Attend an undergraduate class and get a feel for what it’s like to be a UW student. See the list of available classes below. Don’t forget to register for a guided tour and admission presentation.
Algebra with Applications
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 11:30 a.m. -12:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Pierce
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 210
Use of graphs and algebraic functions as found in business and economics. Algebraic and graphical manipulations to solve problems. Exponential and logarithm functions; various applications to growth of money.
Application of Calculus to Business and Economics
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 8:30 a.m. -9:20 a.m.
Instructor: Professor Pierce
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 220
Rates of change, tangent, derivative, accumulation, area, integrals in specific contexts, particularly economics. Techniques of differentiation and integration. Application to problem solving. Optimization.
Arts and Cultures of the Northwest Coast: From Totems to Tennis Shoes
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 11:30 a.m. -1:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Bunn-Marcuse
Building location: Art Building, Room 229
Surveys indigenous art of the Pacific Northwest Coast from the Columbia River in the south to Southeast Alaska in the north and from ancient through contemporary times. Focuses on the historical and cultural contexts of the art and the stylistic differences between tribal and individual artists' styles.
Astronomy
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 1:30 p.m. -2:50 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Fraser
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 220
Don't attend on exam days: 1/26 & 2/23.
Introduction to the universe, with emphasis on conceptual, as contrasted with mathematical, comprehension. Modern theories, observations; ideas concerning nature, evolution of galaxies; quasars, stars, black holes, planets, solar system
Biopsychology
Days in session: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -3:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Graham
Building location: Architecture Hall, Room 147
Examines the biological basis of behavior, the nervous system, how it works to control behavior and sense the world, and what happens when it malfunctions. Topics include learning and memory, development, sex, drugs, sleep, the senses, emotions, and mental disorders.
Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 10:30 a.m. -11:20 a.m.
Instructor: Professor Camacho
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 220
First quarter in calculus of functions of a single variable. Emphasizes differential calculus. Emphasizes applications and problem solving using the tools of calculus.
Communication Disorders in a Social World: Barriers and Bridges
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -3:50 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Lee
Building location: Eagleson Hall, Room G01
Don't attend on 2/5, 3/3, & 3/5
Examines societal and media perspectives of communication processes and individuals with communication challenges. Applies disability and ableism frameworks to examine historical and contemporary factors that can enhance or create barriers to communication across contexts. Explores the roles of communication professionals and emphasizes advocacy, inclusive practices, and respect for communicative diversity.
Construction and Culture
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -4:50 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Aaronson
Building location: Smith Hall, Room 304
Evolution of building construction through history, cultures, economies, and institutions. Explores roles of people in building construction, with emphasis on the roles of owner, builder, and designer through history up to the present time. Focuses on worldwide projects and the people who built them in the context of cultural, economic, scientific, technological, and professional developments of the era.
Contemporary Issues of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -4:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor So
Building location: Electrical and Computer Engineering Building, Room 105
Critically examines contemporary Asian and Pacific Islander American issues, ranging from the Cold War era to the present-day America. Topics include ethnic enclaves, community-building, civil rights, identity problems, family conflict, social organizations, political movements, and immigration.
Deep Sea Exploration: Submarine, Volcanoes and Novel Life Forms
Days in session: Wednesdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -4:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Kelley
Building location: Ocean Teaching Building, Room 014
Email professor if interested in attending: dskelley@uw.edu
Examines the dynamic marine processes that shape the planet and cutting-edge oceanographic technologies used to explore the deepest oceans. Includes imagery of rarely seen submarine volcanic eruptions, hot springs, and novel life forms highlighting the interconnected geological-biological processes creating the most extreme environments on Earth.
Dinosaurs
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -1:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Martin
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 130
Biology, behavior, ecology, evolution, and extinction of dinosaurs, and a history of their exploration. With dinosaurs as focal point, course also introduces the student to how hypotheses in geological and paleobiological science are formulated and tested.
