When transferring to the University of Washington, we hope you will be ready to enter your major...but it can be challenging.
It is difficult to know about all of the different major options at a place as complex as the UW. Also, a number of majors are capacity-constrained, meaning not all students interested in that major can end up studying it. Many must find an alternative.
This tool is designed to help transfer students explore alternative major options that have related coursework, career opportunities, or topics of interest.
Below are the majors most requested by transfer students applying to UW. Please note that there are many majors at the UW not listed on this page.
• Visit the Full List of Majors to learn more or explore the UW's online degree options.
• Try the There's a Job for That! Quiz from the College of Arts & Sciences.
Some majors can admit students in good academic standing at any time, while others have requirements before admission or limited capacity for applicants. The four main types of major admission are listed below. Hover over each one to learn more.
Through coursework in the classroom, lab, and field as well as experience through research, internships, and study abroad our undergraduates gain the requisite knowledge and skills for careers in basic and applied research, education, health sciences, environmental sciences, science policy, government, business and the non-profit sector. Students may earn a Biology BA with a General Biology Option. The Biology BS degree can be earned with one of 5 options: Ecology Evolution and Conservation Biology (EEC), General Biology, Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCD), Physiology, and Plant Biology. Minors in Paleo Biology and Marine Biology are also part of the curriculum offered to Undergraduates.
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.
Undergraduate study in communication at the University of Washington 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 develop the skills needed for the life-long learning that is central to successful careers and rewarding lives. We work actively to enroll a diverse set of students in our courses and in the major: almost half of Communication majors are students of color, and students come from all over Washington and even the world to study in this program.
CSE offers two undergraduate degrees: Computer Science (through the College of Arts and Sciences) and Computer Engineering (through the College of Engineering). Students working toward either degree have the same broad opportunities to take the wide array of courses that CSE offers. The Computer Science major may be more 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.
Economics studies the institutions and arrangements that are used to create, protect, and allocate scarce resources that have alternative uses. It advances our understanding of the behavior of individuals, firms, governments and other organizations. Economics’ deep intellectual roots, rigorous analytic methods, and powerful ability to explain and evaluate social phenomena make it an exceptionally rewarding field of study.
Electrical and Computer Engineering students study the design, production, and operating devices of systems that use electric and electromagnetic energy for sensing, processing, visualizing and use of information. Subjects of study include circuits, systems and controls (robotics); signal and image processing; electronics, electronic devices, and photonics; computers; energy systems; electromagnetics and optics.
Undergraduate programs in Mechanical Engineering explore fundamental principles of mechanical engineering and their application to modern technological problems. Students collaborate on interdisciplinary work where they research and design creative, leading-edge solutions to these problems. Our curriculum focuses on the study of dynamics, controls, and robotics; manufacturing processes and advanced materials; energy and environmentally-friendly "green" engineering; engineering for health with biotechnologies and biomechanics.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the UW Seattle campus is a two-year professional program that prepares you for a career as a registered nurse. As a BSN student, you will learn from our nationally acclaimed faculty in class and using interactive scenarios in our Learning Lab, allowing you to practice nursing skills in a safe environment before performing them in a supervised clinical setting. A solid foundation of science and humanities prerequisite coursework sets you up for success in our program. The BSN is a full-time program, including: • academic coursework focused on critical thinking, care and therapeutics, and health care resources • in-class lecture with experienced nurse practitioners and researchers • clinical simulation exercises in our Learning Lab • supervised direct patient care in the field.
The undergraduate Psychology major at the University of Washington offers students a broadly based introduction to human and animal behavior based on a curriculum that emphasizes current research and theory. The UW Psychology program for undergraduate majors stresses scientific and statistical reasoning skills that help students evaluate data, claims, and theories in both the academic and popular literatures. We provide undergraduates research participation, applied fieldwork and supervised teaching opportunities. Students make use of what they learn in various career paths including areas such as counseling, education, and basic research. We also provide opportunities for a wide range of UW majors to include psychology as part of their general education.
Expand the options above to see some suggested alternative majors. Select the name of a related major to learn more about the program and get links to useful information.