on the United States.

American Indian Studies

American Indian Studies approaches teaching and research from a decolonized, community-based, and global perspective. Faculty and students strive to develop innovative theories and methodologies that increase knowledge about American Indian communities.

Anthropology

The anthropology major encompasses the study of human evolution, the archaeological record, language and culture, the relationship between humans and their environment, and cultural modes of being as these differ in time and space.

Applied and Computational Mathematical Sciences (ACMS)

ACMS is a multidisciplinary BS degree program designed for students interested in the application of mathematical and computational concepts and tools to solve problems in government, industry, and research.

Applied Mathematics

Applied Mathematics incorporates interdisciplinary study in the physical, engineering, and biological sciences. The program provides dynamic and engaging training that is especially strong in mathematical methods (scientific computing, data science, etc.) and interdisciplinary applications.

Aquatic Conservation and Ecology

The School of Aquatic Conservation and Ecology studies aquatic organisms, the rivers, lakes, and oceans in which they live, and how we conserve them. The degree draws on the disciplines of natural history, physiology, ecology, evolution, and quantitative science.

Architectural Design (BA)

The Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Design is a pre-professional degree that prepares students for graduate study in a Master of Architecture professional program, a requirement for a career as a licensed architect. Admission is offered at the junior level.

Architectural Studies (BA)

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Architectural Studies is a four-year, undergraduate degree program in which students explore the many factors that shape our built environment. The program provides a liberal studies approach to the study of architecture.

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Art

Students within the Division of Art in the School of Art + Art History + Design develop technical proficiencies, engage in creative collaboration, and advance their knowledge of visual literacy. Students are encouraged to work with faculty and art advisors.

Art History

Art History is the study of art and visual culture as instruments of knowledge and methods of human expression that operate in many arenas of history, tradition, and the contemporary environment. Art history students have the opportunity to study a broad range of topics and time periods.

Asian Languages and Literature

Students will develop their ability to read, write, and speak one or more Asian languages and will combine those language skills with Asia-related studies in various humanities disciplines. Students are encouraged to explore wider interests by taking courses in other departments.

Astronomy

The Astronomy Department offers a full curriculum that covers planetary astronomy, stellar structure and evolution, interstellar matter, Milky Way structure, galaxies, and cosmology, all of which build on associated coursework in physics and mathematics.

Atmospheric and Climate Science

The Atmospheric and Climate Science field is a wide-ranging discipline that includes topics as diverse as weather forecasting, global warming, air quality, Pacific Northwest weather and climate, mountain weather, marine weather, El Nino, and the ozone hole.

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Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of living organisms at the molecular level. It draws on the techniques of analytical, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry in determining the molecular basis of life processes. The department offers BA and BS degree programs.

Bioengineering

Bioengineering is the application of engineering principles to the fields of biology, medicine, and health care. Students will utilize knowledge from the biological sciences as well as mechanical, chemical, electrical, and computer engineering in order to solve complex problems.

Biology

Through coursework in the classroom, lab, and field, as well as research opportunities, internships, and study abroad, Biology undergraduates gain the knowledge and skills for careers in basic and applied research, education, health sciences, and environmental fields.

Business Administration

A Business Administration degree provides a liberal arts curriculum along with a full spectrum of the many areas of business. Students can take a variety of upper-division electives or choose to specialize in one area of business by declaring a formal option.

Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineering is the study of transforming matter under constraint. Chemical engineers find industrial employment in areas of energy, the environment, biomedicine, electronics, food production, and materials. Chemical engineers also find career opportunities in research and development.

Chemistry

Chemistry involves the understanding of the structure and reactivity of matter from an atomic- and molecular-level perspective. Degrees in Chemistry involve training in analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. Elective courses are also available.

Chinese

The Department of Asian Languages and Literature offers an undergraduate major and minor in Chinese, through which students develop their ability to read, write, and speak Chinese and gain an understanding and appreciation of the literature, linguistics, and culture of China.

Cinema and Media Studies

An undergraduate major in Cinema and Media Studies allows students to develop their understanding of how films function as a distinctive mode of transmitting and critiquing cultural values and practices. The program is international in scope and interdisciplinary in approach.

Civil Engineering

The Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree provides students a broad-based educational experience, enabling them to address complex and multi-faceted civil engineering problems in construction, transportation, structural, transportation, water resources, and environmental engineering.

Classical Studies

Classical Studies opens the door to exploring the literature, history, art, archaeology, and philosophy of the ancient Greeks and Romans, primarily through English translations. Students see the lasting influence of these complex civilizations in our own.

Classics

Classics is the study of the languages and cultures of the ancient Greeks and Romans, whose civilizations shape our present cultural, intellectual, professional, and civic lives. Our students develop proficiency in the languages, literatures, and cultures of the ancient world.

Communication

Undergraduate study in communication at the UW has four foundations: communication literacy, communication inquiry, theory and concepts, and community engagement. We teach our students to think critically, respect diversity, communicate effectively, and engage in ethical communication practices.

