College of Arts & Sciences, University of Washington

About the College
For 150 years, the College of Arts and Sciences has provided a liberal arts education of tremendous breadth and depth to more than 25,000 students while advancing research in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. A&S alumni have received the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prizes, and Emmy and Tony Awards, and have been elected to key government positions regionally and nationally. Learn more about the College
Arts
The world communicates across generations and cultures through the arts. Our students are the creative artists, audiences and arts advocates of the future. Our degree programs, museums, exhibitions, and artistic performances reflect the dual nature of the arts as both creative endeavors, requiring constant renewal, and as subjects of scholarly research.
Humanities
The humanities allow us to understand and communicate the range and diversity of human cultural achievement. As the world becomes more connected and interdependent, such understanding becomes imperative. Through their focus on language, literature, film, and the history of ideas, the humanities encourage students to reflect upon their own beliefs and values as they explore those of other peoples and periods.
Natural Sciences
The natural sciences provide us with methods to investigate and understand ourselves, our world, and the universe, from the subatomic to the cosmic level. As we learn more about our world, we also come to understand our place within it as individuals and as a species. Discoveries in the sciences, often emerging from basic research, transform society as they address everything from disease to global warming.
Social Sciences
The social sciences study how and why human communities and societies are organized as they are, behave as they do, and change over time. Drawing on a diverse array of disciplines and using both quantitative and qualitative methods, social scientists are committed to creating, disseminating, and applying knowledge to address significant social problems in local, national, and global contexts. Learn more about the Social Sciences.
Support the College
Private gifts allow our students and faculty to make new discoveries, create innovative programs and reach out to people beyond the campus to enhance our communities and the world. We hope you will consider lending your support to the College so that we can continue to provide our students with exceptional educational and research opportunities.

School of Art students are using their design skills to combat human trafficking. View Story
UW honors achievements in teaching, mentoring, public service and staff support. View Story
Black Cultural Studies students combined coursework with museum-based community projects. View Story
High school students were UW physicists for a day, analyzing data from a powerful particle accelerator. View Story
Students get the opportunity to mingle with Trey McIntrye Project dancers. View Story

Welcome to Arts & Sciences

News and Media Coverage of Arts & Sciences

Poop-sniffing dogs helping save whales all over the world
UW Biologist Sam Wasser's Center for Conservation Biology and Conservation Canines program has rewritten the book on extracting information from animal feces. They get DNA identifying individual animals, gender, eating habits and important stress levels. Learn more at komonews.com.

The tea party and the politics of paranoia
New research by University of Washington political scientist Christopher Parker argues that the tea party ideology owes more to the paranoid politics associated with the John Birch Society - and even the infamous Ku Klux Klan - than to traditional American conservatism. Learn more at UW Today.

Seattle's 'Mr. Sundial' takes his passion to next level: garage ceiling
Woody Sullivan is the UW astronomy professor known as "Mr. Sundial" for making Seattle the unlikely sundial capital of North America. Now he's recreated a Renaissance ceiling sundial in his home office. Learn more at UW Today.

Symposium features undergraduate research
More than 1,000 undergraduates will showcase their contributions to innovative and groundbreaking research at the 16th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, May 17 in Mary Gates Hall. Learn more at UW Today.

More News

Current Issue

	Saving Lives, By Design School of Art students are using design to combat human trafficking.Their ingenious idea for providing a hotline number to women in need—without putting them at greater risk—will soon be tested in a pilot project. Read Story
	Physicists for a Day Ten high school students spent a recent Saturday at the UW as physicists, analyzing real data from the world's largest particle accelerator and discussing their findings with scientists at a national lab. Read Story
	Making Music and Memories in Beijing The UW Wind Ensemble spent spring break in China, performing for appreciative audiences around Beijing, finishing with a memorable sold-out concert at the National Center for the Performing Arts. Read Story
	Through Museum Partnership, Theory Meets Practice Black Cultural Studies students combined traditional coursework with community projects through a winter quarter collaboration with the Northwest African American Museum. Read Story

Voices from Arts & Sciences

	Dow Constantine Reflects on his UW Education In an essay for Perspectives newsletter, King County Executive Dow Constantine ('85) reflects on his liberal arts education. Learn more at Perspectives newsletter.
	A Rhodes for A&S Triple Major Rhodes Scholar Byron Gray will graduate from A&S with a triple degree in political science, Asian studies, and law, societies, and justice--and a fascination with India. Learn more at Perspectives newsletter.
	Yang Celebrates W Day Fashion designer and UW alumna Luly Yang created a purple and gold window display in her Seattle boutique for "W Day," a celebration of the UW's 150th birthday. Learn more at Perspectives newsletter.
	Photographer Discovers Passion for Physics While studying photography at the UW, Brynn MacCoy signed up for a physics course for non-majors, never imagining that the class would lead her toward a physics degree. Learn more at our spotlight page.