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Undergraduate Program

UW Microbiology

General Education Requirements

Although UW Microbiology is a part of the School of Medicine, the undergraduate major is situated in the College of Arts and Sciences and students recieve a broad liberal arts education in addition to Microbiology specific content in their major. 

Students are required to complete the following general education requirements for graduation:

  • English Composition (5 Credits)
  • Additional Writing (10 credits, which overlap with any other degree requirements except composition)
  • Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (5 credits)
  • Foreign Language (Proficiency through the first college year, can be completed in various ways)
  • Areas of Inquiry: 3 Broad Areas of liberal arts learning
  • Arts & Humanities (20 Credits)
  • Social Sciences (20 Credits)
  • Natural Sciences (20 Credits)

It's the student's responsibility to review and understand these requirements. To learn more about general education requirements, please review the information on the following websites: UAA Advising. The Student Guide is a very useful online system when selecting courses to satisfy these requirements. The Student Guide also has information about registration, grades, advising, and much more. The course offerings and descriptions are available in the University General Catalog.

Transfer Students

The first step for transfer students is to apply to the University of Washington. Information and instructions on how to apply are available on the following website: http://www.washington.edu/discover/admissions/

Microbiology is a minimum admission major, and students who have been accepted to the UW can declare Microbiology when they have completed the minimum requirements and meet with the adviser. Transfer students do not apply directly to the major when they submit a UW application. Transfer students must complete at least 20 of the required and elective microbiology credits at the UW.

It's important that careful consideration be given to those courses that should be taken in sequence, and the quarter in which those courses are offered. Most of our courses are offered once a year.

During the first three quarters in the Microbiology Program, it is recommended that students meet with the adviser on a quarterly basis. The Spring Quarter meeting includes a discussion of the course of study for the senior year. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisers as often as needed in the senior year, but at least one meeting should be scheduled. Students will want to note that they can apply for graduation three quarters in advance of their graduation quarter. Most seniors will want to plan to apply for graduation in autumn of their senior year.