Community, Environment and Planning (CEP)

Community, Environment, and Planning (CEP) is an award-winning, interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree housed in the Department of Urban Design and Planning. Unlike most majors, CEP does not provide a pre-defined educational path. Instead, CEP empowers students to design their own course of study.

Comparative History of Ideas (CHID)

Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) is a unique interdisciplinary undergraduate major emphasizing the examination of ideas and their cultural, historical, and political contexts through experiential learning and self-reflection. CHID offers students the opportunity to create individualized learning paths.

Comparative Literature

An undergraduate major in Comparative Literature trains students in the critical analysis of texts. It explores how the rhetorical and aesthetic features of those texts â whether literary, visual, or theoretical â respond to and shape social values.

Comparative Religion

The program in Comparative Religion is known for its unusually large range of course offerings in the religious traditions of both the East and West. The faculty has particular strength in history, anthropology, and sociology. Participants in the program explore the diversity of religious experience.

Computational Finance

In the finance industry, there is a great demand for advanced quantitative computational finance competencies. Mathematical models, statistical methods, and computational techniques are becoming increasingly important as tools for quantitative analysis and financial decision-making.

Computer Engineering

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering combines education in hardware and software development, with students gaining the background necessary to become broadly educated professionals who are knowledgeable in both domains, understanding how hardware and software interact.

Computer Science

The Computer Science major is appropriate for students who are primarily interested in the design of software systems and applications, or who want to earn a double major with another College of Arts and Sciences program.

Construction Management

Construction management is a diverse discipline focused on the coordination, planning, and delivery of projects that compose the worldâs built environment. The major classifications of construction differ markedly from one another: residential, commercial, heavy civil, and industrial.

Dance

The Department of Dance is a learning community that promotes access, inclusion, and excellence. We offer a diverse and stimulating educational experience dedicated to connecting theoretical inquiry to experiential learning. Students explore dance from various perspectives.

Danish

A major in Danish fosters excellent linguistic, analytical, and communication skills. Danish studies can serve as a platform from which to explore art, literature, and philosophy, history and politics, the environment, social democracy, and womenâs and gender studies in a Nordic context.

Design

The Division of Design in the School of Art + Art History + Design educates and trains designers to create and develop concepts that optimize the function, value, and appearance of communications, products, and systems for the benefit of both industry and society.

Disability Studies

Disability Studies examines how society understands and represents disability, and investigates issues of discrimination and social justice. Disability Studies enhances the understanding of disability by incorporating social, cultural, historical, legal, and political perspectives.

Drama

The BA in Drama focuses on the study of the history, methods, and applications in the dramatic arts. Students who graduate from the School of Drama have evolved creative skills, are poised to become citizen leaders, and possess a wide range of skills applicable to various career paths.

Early Childhood and Family Studies (ECFS)

The Early Childhood and Family Studies (ECFS) major provides the opportunity to study early childhood development, early learning, and family studies from a variety of perspectives across a range of disciplines. The degree will prepare you for careers working with young children and families.

Earth and Space Sciences

The Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Sciences is designed for students interested in geology and geophysics, and a career path in graduate studies or in the private sector where field and technology experiences and problem-solving skills are an asset.

Economics

Economics studies the institutions and arrangements that are used to create, protect, and allocate scarce resources, and advances our understanding of the behavior of individuals, firms, governments, and other organizations. The BA is for students who desire a broad liberal arts education.

Education Studies

The Education Studies program is designed for students who are interested in working with children, youth, families, and communities and the variety of ways that we all teach and learn, both in and beyond traditional classroom settings.

Education, Communities and Organizations

The Bachelor of Arts in Education, Communities, and Organizations major provides students with a solid foundation in learning theory, human development, equity studies, organizational theory, and community-based research and practice. Through elective coursework, students can tailor their studies to their specific interests.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering students design and build hardware and software for a variety of electronic devices with a wide range of applications ranging from nanoscale computer chips to multinational power grids. Academic pathways within ECE include microelectronics, photonics, circuits, systems, software, and machine learning.

English: Creative Writing

The English Creative Writing concentration prepares students not only to be more effective communicators and artists, but also creative problem solvers and more nuanced critical thinkers. By situating small, student-oriented writing workshops alongside courses in literature and theory, the concentration fosters a dynamic and engaged learning environment.

English Language and Literature

The undergraduate English major offers students a broadly based, historically grounded introduction to the literatures of Britain, the United States and, increasingly, Anglophone literature from around the world. Courses in literature emphasize techniques of close reading, historical context, and theoretical approaches.

Environmental Design and Sustainability

The Environmental Design and Sustainability major explores how the process of design and the science of sustainability can be integrated to solve pressing environmental, social, and governance issues facing society today and in the future such as climate change, resource scarcity, and social inequity.

Environmental Engineering

The Environmental Engineering curriculum, which is designed to comply with ABET accreditation criteria, emphasizes the use of core knowledge in math, physics, biology, chemistry, and its application to environmental engineering and develops student understanding of environmental issues.

Environmental Public Health

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Public Health is a great fit for students who love science and who are passionate about using their scientific skills to address human health issues related to the built and natural environments. From water quality to air pollution, environmental health specialists work to protect human health.

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