UW Advising - Social Science Majors

Admission requirements are subject to change. For more information click on the name of the major, or contact the departmental advising office.

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, 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. Consult an adviser.

A PDF version of this chart is also available.

major	description	admission requirements	comments
American Ethnic Studies	Comparative and interdisciplinary study of African Americans, Asian Americans, and Chicanos in the United States.	Open admission. 2.00 GPA and 45 credits completed.	Includes options in Comparative American Ethnic Studies, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, and Chicano Studies.
American Indian Studies	Interdisciplinary study of the history, culture, art, language, literature, music,and contemporary problems of Native Americans.	Minimum admission requirements. 2.00 GPA.
Anthropology	Physical, cultural, and social aspects of humans; includes socio-cultural anthropology, biocultural anthropology, and archaeology.	Open admission. 2.00 GPA.
Business Administration	The Business School prepares students for professional careers in management and related discipline in both the private and public sectors.	Competitive admission.MATH 112 or 124; ENGL composition; ECON 200 or 201; ACCTG 215 (for applicants with more than 30 credits)
Communication	The study and practice of communication across a range of contexts, including face-to-face interactions, public discourse, mass media, and digital media.	Competitive admission. At least 45 credits completed, including COM 201 and 202, or one course completed and the other in progress. 2.5 minimum GPA. Transfer students must have completed at least 10 UW credits.	Journalism program also available with competitive admission. B.A. degree also available through the Evening Degree Program.
Community, Environment, and Planning	The interdisciplinary study of communities, the analysis of natural and built environments, and the theory and practice of planning.	Competitive admission. 90 credits, including CEP 200 (recommended), 5 cr English comp, 5 cr Q/SR (calculus recommended), 20 cr VLPA, 20 cr I&S, 20 cr NW, 10 cr W courses.	Admission once/year. Students progress through the major in learning communities of 17 students each. Commitment, personal investment, and strong teamwork skills required.
Comparative History of Ideas	Interdisciplinary study of intellectual history; includes literature, history, anthropology, philosophy, the arts, religion, etc.	Open admission; interested students must meet with the CHID adviser. 2.0 GPA.	2.5 GPA in the major required for graduation.
Comparative Religion	History and analysis of major western and eastern religions.	Open admission. 2.00 GPA.	See International Studies
Early Childhood and Family Studies	Gives students the opportunity to study the fields of early childhood development, early learning, and family studies from a variety of perspectives.	Competitive admission. Course in Human Development (e.g., PSYCH 206 or 306, NURS 201); 2.5 GPA.
Economics	The analysis of the ways in which societies organize the production of goods and services and the distribution of these among groups and individuals.	Minimum admission requirements. B.A.: 45 credits; 2.80 GPA and a 2.80 GPA in the following five courses: ECON 200, 201; STAT 311 or Q METH 201; and MATH 112, 124, or 145 (2.0 minimum in each course). B.S.: 45 credits; 2.80 GPA and a 2.80 GPA in the following six courses: ECON 200, 201; STAT 311 or MATH/STAT 390; and MATH 124, 125, and 126 (2.0 minimum in each course)
Environmental Studies	Environmental studies from natural science, historical, socioeconomic, legal, political, and ethical perspectives. Local, regional, and global issues.	Open admission. 2.00 GPA.	B.A. degree only. Supporting coursework required in biology, chemistry, and statistics.
Ethnomusicology	Folk and popular music of the world.	Minimum admission requirements. 2.0 GPA. ETHNO major proposal must be approved by ETHNO faculty.	Offered through Individualized Studies.
Geography	The study of how individuals, groups, and societies utilize and organize their territorial space. Geographers study energy resource utilization, regional economics, urban planning, transportation, trade, etc.	Open admission. 2.00 GPA.	2.50 GPA in GEOG courses required for graduation.
History	History of human affairs, from the earliest written records to the present.	Minimum admission requirements. 2.00 GPA. 10 credits in history with a 2.50 GPA; 10 credits composition or W courses with minimum 2.0 in each course. Must be enrolled at UW before applying to major.	See also History and Philosophy of Science.
History and Philosophy of Science	The theories, methods, practices, and institutions of science from historical and philosophical perspectives.	Minimum admission requirements. HIST 311, 312, PHIL 160 or 460, and PHIL 120; 10 cr of non-math NW with at least a 2.50 GPA; 10 credits of English comp and/or W courses. Each of the above courses must be completed with a grade of at least 2.0.	Minimum 2.50 GPA in the core courses and in the 30-credit science requirement.
