All-University Programs

Center for International Studies
Center for Service-Learning
Field Experience Programs
Pre-Professional Pathways
Professional Transfer Programs

Western Washington University is organized into seven colleges and a Graduate School. This organization not only accommodates Western’s size and complexity, but also enables flexibility and innovation in Western’s curriculum.

Some programs at Western are available through one department or college; some are interdisciplinary, involving several academic units; and some, the All-University Programs listed below, involve all or most of Western’s departments and colleges.

Center for International Studies

360-650-7544
http://www.wwu.edu/international/

The Center for International Studies serves Washington State by providing internationally-focused educational experiences that prepare students to be global citizens and by supporting faculty and staff who are engaged inter-culturally.

International Programs and Exchanges

Study Abroad

International Programs and Exchanges (IPE) administers and cooperates in more than 100 international study abroad programs in Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Oceania and Africa. A variety of study abroad, exchange and international internship options are available for a quarter, semester, or year-round. Qualified students for all study abroad and international exchange programs are concurrently enrolled at the University and the study abroad program or institution, earn WWU credit and maintain financial aid eligibility and residency.

Faculty-led Global Learning and international study courses within departments are normally assigned x37 course numbers. At the completion of a study abroad or exchange program, credits for course work may be applied to major, minor or electives toward graduation. Since special application and registration procedures are required for participation in study abroad or exchange programs, it is important to contact IPE well in advance of the program deadline.

IPE, in collaboration with Extended Education (EE), provides support to the development and implementation of Global Learning programs. IPE also provides administrative support to the International Programs and Advisory Committee (IPAC).

For more information, contact International Programs and Exchanges, Miller Hall 208, 360-650-3298, ipe@wwu.edu; www.wwu.edu/ipe.

International Student and Scholar Services

The ISSS Office serves international students, faculty and scholars at Western by providing orientation sessions, advising, and co-curricular activities as well as preparation and maintenance of immigration records. In coordination with other university offices and community resources, ISSS also assists with resolving financial, personal, academic, and employment issues for Western’s international population.

For more information, contact International Student and Scholar Services, Miller Hall 212, 360-650-6517.

Center for Service-Learning

360-650-7542
www.wwu.edu/csl

Service-learning is an experiential learning method in which students learn through active participation in meaningful service experiences that meet community needs. Service-learning offers students the opportunity to learn outside the classroom, explore the richness and diversity of their community, and examines social justice issues while applying classroom theory in a community setting.

The Center for Service-Learning provides resources, including training and program support, to students, faculty, and community partner organizations.

Western offers many courses that include service-learning; look for the SL designation on Classfinder or contact the Center to learn more.

Field Experience Programs

Western Washington University recognizes that work experience outside of the classroom can enhance student learning by providing opportunities to put theory into practice. To this end, the University works closely with a wide variety of businesses and community and governmental agencies which offer internship opportunities, and many academic departments require or make academic credit available for field experience.

Students interested in exploring field experience opportunities should contact the Career Services Center, Old Main 280.

Pre-Professional Pathways

Admission to graduate professional schools requires a baccalaureate degree and is competitive. Early consultation with the relevant advisor and excellent academic work are crucial to success.

Dentistry

Admission to dental schools is highly selective and includes evaluation of GPA, letters of recommendation, scores from the Dental Admission Test (DAT), and an interview, as well as demonstrated dental knowledge and community service.

Course requirements for entry into a dental program afford each applicant an opportunity to pursue almost any area of interest as a major field of study and still acquire the background necessary to prepare for the DAT and to pursue a dental curriculum. The DAT must be taken the year prior to admission to dental school; normally it is taken in the junior year.

Early consultation with a pre-professional advisor is strongly recommended. Students will find it valuable to engage in early and regular discussions of matters such as selection of a major, course sequences and graduation requirements at Western, as well as dental school entrance requirements, application procedures, the DAT, mock interview, and other pertinent information.

