Degrees & Programs

CareerCast ranked careers involving mathematics (data scientist and statistician) as the top two jobs in 2016. It also projected a 23 percent increase in job growth for mathematicians by 2022.

The CWU Air Force ROTC program is award winning and nationally regarded. Since 2009, CWU’s Air Force ROTC been named both the No. 1 regional and top national unit in its classification.

CareerCast ranked careers involving mathematics (data scientist and statistician) as the top two jobs in 2016. It also projected a 23 percent increase in job growth for mathematicians by 2022.  Graduates in this program are in graduate school, working in industry, and teaching in local schools.

The Art Education degree is a multidisciplinary offering between the Department of Art+Design and the Teacher Preparation Program and Secondary Education major offered through the Department of Curriculum, Supervision and Educational Leadership. The degree focuses on engaging with artistic inquiry and teacher education in a variety of settings including K-12, communities, and museums.  

Few chemistry programs in the state can boast the state-of-the-art technology found at CWU, including a 400MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscope, atomic absorption spectroscope, fluorimeter, gas chromatograph, and much more.

When quality and affordability are both taken into account, CWU’s School of Education offers a best value to its students. That’s the assessment of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), which recently released its ‘Best Value’ ratings of colleges of education across the United States. It is the first time that a national education policy organization has conducted a comprehensive review of quality paired with affordability.

Seattle is number four in the US apparel industry with vast opportunities to stay in the pacific northwest post-graduation or go nationally or internationally. The Central Washington University apparel, textiles, and merchandising program combines fashion, business, and creativity to foster students’ personal goals. Students immerse themselves in chosen interest areas where they learn, understand, and apply new knowledge to the many facets of the apparel industry while networking with industry professionals throughout their education.

Central’s CTE Teacher Preparation program is uniquely designed for busy, working professionals and is approved by the Washington Professional Education Standards Board. Course requirements can be satisfied in as little as five weeks, for certificated teachers; two years for industry professionals.

CWU’s chemistry department is equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as the 400MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscope, atomic absorption spectroscope, fluorimeter, gas chromatograph, and much more.

CWU offers a Bachelor or Science in Clinical Physiology. In 2016, CWU teamed with Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences to create the Yakima Valley Interprofessional Practice and Education Initiative, which seeks to produce and develop new collaborative approaches to regional healthcare while also improving access to care.

• Computer science students work one-on-one with our distinguished faculty on research, present at national and international conferences, and publish papers in scientific journals.
• Our facilities have cutting-edge computers and mobile devices for teaching development techniques for Windows, OS X, iOS, or Android. For senior projects, students work with clients to design, build, and document software applications.
• In fall 2018 the program will move into a new state-of-the-art computer and information technology center. Construction began on the Samuelson Union Building spring 2016. When finished, it will also house online learning and the departments of Mathematics and Information Technology and Administrative Management.

At CWU, you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Craft Brewing or a Craft Brewing Certificate. CWU's craft brewing program is ranked No. 1 by America Unraveled. Students perform experiments and receive hands on instruction in all aspects of the craft brew business from industry professionals. Our graduates are prepared for careers in brewing production, quality assurance, brewery management, beer merchandising, product distribution, brewing technology, packaging, safety, sanitation, sensory evaluation, and entrepreneurship.

CWU’s dance major offers the only dance program east of the Cascades in Washington. CWU’s dance major helps fulfill a variety of institutional needs including, but not limited to, the recruitment and retention of students to CWU by promoting the university nationally through performances, conference presentations, and research.

Central digital journalism students learn how to question, investigate, interpret, and communicate—with great accuracy and on deadline. Such skills are invaluable in a wide variety of fields including the law, government, public agencies, advertising, public relations, and social studies.

You’ll have the opportunity to take field study courses in other countries, and work with scientists all over the world. Other resources include the CWU greenhouse and the Englehorn Pond nature preserve, as well as advanced laboratory technology.

The department envisions itself as providing an educational service with customers at both ends of the system: students wanting an education leading toward employment, and industry desiring employees to lead them into the future. The programs are based on a foundation of technical courses, math and science, communications, and liberal arts.

Students involved in this program will find numerous opportunities to write and publish their work and to meet professionals in the field through activities and organizations such as Manastash (Student Literary Journal), Inklings Creative Writer's Club, Lion Rock Visiting Writers Series and Central Washington Writing Project.

Our faculty is comprised of excellent teacher-scholars who genuinely care about you, the student. We offer small classes with innovative learning activities, such as multimedia writing projects, mock trials, archival research, and collaborative group work. We actively publish in scholarly journals and present at national and international conferences, while closely mentoring students in research, writing, professionalization, and preparation for graduate study.

The Professional and Creative Writing program is rigorous yet also flexible and adaptable to student needs. The program can be completed face-to-face, online, or via a combination of the two modalities. Students work closely with faculty mentors, all of whom are published professionals in their own fields, to develop their own professional identities.

