Accolades. Achievements. Standout academic programs.
Top tier recognition
One of America’s top research universities
WSU is one of just 115 U.S. colleges and universities—out of 4,600+ public and private institutions—named among doctoral universities with the “highest research activity” in the Carnegie Classification (2016).
Superior rankings
Best-in-the-nation university-wide writing program
for making “the writing process a priority at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum.” WSU is the only university in the Pacific Northwest of 19 schools named. It stands among an elite group of institutions that includes Brown, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford. For more than a decade, US News has identified WSU’s writing program as one of the nation’s best.
—US News (2018)
#1 in U.S. Department of Agriculture research and development expenditures
USDA is the largest funder of agricultural and natural resource research and development at U.S. academic institutions. Expenditure of USDA funding is the most consistent measure of external research support for a university. WSU spent $42.8 million in USDA funding in the 2016 fiscal year, leading the list of 350 universities nationwide.
— National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development Survey (2018)
#1 for research in advertising, literacy (e.g. media literacy) and substance abuse prevention
conducted by Murrow College of Communication faculty
—Communication Institute for Online Scholarship (CIOS)
#1 online hospitality business management bachelor’s degree
—TheBestSchools.org (2017)
#1 bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program in Washington by number of graduates
— MatchCollege.com (2017)
#3 online criminal justice bachelor’s degree
—College Choice (2018)
#5 online accounting bachelor’s degree
—The Best Schools (2018)
Top 6 in USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture competitive grant funding for the last 4 out of 5 years, among universities nationwide
—USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (2017)
#7 nationally in closing the graduation-rate gap for underrepresented minority students
—The Education Trust (2015)
#8 hospitality business management program nationwide
—TheBestSchools.org (2017)
Top 10 most innovative college for foreign language learning
—TheBestColleges.org (2018)
Top 10 nationally for communication research in 27 areas
conducted by Murrow College of Communication faculty
—Communication Institute for Online Scholarship (CIOS)
Extraordinary achievements
Faculty elected to membership in the National Academies
The nation’s highest honor for scientific researchers
Student newspaper named one of the best 3 in the nation
The Society of Professional Journalists in 2018 honored The Daily Evergreen as one of 3 Best All-Around Daily Student Newspapers in the country.
Evergreen reporters Forrest Holt, Cody Cottier, and Jessica Zhou took first nationally in the General News Reporting category among schools with 10,000+ students.
Unique undergraduate programs
Writing Program
Writing skills are essential to success in the professional world. WSU’s nationally ranked Writing Program supports, tutors, and assesses writing to help students communicate effectively. Before beginning the junior year, all students must assemble a Writing Portfolio. Required for graduation, the portfolio is used to evaluate students’ readiness to write at the requisite level for upper-division courses in their major.
Common Reading Program
Each year the University chooses a single book to be read by all freshmen. Professors, residence hall staff, librarians, and others explore topics raised in the book. They link topics to course content and special extracurricular programming. Professors also share information from their research that relates to the book’s themes. Students learn the value of research, the power of ideas, and ways in which different disciplines approach similar problems.
Innovations that foster student success
The Transformational Change Initiative takes a multipronged approach to helping students succeed in college and beyond. First, it tailors instruction to actively engage students with coursework and encourage collaboration with peers. Then, it provides parents with a handbook of activities to do with their students. These activities help students identify their most important values. The handbook shows students how those values could help them make decisions on issues they encounter in college. Finally, the program provides students with experiential learning opportunities to further hone their problem-solving skills.
Honors College that prepares top students for influential careers
The Honors College attracts top students in all majors from across the United States and around the world. Honors alumni have long and distinguished records of leadership and impact throughout their careers.
The Honors College curriculum lets students choose among dozens of specialized classes in place of required general education courses. Class sizes are typically capped at 25 students. Honors students complete a thesis project, researching with a mentor an academic question of importance to them. They document their analysis and conclusions, and orally present their work to faculty evaluators.
Top training for future broadcast journalists
The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication offers the only comprehensive broadcast journalism program in the state of Washington. Noted for combining professional skill building and theory, the program is one of just a few nationwide that airs a daily, student-produced television newscast: Murrow News 8. The College houses 3 nationally acclaimed media outlets, including Northwest Public Radio, Northwest Public Television, and the student-run Murrow News Service. Students produce stories for media outlets nationwide. They have won national and regional Emmys for their television productions.
Foreign (and domestic) correspondence opportunities
Accomplished students in the Murrow College of Communication have the chance to report stories from abroad. The Murrow Backpack Journalism Program takes top journalism students to distant lands: the Galapagos Islands, Guatemala, Costa Rica, China, Sri Lanka, and more. Equipped with the latest video, audio, and web technology, travelers produce multimedia content for blog posts, final projects, and even publication by professional media.
A similar program, Backpack Environmental, sends journalism students to destinations around the U.S. Students profile the field research of environmental scientists in the Center for Environmental Research, Education, and Outreach (CEREO).
Fast track to a doctoral degree in life science disciplines
The STARS (Students Targeted toward Advanced Research Studies) program allows select students in biochemistry, genetics and cell biology, microbiology, or neuroscience to earn a doctorate in as little as 7 years after leaving high school. The program immerses freshmen in research and provides them with one-on-one mentorship from faculty members.
Path to success for low-income students in engineering and computer science
The Academic Redshirt program prepares promising students from low-income households to succeed in engineering and computer science disciplines. If you’re selected, you’ll be given the academic foundation you need to prepare for the demands of these fields. Plus, first-year coaching on study skills and habits readies you for the challenges that lie ahead.
Summer research opportunities
Dedicate your summer to conducting research alongside award-winning professors. Investigations span a wide range of fields, among them engineering, plant sciences, health sciences, and environmental sciences. The summer concludes with a symposium showcasing your work. Summer research programs are hosted by WSU faculty and funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates, US Department of Agriculture, and faculty grants.