Typical freshman year curriculum:

CHEM 121, 122, 123 (begin 121 as soon as possible)
BIOL 204, 205, 206 (continues into second year)
ENG 101
MATH (pre-calculus or calculus, depending upon major)

Pre-dentistry students should also seek advising in their major department.

Advisors: Dr. George Kriz, Director of Advising for Pre-Healthcare Professions, George.Kriz@wwu.edu; Renée Murray, Graduate and Pre-Professional Programs Advisor, Renee.Murray@wwu.edu; Old Main 280, 360-650-3268.

www.wwu.edu/careers/prehealth_dentistry.shtml.

Law

Law schools require a baccalaureate degree. They do not require a specific undergraduate major, but do seek students who are broadly educated. Admission is selective based primarily on GPA, LSAT scores and letters of recommendation. Law schools want students who excel in oral and written communication; understand economic, political and social institutions; and have well-developed objective and critical thinking skills. Western’s General University Requirements are intended to aid students in honing these skills.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT), normally required of applicants to American and Canadian law schools, is offered on the Western campus several times each year. Applications and test schedule information may be obtained from the Testing Center and the Department of Political Science. Students should plan to take the LSAT late in their junior year or early in their senior year.

Students are encouraged to explore academic and extracurricular opportunities provided by Fairhaven College’s Center for Law, Diversity and Justice (CLDJ). All WWU students are eligible to apply to join the Law, Diversity and Justice minor, and Fairhaven students are eligible to pursue a Law, Diversity and Justice concentration (major). For more information on the Center for Law, Diversity and Justice and the LDJ curriculum, contact Prof. Julie A. Helling, Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Advisors: Dr. Paul Chen, Department of Political Science, Arntzen Hall 436, 360-650-4876, Paul.Chen@wwu.edu; Julie A. Helling, Fairhaven College, FA 311, 360-650-4907, Julie.Helling@wwu.edu.

Medicine

The faculties of the School of Medicine at the University of Washington and other medical and osteopathic schools in the U.S. believe that the appropriate level of scholarly achievement and preparation for medicine can best be developed in a liberal arts program with the emphasis on a discipline selected by the student.

In recognition of the diverse opportunities afforded the graduate in medicine, specified entrance requirements are purposely kept to a minimum. This enables each student to pursue, as a major field of study, almost any area of interest — the arts, humanities, social sciences, biological or physical sciences — and still acquire the background necessary to prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and to pursue a medical curriculum. The MCAT must be taken at least one full year prior to the date of admission to medical school; normally it is taken in the junior year.

Early consultation with the pre-professional advisors is strongly recommended. Students will find it valuable to engage in early and regular discussions of matters such as selection of a major, course sequences, community service, physician shadowing, and graduation requirements at Western, as well as medical school entrance requirements, application procedures, the MCAT, mock interview, and other pertinent information.

Typical freshman year curriculum:

CHEM 121, 122, 123 (begin 121 as soon as possible)
BIOL 204, 205, 206 (continues into second year)
ENG 101
MATH 124 and 125
PSY 101
General University Requirements

Premed students should also seek advising in their major department.

Optometry

Twenty-one accredited optometry programs in the U.S. offer the Doctor of Optometry (OD). Admission into an optometry program is highly selective and includes evaluation of GPA, letters of recommendation, scores from the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), an interview, and demonstrated exposure to the profession.

A strong and broad undergraduate academic background in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Physics, English and Psychology is emphasized yet no specific major is preferred. Students may pursue a major of any area of interest while still acquiring the background necessary to prepare for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) and to pursue an optometry curriculum. The OAT must be taken at least one full year prior to admission to optometry school; normally it is taken in the junior year.

Early consultation with the pre-professional advisors is strongly recommended. Students will find it valuable to engage in early and regular discussions of matters such as selection of a major, course sequences, community service, and graduation requirements at Western, as well as optometry school entrance requirements, application procedures, the OAT, mock interview, and other pertinent information.

Typical freshman year curriculum:

CHEM 121, 122, 123 (begin 121 as soon as possible)
BIOL 204, 205, 206 (continues into the second year)
ENG 101
MATH 124
PSY 101
General University Requirements (including public speaking)

Pre-optometry students should also seek advising in their major department.

