A "professional" degree is designed to prepare the student for employment in a particular field. Some professions, such as nursing, require a specific degree for employment in the profession. In others, the professional degree is not the only route to employment but is the most common preparation. For example, an applicant for a job as a fisheries biologist is generally expected to have a bachelor's degree in fisheries science.
Completion of a professional degree is by no means a guarantee of employment in that field. Also, a professional degree is not inherently preferable to a liberal arts or pure science degree, either to you or to employers. For information about the relationship between majors and careers, read the introduction to this section of the website: Choosing a Major.
Admission requirements are subject to change. Most of these majors have complex admission requirements and application procedures. Follow the links for detailed information.
Majors with
open admission can be declared at any time by students whose GPA is at least 2.00. Majors with
minimum admission requirements have set requirements, such as completing 10 credits in the department with a GPA of 2.50. In general, these majors admit all applicants who meet the minimum admission requirements, with no further screening or selection. Majors with
competitive admission have admission requirements and a selective screening; they often have an application deadline, and may require test scores, portfolios, auditions, related experience, letters of recommendation, and/or interviews. Completion of the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to competitive majors. Some majors admit only once per year. Some are extremely competitive. Consult an adviser.
A PDF version of this chart is also available.
Architecture and Urban Planning | |||
| major | description | admission requirements | comments |
|---|---|---|---|
Architectural design, history, and theory. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits including ARCH 210, 211, 350, 351, 352; 5 cr English composition; MATH 112, 124, or 145; 65 cr Areas of Knowledge, including 20 cr each VLPA and I&S, and 20 credits of NW. |
Admission once per year. Portfolio required. No ARCH courses except 150, 151, 250, 251 may count toward Areas of Knowledge. |
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Building technology, methods, and materials; contracting and project management. |
Competitive admission. 88 credits including MATH 112 or 124; Q METH 201; PHYS 114, 115, 117, 118; ESS 101 + 10 additional NW credits; MGMT 200; ACCTG 215, 225; M E 123; introduction to microcomputers (not available at the UW); 5 credits English composition + 5 credits additional composition or W; COM 220 + 5 additional VLPA credits; ECON 100, 200, or 201 + 10 additional I&S credits. |
Admission once per year. Letters of recommendation required. Five-year combined Architecture/Construction Management program also available. |
|
History and contemporary concepts of landscape design. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits, including L ARCH 300; one from L ARCH 352, 353, 361; 5 credits English composition; 5 credits Q/SR; 20 credits each VLPA (drawing or painting course recommended), I&S, and NW (including ESS 101 and one of the following: BIOL 116, 117 or 317); 10 credits W courses. |
Admission once per year. Portfolio and letters of recommendation required. 225 credits required. No L ARCH courses except 300 count toward Areas of Knowledge. |
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The UW also offers a professional doctoral program in Physical Therapy and professional master's degrees in Occupational Therapy, Social Work, and Public Health, and a Pharm.D. in Pharmacy. The Pharm.D. does not require prior completion of a bachelor's degree. Extensive fieldwork in junior and senior years. | |||
| major | description | admission requirements | comments |
Physician assistant program. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits, including 5 credits English composition + one additional English course; 10 credits human anatomy and physiology; at least one additional science course in a discipline related to medicine (e.g., biology or chemistry). Minimum 2.50 GPA. |
Applicants must have a minimum of two years of recent, hands-on experience in the direct delivery of medical care. Most successful applicants are currently working in another health profession. MEDEX is transitioning to a Master's degree beginning in 2008 admission cycle. |
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Dental hygiene completion program only; applicants must already have completed a dental hygiene training program at another college. |
Competitive admission. Prior completion of a certificate or diploma-granting dental hygiene program, and possession of a license (U.S. or Canadian) to practice clinical dental hygiene. |