Springboard for aspiring entrepreneurs
Multiple WSU programs nurture students seeking to launch their own enterprises.
- The internationally recognized Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship program unites students from a variety of disciplines to develop businesses from their technology ideas.
- The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies enables you to learn the hands-on skills and teamwork necessary to create a prototype, develop a business plan, and ultimately launch a commercially viable product and business.
- The annual WSU Business Plan Competition challenges you to launch a new venture. You receive expert advice in navigating the entrepreneurial process as you compete for scholarship money.
Accelerated track to DVM and nursing degrees
Honors College students can apply early to 2 health care programs:
- Through the Honors College Vet Med Program, sophomores can apply to the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine. If selected, they pursue the Honors curriculum that dovetails with vet med prerequisites and can graduate with their DVM degree in 7 instead of the usual 8 years.
- Incoming Honors freshmen can apply for the Nursing Direct-Admit Program. Accepted students maintain the required GPA and complete Honors and nursing prerequisite courses in Pullman in years 1 and 2, and years 3 and 4 at one of the nursing college sites in Spokane, Yakima, or the Tri-Cities.
Unique construction engineering program
In 2016 WSU will begin offering the only Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering in the Pacific Northwest. Designed with input from Fortune 500 company leaders, the academic program equips graduates to succeed in the heavy/civil construction industry.
Cross-disciplinary training in design, construction, and engineering
The unique, interdisciplinary environment in engineering and design disciplines prepares graduates to be work ready on Day 1, with hands-on skills. WSU’s School of Design and Construction offers all 4 of the following academic programs:
- Interior design
- Construction management
- Architecture
- Landscape architecture
In each field, students interact with other disciplines throughout the curriculum. The Integrated Design Experience (IDX) studio fosters collaboration among students in these disciplines, as well as civil engineering students and user groups, to develop sustainable solutions for the built environment.
Hands-on design and fabrication studio
Translate design ideas into working prototypes, using band saws, sanders, drills, laser cutters, 3-D printers, and other tools. The Frank Innovation Zone promotes creativity by providing fabrication tools, as well as testing and measurement equipment, in a supervised space. No matter what your major, you can use the “FIZ” to build class projects or support club activities. A staff advisor is on hand to offer guidance as needed.
World-class wine science program
Viticulture and enology students master the art and science of grape growing and wine-making at WSU’s Ste. Michelle Wine Estates WSU Wine Science Center. The center is one of the most technologically advanced of its kind in the world. It sits in the heart of the state’s wine country—in Richland on the WSU Tri-Cities campus. Viticulture and enology students complete internships in a vineyard and a winery to translate their knowledge into practice.
Fermentation science major
Study the science behind fermented beverages and foods. You’ll learn about yeasts, bacteria, and molds and discover industrial-scale applications of fermentation. There are only a handful of other fermentation science programs nationwide. Most focus on a specific commodity—like wine, dairy, or beer. In contrast, these courses (pdf) examine fermentation science across a broader spectrum.
Building information literacy skills across the curriculum
One of the goals of the WSU baccalaureate is information literacy, or the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information. To give students this important preparation, WSU Libraries faculty created an innovative information literacy skill-building guide. They work closely with professors and instructors to customize and teach these skills for specific courses of study. In fiscal year 2016, WSU Libraries faculty taught about 1,340 instruction sessions for 71 courses, reaching more than 49,200 individuals.
Exceptional graduate and professional programs
Interdisciplinary doctoral degrees
Tailor your doctoral degree to your interests in programs that bridge disciplines:
- Individual interdisciplinary doctoral degree: Custom-designed degree program that spans 3 disciplines
- Molecular plant sciences: Degree program that incorporates plant physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology
- Materials science and engineering: Program that focuses on the discovery, invention, or engineering of new materials and phenomena
- Engineering science: Degree program that blends engineering with other fields, such as physical or life sciences
- Prevention science: Program in which you design programs, practices, and policies to prevent or reduce the severity of community health issues
Dual-degree program for pharmacy students
Pharmacy students interested in research have the opportunity to earn 2 degrees concurrently: Pharm.D. and PhD.
One of the best-equipped veterinary teaching hospitals in the nation
Veterinary students learn to use the most sophisticated diagnostic and treatment technologies, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT scan), and nuclear scintigraphy for large and small animals. The hospital provides full service care, and offers a wide range of specialty services in oncology, cardiology, orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, dermatology, dentistry, and neurology.
Outstanding preparation for veterinary licensing exams
Students completing the WSU Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program consistently achieve a near-perfect pass rate on the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination.
One of nation’s strongest university-based radiochemistry research programs
For several years running, WSU has produced roughly half of the nation’s chemistry Ph.D. graduates specializing in radiochemistry. Collaborations with experts at Pacific Northwest National Lab and Idaho National Lab offer students opportunities to work alongside preeminent researchers. The WSU Nuclear Radiation Center is a valuable on-campus resource for researchers and students.
International and camp rotations for pharmacy students
As a 4th-year pharmacy student, you have the unique opportunity to complete rotations in diverse cultural and clinical settings. You could travel to destinations that include Ecuador, Peru, Vietnam, and Wales. Alternatively, you could work at a camp for children with diabetes, or apply for an external rotation program.
Chemical and bioengineering PhD programs with unique internship and training opportunities
Doctoral students in the Voiland School of Chemical Engineering gain firsthand experience conducting research in government and industrial settings.
- Training program in protein biotechnology: Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, this program offers chemical engineers the chance to collaborate with leading engineers and scientists.
- Internships at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: Doctoral students participate in bio-based product research, catalysis research, and other programs.