Environmental Health in Media
Days in session: Mondays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -4:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Marsillach
Building location: Health Sciences Education Building, Room 345
Explores how the perspective of filmmakers and documentaries can influence the public's interpretation of environmental health issues, and examines the science and cultural norms that support both sides of the argument.
Exploring Atmospheric and Climate Science
Days in session: Thursdays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -1:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Huybers
Building location: Interdisciplinary Engineering Building, Room G106
Focuses on current research in atmospheric and climate science and the related implications for public health, business, and environmental policy.
Global Environmental Change and Public Health
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 11:30 a.m. -12:50 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Ebi
Building location: Health Sciences Education Building, Room 101
Humans are the primary drivers of global environmental changes that are changing the planet on the scale of geological forces. Students will be introduced to these changes and their consequences for human health and well-being, with a focus on climate change and its consequences.
Identities, Cultures, and Power Across American Ethnic Groups
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 1:30 p.m. -3:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Bonus
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 220
Provides an introduction to the major theories, debates, and issues concerning the study of identities and cultures of American ethnic groups as they are constituted through relationships of power.
Introduction to Environmental Studies
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 9:30 a.m. -10:20 a.m.
Instructor: Professor Wheat
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 110
Examines the ethical, political, social, and scientific dimensions of environmental issues. Integrates knowledge from different disciplines while evaluating environmental problems at various scales. Uses an environmental justice lens to examine the ways problems are concentrated in some communities while providing opportunities to practice environmental communication and collaboration across disciplines.
Introduction to Geology and Societal Impacts
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -1:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Swanson
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 120
Introduction to the processes, materials and structures that shape Earth. Emphasizes the dynamic nature of the earth's tectonic system and its relationship to physical features, volcanism, earthquakes, minerals and rocks and geologic structures. The course emphasizes the intrinsic relationship between human societies and geologic processes, hazards and resources.
Introduction to Law
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 1:30 p.m. -3:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Bergstrom
Building location: PACCAR Hall, Room 192
Legal institutions and processes; law as a system of social thought and behavior and a frame of order within which rival claims are resolved and compromised; legal reasoning; law as a process of protecting and facilitating voluntary arrangements in a business society.
Introduction to Logic
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 11:30 a.m. -12:50 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Schnee
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 220
Elementary symbolic logic. The development, application, and theoretical properties of an artificial symbolic language designed to provide a clear representation of the logical structure of deductive arguments.
Introduction to Mechanics of Materials
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -1:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Eberhard
Building location: PACCAR Hall, Room 192
Introduction to the concepts of stress, deformation, and strain in solid materials. Development of basic relationships among loads, stresses, and deflections of structural and machine elements such as rods, shafts, and beams. Load-carrying capacity of these elements under tension, compression, torsion, bending, and shear forces.
Introduction to Political Theory
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 11:30 a.m. -12:50 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Turner
Building location: Architecture Hall, Room 147
Philosophical bases of politics and political activity. Provides an introduction to the study of politics by the reading of books in political philosophy. Organized around several key political concepts, such as liberty, equality, justice, authority, rights, and citizenship.
Introduction to Psychology
Days in session: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 8:30 a.m. -9:20 a.m.
Instructor: Professor Andelin
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 120
Surveys major areas of psychological science. Core topics include human social behavior, personality, psychological disorders and treatment, learning, memory, human development, biological influences, and research methods. Related topics may include sensation, perception, states of consciousness, thinking, intelligence, language, motivation, emotion, stress and health, cross-cultural psychology, and applied psychology.
Introduction to Public Speaking
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 9:30 a.m. -10:20 a.m.
Instructor: Professor McGarrity
Building location: Mary Gates Hall, Room 389
Designed to increase competence in public speaking and the critique of public speaking. Emphasizes choice and organization of material, sound reasoning, audience analysis, and delivery.
Introduction to Scandinavian Culture
Days in session: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -1:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Nestingen
Building location: Mary Gates Hall, Room 389
The Scandinavian experience from the Viking Age to the present day. Covers the background for contemporary Scandinavian democracy with major emphasis on the cultural, political, and religious development of the Scandinavian countries.