Human Centered Design and Engineering	Technical writing and editing, including computer documentation and writing for publication.	Competitive admission. 10 cr approved math or statistics, 15 cr approved natural science, 13 cr approved oral and written communication including HCDE 231. Minimum 3.00 GPA in the oral/written communication. Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.	50 cr approved math and natural science required for graduation. Technical Writing, a similar program, is available through Individualized Studies.
Humanities	Students explore diverse political, social and humanistic perspectives in the pursuit of their degrees. Coursework has been arranged to encourage greater understanding of issues, ideas and themes in history and the contemporary world.	Minimum admission requirements. 2.5 GPA. 75 credits completed.	2.25 GPA required in major. EVENING DEGREE PROGRAM ONLY
Individualized Studies	Interdisciplinary, student-designed majors, focused on areas of study otherwise unavailable as majors at the UW.	Minimum admission requirements. 2.00 GPA. INDIV major proposal. Each program is individually designed by the student and must be approved by the INDIV Committee and two faculty members. Consult an adviser. Must be enrolled at UW before applying to major.	All courses in the major must relate to a central theme.
International Studies	Interdisciplinary study of international affairs, including history, economics, language, culture, etc.	International Studies major: Competitive admission. ECON 200 or 201, and SIS 200 or 201 required; all four preferred. Must be enrolled at UW before applying to major. Other majors: Open admission.	Fluency in a foreign language required for all programs except Comparative Religion.1 Available majors: Asian Studies, Canadian Studies, Comparative Religion, European Studies, International Studies, Jewish Studies, and Latin American Studies.
Law, Societies, and Justice	Interdisciplinary and research-oriented study of law, social control, and justice, with particular emphasis on crime, comparative law, and social justice.	Competitive admission. One course with a grade of at least 2.5 from: LSJ 320/POL S 368 or LSJ 321/ANTH 323 or PHIL 338 LSJ/POL S 363 LSJ/SIS 367 SOC 372 or LSJ 375 Also required: one research methods course (see adviser for list) and one English composition course. Minimum 2.50 GPA in the above courses.	Admission based on GPA, personal statement, and evidence of commitment to the field.
Near Eastern Languages and Civilization	Languages and literary cultures of the Islamic and Semitic Near East, with an emphasis on cultural traditions.	Open admission. 2.0 GPA.	Fluency in at least one Near East language required.1 Four options offered: Near Eastern Language and Civilization, Near Eastern Culture and Civilization, Comparative Islamic Studies, and Biblical and Ancient Studies.
Philosophy	Study of the fundamental issues concerning reality, knowledge, and value; and study of the major intellectual disciplines.	Minimum admission requirements. 2.0 GPA. 10 credits of philosophy courses completed.	History and Philosophy of Science major also available.
Political Science	Theory and practice of government and politics.	Minimum admission requirements. 2.00 UW cumulative GPA. 45 cr minimum, including 15 cr completed or in progress from 101, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205.	2.25 GPA in POL S courses and minimum 2.0 in each POL S course counted toward the major. Political Economy and International Security options available.
Psychology	Scientific study of behavior and its causes.	Competitive admission. One from MATH 111, 112, 120, 124, 144 with a grade of at least 2.0; the following three PSYCH courses with a minimum 2.0 grade in each course and a minimum 2.50 GPA in the three courses: PSYCH 101, 202, 209. Must be enrolled at UW before applying to major.	B.A. and B.S. B.S. graduation requires calculus (i.e., either MATH 120+124 or MATH 120+144)
Social Sciences	Three multidisciplinary tracks: Social and Environmental Issues; Law, Politics, and the Economy; and Gender, Ethnicity, and Culture.	Minimum admission requirements.75 credits completed.	2.25 GPA required in major. Evening Degree Program Only
Social Welfare	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.
Sociology	Study of human society and social relations.	Minimum admission requirements. 10 credits from SOC 110, 111, 212, 240, 270, or 271. Minimum 2.50 GPA in these two SOC courses; minimum 2.0 grade in each course.	Minimum 2.0 grade in each course counted toward the major; minimum 2.50 GPA in UW SOC courses required for graduation.
Women Studies	Interdisciplinary study of women in society.	Open admission. 2.00 GPA.

1 Fluency or proficiency in a foreign language generally means two college years of language instruction, or the equivalent. In many programs the foreign language must be related to the major. Consult an adviser.

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