Graduate Education at the University of Washington

Overall Goal: 

    To provide high quality graduate training that serves to prepare individuals for a wide variety of productive careers and positions of leadership.   High standards are maintained through a formal system of Preliminary, General and Final examinations as well as dissertation requirements.  Graduate programs are regularly and intensively reviewed by external review committees using multiple measures including the results of exit questionnaires and data on the placement of graduates.   Recent results of the National Research Council study of Research Doctorate Programs show that numerous UW programs rank among the best in the country. 

Challenges: 

   To maintain the important contributions of the UW to graduate education during a time of deserved emphasis on undergraduate education and increasing  importance of sponsored research programs.  Graduate education is a major part of the UW mission and is critical to our sponsored research enterprise.   Graduate education, however, is also a much broader and more diverse educational activity than just sponsored research.  Each year, the University produces over 2500 graduate degree recipients, most of whom stay in the state of Washington and contribute to society in a variety of ways including many positions of leadership. 

   To meet the need for change and innovation.  The nature of doctoral education, the number of doctorates produced, as well as the need for some programs, are all being questioned and changes are already underway.  Some graduate programs are being reduced in size while some (in some cases interdisciplinary) programs are growing.  We are also joined in a national effort to broaden the doctoral experience, particularly in the recognition that preparation for teaching should be an important component of many doctoral programs.  

    To continue expanded access to interdisciplinary graduate opportunities.  Success stories are numerous but the support and reward structures are ad-hoc and potentially fragile.

    To expand access to evening and distance delivery of a variety of applied masters programs.  We have positive experience in both areas.   Televised Masters degrees in Engineering have been successfully provided for a decade and several new evening graduate programs are underway or being planned.

    Overall, to continue to provide our distinctive contributions to graduate education in a time of rapid change, increased demands, and increased competition for resources.

Facts:  (Fall Quarter, 2005)

    Enrollment: 10,549 graduate students were enrolled in 114 degree-offering units

    Composition:  54% female, 15.3% international, and 15.1% ethnic minority

    Admissions:  16,902 applications; 5,990 offers, 3,300 new enrollees

    Degrees:   2,797 Masters and 530 Ph.D. degrees were awarded during 2004-05

    1,469 graduate students were employed as teaching assistants

    2,369 graduate students were employed as research assistants

    181 graduate students were employed as student assistants

    505 graduate students were supported as fellows or trainees

To compare this years numbers with the last four years, check out our Overall Statistics as well as our complete reports on graduate education at the UW.

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 The Graduate School   G-1 Communications Building    Box 353770  
University of Washington  Seattle  WA   98195   Phone: 206-543-5900