UNDERGRADUATE Students

On This Page
Undergraduate Majors
Undergraduate Minors
UW Admission
Academic Preparation
Declaring the Major
Program Accreditation
Forms


Additional Links
Honors Program
Student Opportunities
UW Time Schedule
Degree Audit Inquiry

Majors

The College offers two undergraduate majors leading to the Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources degree, Environmental Science and Resource Management and Paper Science and Engineering. Scholarship support is widely available in both majors; nearly one-quarter of the College's students receive scholarships each year. Both majors provide opportunities for internships, international study, and undergraduate research. An honors program is available in both majors.

The Environmental Science and Resource Management (ESRM) major gives students interested in learning about natural and human-dominated landscapes a broad, flexible undergraduate science degree with an opportunity to select one of four program options or to design their own upper-division coursework..
  • ESRM is an open major (any student can declare).
  • ESRM is transfer friendly.
  • ESRM allows for over 50 free electives.
  • ESRM offers four transcripted options wildlife conservation; landscape ecology and conservation; sustainable forest management (that can lead directly into an SAF-accredited Master of Forest Resources program); and restoration ecology and environmental horticulture; or students can design their own upper-division coursework.
  • ESRM can easily combine with minors and double degrees.
The Paper Science and Engineering (PSE) major is designed for students seeking training in chemical and physical sciences and chemical engineering as applied to manufacturing fiber products, fuels, and chemicals from biomass resources. It emphasizes the application of mathematics, chemistry, and engineering to paper and related bioresources-based industries.
  • PSE is an engineering program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012 - telephone: 410-347-7700.
  • PSE provides extensive faculty contact and active student groups.
  • A 5th year double degree option with Chemical Engineering is available.

Minors

The ESRM minor requires a minimum of 25 ESRM credits. It offers students majoring in a wide range of subjects exposure to the challenges facing terrestrial ecosystems, including their conservation and restoration. Course work provides a solid foundation for links to other fields of biology, environmental education, journalism and public policy.

The Streamside Studies minor requires a minimum of 28 credits. It provides interdisciplinary coursework covering watershed management and an understanding of critical processes in streamside areas, such as geomorphology, plant ecology, hydrology, and fisheries ecology.

A minor in Quantitative Science is offered by the Center for Quantitative Science through the College of Forest Resources, the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, and the Office of Undergraduate Education. It is recommended for students wanting to pursue graduate studies, especially in wildlife science.

UW Admission

All applicants to College of Forest Resources majors, both freshmen and transfers, must first apply to the UW, indicating their interest in the ESRM or PSE major on the application. The following resources can help you apply to UW:

Academic Preparation

High School:
Students are encouraged to have a strong math, science, and writing background in addition to the UW core requirements.
Transfers:
Students should consult the major requirements to determine courses for their first two years of study. Transfer students should consult equivalency guides between UW and Washington community college courses, as well as the sample transfer program for the ESRM major.

Declaring the Major

UW applicants can write the ESRM major code on the UW application to be automatically admitted to ESRM. Students can change to the ESRM major at any time after admission by scheduling an appointment with Student and Academic Services, 206-543-3077, to complete a "Change of Major" form.

UW applicants or students interested in the PSE major can apply online through the College of Engineering or contact Student and Academic Services, cfradv@u.washington.edu, 206-543-3077, Anderson 116.

Students can evaluate current UW and transfer credit against the requirements for each major before declaring ESRM or applying to PSE by running a Degree Progress audit through MyUW.

Program Accreditation

The PSE program is currently accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Forms