Pharmacy

Programs at Washington State University, University of Washington, and other institutions lead to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Western provides courses that prepare students for admission to these and other programs. Admission into a pharmacy program is highly selective and includes evaluation of GPA, letters of recommendation, scores from the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and an interview.

Students can pursue almost any area of interest as a major field of study and still acquire the background necessary to prepare for the PCAT (or GRE) and pursue a pharmacy curriculum. The PCAT (or GRE) must be taken the year prior to admission to pharmacy school; normally it is taken in the junior year.

Because admission requirements at pharmacy programs are highly variable, students are strongly encouraged to seek advisement from the pre-healthcare professions advisors. Students will find it valuable to engage in early and regular discussions of matters such as selection of a major, course sequences, GUR courses, community service, and graduation requirements at Western, as well as pharmacy school entrance requirements, application procedures, the PCAT and GRE, mock interview, and other pertinent information.

Typical freshman year curriculum:

CHEM 121, 122, 123 (begin 121 as soon as possible)
BIOL 204, 205, 206 (continues into the second year)
ENG 101
MATH 124
PSY 101
General University Requirements (including public speaking)

Pre-Pharmacy students should also seek advising in their major department.

Physical Therapy

Admission to a graduate program in physical therapy is highly selective. Students prepare for entry by obtaining a baccalaureate degree, completing the prerequisite course work for entry into each specific program, and by obtaining volunteer clinical experience. Students may complete undergraduate degrees in any area. Most physical therapy programs are three-year programs offered at the doctoral level.

Admission requirements for entry into a physical therapy program include the completion of a required prerequisite set of courses, three letters of recommendation and the completion of an internship under the direction of a physical therapist (200 to 500 hours). Most programs require submission of scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE — general test only) and some require a minimum score on the two sections of the GRE. The GRE should be taken in the fall quarter of the application year.

Specific information on each program can be obtained from the PT Education link on the American Physical Therapy Association home page at www.apta.org. Program prerequisites, statistics, and curriculums are presented by geographic location. Students are encouraged to review prerequisite courses early in their academic planning and to develop a plan of study within the first quarter of entry to Western.

Courses which are common to many prerequisite requirements for physical therapy programs:

BIOL 204, 205
BIOL 348, 349
CHEM 121, 122, 123
PHYS 114, 115, 116
PSY 101, 230 or 250
Statistics

Advisors: Dr. Gordon Chalmers, ET 275, 360-650-3113, Gordon.Chalmers@wwu.edu; Dr. Dave Suprak, CV 105, 360-650-2586, Dave.Suprak@wwu.edu

To schedule a meeting with an advisor contact: PEHR General Office (CV 102, Sherena.Geariety@wwu.edu, 360-650-3505) and she will assign you to an advisor. Then you should contact your assigned advisor to schedule an appointment.

Pre-physical therapy advising webpage: http://www.wwu.edu/alliedhealth/Pre-Physical%20Therapy.shtml

Pre-Nursing & Nursing

Western does not offer a nursing education program but many Western students enter nursing programs by transferring to a nursing program or by entering a nursing program after graduation. Registered Nurse (R.N.) credentials are obtained after successfully completing a state board examination following completion of a certified nursing program at the community college Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), also known as an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), a four-year university (BSN) or direct-entry Masters of Science (MSN) program. (A ‘direct entry masters’ is a master’s degree that accepts students who have a bachelor’s degree, but do not have a RN credential. Some MSN programs, such as University of Washington’s are only for students who already are RNs). To be eligible for a nursing education program, students must complete a specified set of prerequisites and obtain volunteer or paid health care experience. Students may work on completing the prerequisites at WWU and apply for entry into the ASN or BSN program, with or without a degree at WWU. Completion of a degree is required for the direct-entry MSN program. Western’s RN to BSN program is for nurses who have already obtained RN credentials, and subsequently wish to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). Information on Western’s RN to BSN program is available from the university Extended Education office and website: http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/eesp/template/bsn/bsn.shtml.