Introduction to Theatre
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -1:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Mahmoud
Building location: Architecture Hall, Room 147
The theatre as an art form with emphasis on the play in production. The role of the various theatre artists: actors, directors, designers, and playwrights.
Introduction to Visualization and Computer-Aided Design
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -3:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Williams
Building location: Mary Gates Hall, Room 389
Methods of depicting three-dimensional objects and communicating design information. Development of three-dimensional skills through freehand sketching and computer-aided design using parametric solid modeling.
Introduction to World Religions: Western Traditions
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -2:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Wellman Jr.
Building location: Oceanography Teaching Building, Room 014
History of religions, concentrating on religious traditions that have developed west of the Indus. Primary attention to the Semitic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and to their ancient world background with emphasis on basic conceptual and symbolic structures.
Introductory Biology
Days in session: Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Class time: 10:30 a.m. -11:20 a.m.
Instructor: Professor Theobald
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 130
Mendelian genetics, evolution, biodiversity of life forms, ecology, and conservation biology.
Living with Volcanoes
Days in session: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -3:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Harrell
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 210
Explores volcanoes and volcanic eruptions on Earth and in the solar system. Examines how volcanoes work and how they affect the environment, life, and human societies. Illustrates principles using local examples of recent volcanism and ancient examples of mega-eruptions. Evaluates the possibility of predicting future eruptions.
Mechanics
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 8:30 a.m. -9:50 a.m.
Instructor: Professor Depies
Building location: Physics-Astronomy Auditorium, Room A102
Principles of mechanics using algebra-based modeling with an emphasis on applications in life sciences.
Perspectives on Media: Critical Concepts
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -2:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Groening
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 210
Provides an introduction to media studies, with particular attention to critical concepts including, but not limited to, audience studies, formal analysis, and ideological critique. Specific media analyzed varies.
Plagues and Peoples
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -4:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Duncan
Building location: Kane Hall, Room 110
Infectious diseases have shaped human culture, biology, and history, in a remarkable array of ways for different pathogens and different societies. Uncovers why, by considering in turn the biology, demography, and cultural history of epidemics. Students develop a broader understanding of biocultural approaches to human disease.
Quantum Mechanics, Relativity, and the Foundations of Our Modern Technological World
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -2:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Marcus
Building location: PAA A118
Explores the principles of quantum mechanics and relativity, with no use of mathematics, and how they enable current and near-future machines that shape our lives.
Sports and Diplomacy
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -4:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Krabill
Building location: Johnson Hall, Room 102
Don't attend on 1/22 & 2/19
Covers how, globally throughout history, sports (such as ping pong, Olympic hockey, and soccer's World Cup) have been a tool for negotiating political relationships. Examines the link between international games and international relations. Explores how sport matters in the practice of diplomacy by presenting fundamental concepts in diplomatic theory and case studies in sports diplomacy from diverse historical, political, and cultural contexts.
Sustainability: Personal Choices, Broad Impacts
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 2:30 p.m. -3:50 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Straus
Building location: Savery Hall, Room 264
Introduces implications of and approaches to sustainability through models of sustainability, history of sustainability movements, and sustainability in action. Explores how our personal choices can affect broader change towards sustainability. Examines personal and global aspects of sustainability through issues such as food, energy, waste, water, population, consumption, design, and well-being.
The Ethics and Psychology of Persuasion
Days in session: Mondays & Wednesdays
Class time: 10:00 a.m. -11:20 a.m.
Instructor: Professor Marshall
Building location: Condon Hall, Room 109
Examines the psychology of persuasion through an ethical lens. Answers questions such as: When is persuasion effective? When is it respectful versus immoral? Is using psychological insight manipulative or just good people skills? How do biases shape persuasion, and how should we navigate them? Assessments focus on real-world applications, helping students improve as persuaders.
The Medieval World
Days in session: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Class time: 12:30 p.m. -2:20 p.m.
Instructor: Professor Urbanski
Building location: Gowen Hall, Room 201
Political, economic, social, and intellectual history of the Middle Ages.
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