You will learn and perform research in CWU’s new $64 million state-of-the-art science building that has specialized labs designed for the geological sciences department, including optics and lasers labs, and an ice core lab. CWU offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Geological Sciences and Environmental Geoscience and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geology and Geology Teaching. You can also earn a minor or a master's degree in geology.

At CWU you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, as well as a minor. In 2016, CWU teamed with Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences to join the Yakima Valley Interprofessional Practice and Education Initiative, which seeks to produce and develop new collaborative approaches to regional healthcare while also improving access to care.

Family and Consumer Sciences majors learn tangible skills about concreate subjects that easily translate into opportunities in the real world.  Our graduates learn about concerns that relate to basic needs such as housing, nutrition, apparel, finance, life management and relationships

You get to make movies. How cool is that?

France is the world’s number one tourist destination, attracting more than 70 million visitors each year. Being able to speak French makes a visit to Paris or the other regions of France much more enjoyable and rewarding. Ça te dit?

Throughout the courses and degrees in Geological Sciences at CWU, you will work closely with faculty and other students in real-world field and laboratory settings.  Our faculty are dedicated teachers and scholars. The department is housed in Discovery Hall, which includes the Murdock Research Lab, an ice core lab, an interactive rock garden, and excellent classroom facilities built to facilitate engaged learning.

Central's pre-professional program options are pre-chiropractic, pre-dental hygiene, pre-dentistry, pre-medical technology, pre-medicine, pre-nursing, pre-occupational therapy, pre-pharmacy, pre-physical therapy, pre-physician assistant, pre-respiratory therapy, and pre-veterinary.

Being a history teacher rates 4 out of 5 (highly satisfied) in career satisfaction. History teachers make $71,000 a year at mid-career.

Established in 1947, this degree program at CWU was the first at a college or university in Washington state. We aim to offer small class sizes, hands-on education, field trip experiences and practical applications within our academic courses. CWU is in a wonderful location, which offers opportunities to engage in HTE programming in both rural and urban environments – such as visiting a busy international airport and then a boutique rural hotel! Our friendly faculty have practical, real-world HTE industry experience and will share local to global perspectives and experiences with you.  

OnlineColleges.net recently ranked CWU’s ITAM as their #2 program in Information Technolo-gy saying this degree, "helps students develop the technical skills they need to succeed in the IT industry."

Central Washington University’s master of science in Information Technology and Administrative Management is ranked one of the top ten one-year online master’s degree programs in the U.S., according to bestmastersdegrees.com. Schools were ranked based on value, affordability, and the ability of the student to complete the degree in one-year.

No other university in the state offers this particular type of interdisciplinary education in response to current and future professional work place needs.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies Social Sciences is conveniently offered online and is for students who are interested in broader options in course selection than are possible within a traditional departmental major and who want to specialize their course of study according to individual interests and professional/educational aspirations. 

When quality and affordability are both taken into account, CWU’s School of Education offers a best value to its students. That’s the assessment of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), which recently released its ‘Best Value’ ratings of colleges of education across the United States. It is the first time that a national education policy organization has conducted a comprehensive review of quality paired with affordability.

CWU's online law and justice program was name #2 in the Top 50 Best Value Online Criminal Justice Programs of 2016. 

Liberal Studies is the interdisciplinary examination of subjects related to the humanities, arts, and sciences. Students of Liberal Studies pursue knowledge in these different areas, often learning to integrate what they learn into a coherent whole that serves their life goals.

• Become one of the most sought-after professionals in the field. The CWU Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) program prepares you for a rewarding, high-demand career as a mechanical engineer.

• The MET degree prepares the student to pursue Engineering-in-Training (EIT) Certification and Professional Engineering (PE) Licensure.

• Central's MET degree is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET.

CWU's teacher education program is the 12th largest in the country. Students in CWU's program are prepared to be outstanding educational leaders and facilitators of learning. CWU provides future and seasoned teachers the specialized skills necessary to teach diverse learners.

CWU's Army ROTC program is award winning and nationally regarded. The Wildcat Battalion has won multiple Ranger Challenge competitions against competing ROTCs from colleges and universities throughout the western United States and beyond.

• In 2016, the Chamber Choir toured Spain to participate in prestigious 47th Annual Tolosa International Choir Competition. The choir also visited León, Spain where they performed in the magnificent Santa María de León Cathedral, also called The House of Light.

• Recently, CWU was the only university on the West Coast invited to perform at the prestigious national Jazz Educators Network (JEN) conference.

• In 2016, the Chamber Choir toured Spain to participate in prestigious 47th Annual Tolosa International Choir Competition. The choir also visited León, Spain where they performed in the magnificent Santa María de León Cathedral, also called The House of Light.

• In 2015, Jazz Band 1 performed on stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Central Washington University’s master of science in Information Technology and Administrative Management is ranked one of the top ten one-year online master’s degree programs in the U.S., according to bestmastersdegrees.com. Schools were ranked based on value, affordability, and the ability of the student to complete the degree in one year.

