CORE OF THE UNIVERSITY
With more than 4,000 undergraduate courses offered in the College of Arts & Sciences, students can study everything from art to economics to physics. The College’s extensive academic offerings benefit the entire University community; nearly one-third of all students who take an Arts & Sciences class are pursuing a non-A&S degree.
CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH
From malaria treatment to solar energy to human rights, A&S researchers are tackling many of our society’s most pressing issues. The College is home to more than 30 interdisciplinary centers and has ties to many others, enabling scholars in diverse fields to collaborate on complex research questions. A&S faculty generated about $119 million in research funds through public and private grants during the most recent fiscal year.
INTERNATIONAL EMPHASIS
The College teaches 60 languages and offers more than 100 study abroad programs in 36 countries, with dedicated centers in Rome, Italy and León, Spain. The Jackson School of International Studies provides interdisciplinary education, leading-edge research, public programs and outreach on all major world areas and critical international issues.
A REGIONAL ARTS RESOURCE
All of the University’s arts units are part of the College, including the Schools of Music, Art, and Drama, the Department of Dance, Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS), the Henry Art Gallery, the Burke Museum, and Meany Center for the Performing Arts. They offer more than 300 performances, exhibits, and public programs annually. Detailed event and ticket information is available at ArtsUW.
PARNERING WITH THE COMMUNITY
The College has developed dozens of innovative partnerships with the community. These include summer programs for K-12 teachers, guided stargazings at the Jacobsen Observatory, special Meany Center performances for K-12 classes, collaborations with community organizations through project-based courses, and more.
STUDENTS
(as of Autumn 2023)
- 17,870 A&S students
- 2,132 Undergraduate pre-majors
- 13,034 Undergraduate majors
- 2,704 Graduate students
- 53% UW bachelor’s degrees (Seattle campus) from A&S
- 14% UW master’s degrees (Seattle campus) from A&S
- 24% UW PhD degrees (Seattle campus) from A&S
STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Arts and Sciences students, among the best in the nation, have had great success competing for major scholarships—including five Rhodes Scholarships since 2000. Since 2015, Arts & Sciences undergraduates have received 19 Goldwater Scholarships, 2 Truman Scholarships, 2 Marshall Scholarships, and 57 Fulbright awards through the Fulbright US Student Program, as well as Udall, Carnegie, Churchill, Boren, Rangel, Fashion, Luce, and other scholarships. Since 2013, UW student teams mentored by the Department of Mathematics have annually placed in the top 30 in the highly competitive William Lowell Putnam Math Competition, including three years in the top 15 and one in the top 10.
THE LASTING VALUE OF A LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION
As society changes with dizzying speed and new technologies replace yesterday’s innovations, we need leaders and problem solvers who are informed and mentally nimble, with a global awareness and an appreciation for diverse perspectives. These qualities are the hallmarks of a liberal arts education. In courses ranging from English to art history to political science, College of Arts & Sciences students develop intellectual flexibility and analytical and communication skills that prepare them to evolve with the ever-changing job market. That’s why one third of all Fortune 1000 CEOs have an arts and sciences degree, and why employers believe that all students should acquire broad knowledge in the arts and sciences.
ACCOMPLISHED ALUMNI
Arts and Sciences alumni have become leaders regionally and nationally in fields ranging from art to physics. Two have received a Nobel Prize. Others have made their mark as elected officials, serving as city council members, state representatives, U.S. representatives, mayors, and governors of the state of Washington. NGOs founded by alumni have improved lives from Colombia to China. Theatres ranging from ACT to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival were created by alumni. Pulitzer Prizes have been bestowed on A&S alumni thirteen times since 1950, including five since 2001.