Dental hygiene completion program only; applicants must already have completed a dental hygiene training program at another college. THE DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING STUDENTS AS IT UNDERGOES MAJOR REVISION. |
|
Control of environmental conditions affecting human health; epidemiology and toxicology. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits, including 5 credits English composition; MATH 124 or 144 or QSCI 291; CHEM 142, 152, 162; CHEM 237, 238, 239 (or 223 and 224); BIOL 180, 200, 220. Minimum 2.50 GPA; minimum 2.0 grade in each BIOL and CHEM course. |
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The collection, organization, use, and evaluation of data in health care environments. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits, including statistics, MGMT 300, BIOL 118 and 119, CSE/INFO 100, and a course in medical terminology (not offered at the UW). |
EVENING DEGREE PROGRAM ONLY |
|
Medical laboratory procedures and evaluation of test reports. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits, including CHEM 142, 152, 162; CHEM 223, 224 (or 237, 238, 239); BIOL 180, 200, BIOL 220; MATH 124 or MATH 144 or STAT 220; 5 credits English composition plus an additional 7 credits of writing; at least 10 credits each VLPA and I&S. BIOL 118 recommended but not required. |
Application once per year. |
|
Theory and clinical practice of nursing. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits, including CHEM 120, 220, 221; NUTR 300; MICROM 301, 302; B STR 301; BIOL 118 and 119; NURS 201; 5 credits English composition + 5 credits additional English composition or W course; 5 credits Q/SR (see adviser for list); 5 credits statistics; 15 credits VLPA; 10 credits I&S. Minimum grade 2.0 in each required course except VLPA and I&S. |
Application once per year. Letter of recommendation and previous health care experience required. Some applicants will be selected for a proctored essay session. |
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Design and manufacture of prosthetic and orthotic devices (artifical limbs and braces). |
Competitive admission. 20 credits with a minimum 2.70 GPA from CHEM 120; PHYS 114/117, 115/118; PSYCH 101; BIOL 118; B STR 301; BIOL 161/162 or MICROM 301/302. Completion of Arts & Sciences English composition, Q/SR, additional writing, and Areas of Knowledge requirements. (Required courses listed above may be counted toward A&S requirements.) Minimum 2.70 GPA. |
Application once per year. |
|
Social welfare system; human behavior and the social environment; social welfare practice. |
Competitive admission. 65 cr completed, including ECON 100, 200, or 201; PSYCH 101; SOC 110, 111, or 212; BIOL 100, 101, 118, 161, or GENOME 261. |
Extensive fieldwork in junior and senior years. |
|
The processes and disorders of human communication. Language development; speech and hearing acoustics, physiology, and perception. |
Competitive admission. 60 credits, minimum 2.50 GPA. |
Two options: General Academic (non-professional track), and Speech and Hearing Sciences and Disorders (pre-professional track). Graduate study is required for the professions of speech language pathologist and audiologist. |
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Informatics | |||
| major | description | admission requirements | comments |
The collection, organization, use, and evaluation of data in health care environments. |
Competitive admission. 90 credits, including statistics, MGMT 300, BIOL 118 and 119, CSE/INFO 100, and a course in medical terminology (not offered at the UW). |
EVENING DEGREE PROGRAM ONLY |
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Information systems and technology. Information management, databases, and information policy. |
Competitive admission. CSE/INFO 100; CSE 142; STAT 311 or QMETH 201; 5 credits English composition. |
B.S. degree only. |
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Natural Resources | |||
| major | description | admission requirements | comments |
The biology, ecology, conservation, management, and utilization of aquatic animals. |
Open admission. 2.00 GPA. |
B.S. degree only. Supporting coursework required in math, general and organic chemistry, biology, and physics. |
|
Management, stewardship, and restoration of both wildlands and human-inhabited systems; resource management and assessment. |
Open admission. 2.00 GPA. |
B.S. degree only. Supporting coursework required in math, chemistry, and biology. |
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Pulping and papermaking techniques, engineering principles of papermaking, management and business principles in an industry setting. |
Competitive admission. MATH 124, 125, 126, 307; CHEM 142, 152, 162, 237; PHYS 121, 122; 5 cr English comp; CHEM E 260. Minimum 2.50 GPA in prerequisites. |
B.S. degree only. |
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