Information on nursing education programs can be obtained from: the National League For Nursing Accrediting Commission, www.nlnac.org/Forms/directory_search.htm, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, www.aacn.nche.edu/CCNE/reports/accprog.asp, and www.allnursingschools.com/.

Pre-Nursing is not a major at WWU. Examples of Western majors that cover some or all of the prerequisites include: Biology-Anthropology, Biology, Community Health and Kinesiology/Pre-Healthcare Professions.

Volunteer work: It is recommended that students obtain 200+ hours of volunteer or paid health care experience. It is also recommended that students consider obtaining the Certified Nursing Assistant license via a local technical or community college.

Advisors: Dr. Gordon Chalmers, ET 275, 360-650-3113, Gordon.Chalmers@wwu.edu; Dr. Dave Suprak, CV 105, 360-650-2586, Dave.Suprak@wwu.edu

Pre-nursing advising webpage: http://www.wwu.edu/alliedhealth/Pre-Nursing.shtml

Occupational Therapy

Students prepare for entry to a graduate program in occupational therapy by obtaining a baccalaureate degree, completing the prerequisite course work for entry into specific programs, and by obtaining a broad variety of volunteer clinical experience under the direction of an occupational therapist. Students may complete undergraduate degrees in any area. Most programs require submission of scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE - general test only).

Specific information on each occupational therapy program can be obtained from the American Occupational Therapy Association at www.aota.org/Educate/Schools.aspx. Students are encouraged to review prerequisite courses early in their academic planning and to develop a plan of study within the first quarter of entry to Western.

Pre-Occupational Therapy is not a major at WWU. Examples of Western majors that cover some or all of the prerequisites include: Biology-Anthropology, Community Health and Kinesiology/Pre-Healthcare Professions.

Courses which are common prerequisites to many occupational therapy programs:

PSY 101, 230, 250
BIOL 204, 205
BIOL 348, 349
CHEM 121, 122
PHYSICS 101
MATH 240, KIN 307 or BIOL 340

Advisors: Dr. Gordon Chalmers, ET 275, 360-650-3113, Gordon.Chalmers@wwu.edu; Dr. Dave Suprak, CV 105, 360-650-2586, Dave.Suprak@wwu.edu

Pre-occupational therapy advising webpage: http://www.wwu.edu/alliedhealth/Pre-Occupational%20Therapy.shtml.

Veterinary Medicine

Washington State University and 27 other U.S. veterinary medical colleges offer the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). Admission into a veterinary medicine program is highly selective and includes evaluation of GPA, Graduate Record Exam (GRE), extracurricular and community service, volunteer experience within the field, letters of recommendation and an interview. Western offers coursework that will satisfy the pre-requisites of most DVM programs.

Students can pursue almost any area of interest as a major field of study and still acquire the background necessary to prepare for the GRE and pursue a veterinary medicine curriculum. The GRE must be taken at least one full year prior to admission to veterinary medical school; normally it is taken in the junior year.

Because admission requirements at veterinary medical schools are highly variable students are strongly encouraged to seek advisement from the pre-healthcare professions advisors. Early and ongoing consultation with the pre-professional advisors is strongly recommended to discuss matters such as selection of a major, course sequences, community service, graduation requirements, application procedures, the GRE, mock interview, and other pertinent information.

Typical freshman year curriculum:

CHEM 121, 122, 123 (begin 121 as soon as possible)
BIOL 204, 205, 206 (continues into second year)
ENG 101
MATH 124
General University Requirements (Public speaking beneficial for approximately 1/2 of the Veterinary Medicine schools).

Pre-veterinary students should also seek advising in their major department.

Professional Transfer Programs

Students who plan to complete a baccalaureate program at another institution should seek advice from that institution for curriculum planning, test requirements and information on application procedures. The institution to which the student is transferring determines admission to the program and makes decisions regarding the transferability of credit.

Programs undergo constant revision. The student, therefore, must bear responsibility for continued contact with the transfer institution.