Founded 4 November 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest state-supported institutions of higher education on the Pacific Coast. Located between Lake Washington and Lake Union, the Seattle campus and environs form a distinctive enclave within a city that is one of the most picturesque, innovative and rapidly growing nation. The campus is within minutes of downtown Seattle, which is the central business district and cultural hub for a vibrant metropolis of approximately 3 million people.
The University is comprised of three campuses: the Seattle campus includes sixteen schools and colleges whose faculty offer educational opportunities to students ranging from first-year undergraduates through doctoral-level candidates. There are over 4,000 teaching and research positions at the University of Washington and a total faculty and staff of 27,600. Student enrollment at the university’s main campus in Seattle is over 39,000, of which about one fourth are graduate and professional students.
The Department of Architecture is the largest of four departments in the College of Built Environments – along with Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction Management – with approximately 200 students, more than 30 permanent faculty, and seven staff members. The department offers the following degree programs: a B.A. in Architectural Studies; a B.A. in Architectural Design; an accredited M.Arch for 2+ and 3+ year students; an M.S. in Architecture with research streams in Design Computing as well as History and Theory; an undergraduate dual degree program with Construction Management; and a graduate concurrent degree program with Landscape Architecture. In addition, certificates in Design Computing and Lighting Design are available to students in the accredited M.Arch program. The department also contributes to interdisciplinary certificate programs in Historic Preservation and Urban Design as well as a college-wide Ph.D in the Built Environment.