The online paramedicine program at Central is accredited and meets all of the national and Washington State standards in paramedic education. CWU's program is recognized as one of the best, with content that meets or exceeds the National Education Standards for EMS. About 97 percent of graduates pass the National Registry exam on the first attempt and a job-placement rate of nearly 100 percent

The Physical Education Activity program seeks to develop personal skills promoting personal fitness, maintaining health, building morale and establishing an interest in future recreational activities. Classes offered include PE, fitness, aquatics, and team sports. 

It’s pretty simple—we have great physics professors at Central who have gained national and regional recognition for their teaching and research. And because our focus is on undergraduate teaching, you learn directly from those professors!

It’s pretty simple—we have great physics professors at Central who have gained national and regional recognition for their teaching and research. And because our focus is on undergraduate teaching, you learn directly from those professors!

• The graduate program in primate behavior offers the only Master of Science degree in primatology in the U.S.

• CWU’s Primate Awareness Week, held in April or May, offers guest speakers and presentations designed to educate the campus community about primate activities and behavior.

At Central students enjoy small classes with professors who place a premium on teaching and individualized attention. That mentorship defines face-to-face classes as well as our online program, among the top 30 online psychology bachelor’s degree programs in the nation for 2015.

CWU offers a Bachelor or Science in Public Health with specializations in population health and pre-nursing. You can also earn a minor in public health. Dr. Casey Mace recently co-authored a report entitled, “Increased physical activity is associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes.” The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in advanced age people by gender and ethnicity in New Zealand.

Depending on your area of emphasis, studying public policy at CWU offers a chance to gain an understanding of such areas as public-private partnerships, international relations, economic policy, environmental law, human rights, energy policies, or public health. It helps prepare students to work in either the public sector, or industry as a liaison to government agencies.

CWU students in the Philosophy & Religious Studies Department can expect to apply their ideas to public importance, like religious diversity and tolerance, and social justice and mass incarceration. Working closely with faculty, students will do their own research and present it at national conferences. presentation at SOURCE on the professional value of philosophy and religious studies.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor anticipates job growth in the field of risk management at about 19% through 2026. Overall employment of occupational health and safety professionals is projected to grow 6 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations. 

• Our faculty collaborate with students on research and publications and provide proactive advising to keep them on track and job ready. • Classes are held in the Hogue Technology Building, one of the nation’s most advanced facilities for industrial and engineering technology.

• Significant job growth is expected within the community and social service occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. • A career aimed at improving people’s lives, like those in social services, is gratifying work.

• At CWU, studying sociology is a chance to grasp the relationship between history, society and the individual’s life. • CWU’s McNair Scholars Program pairs students in one-on-one faculty research mentorships and provides guidance through the graduate school application process.

CWU students majoring in Spanish have excelled at presentations and conferences in the past year, including: - Omar Manzo, a Douglas Honors College student majoring in Spanish and minoring in political science, presented research at the National Technology and Social Science Conference in Las Vegas. - Yazmin Aquilar, Spanish and social services major, presented at a panel at the Students of Color Conference in Yakima.

The wide range of organizational settings where sports occur means that individuals can select and pursue careers in the kind of work environment of their choice and for which they are best suited. Besides traditional sports, the sports industry now involves new alternative, action, and extreme sports (skateboarding, boogie boarding, ice climbing, snow kayaking, etc) and new professional sports, especially for women.

Central Washington University's School of Education is the largest in Washington state and the 12th largest in the nation. We offer a variety of masters, majors, minors, and certifications for those interested in teaching or working in education administration. Content areas include physical education and school health, family and consumer sciences, business and marketing, career and technical education, science, math, history, English, music, and library science to name a few. Students can also choose to specialize in bilingual education, early childhood education, elementary education, literacy, world languages, Teaching English as a Second Langauge, and special education. 

CWU’s Theatre Arts incorporates state-of-the-industry techniques, such as Rasaboxes, View Points and Susuki in performance training. It also incorporates specialized software, such as VectorWorks®, Bourtique®, and QLab®, in design and technical training.

Professional opportunities abound in professional theatre and entertainment industries to include repertory companies, performing arts centers, regional theatres, touring companies, dinner theatres, film and television, theme parks, children's theatre and industrial films and shows. • More and more CWU grads are finding their way into some of the most prestigious graduate programs in the country, which will allow for even further advancement in the business. In the past five years the department has placed more than 20 graduates in MA and MFA programs throughout the country, most with full scholarships and assistantships

The Theatre Education BFA meets state endorsement standards for Theatre and provides one of the strongest teacher candidate preparation programs in the state. This pre-professional training program will prepare students for careers in K-12 as well as educational programming with regional theatres.

The CWU Wine Studies degree is one of the few programs in the nation that emphasizes the business side of the wine industry. Students learn from wine industry professionals whose current expertise and connections serve as a bridge to career opportunities.  Our classes emphasize theory and practice, with fun, engaging hands-on learning activities. Classroom-based instruction is integrated with real-world experiences through internships, a faculty-led study abroad trip to Europe, as well as tasting room and winery visits. Wine Studies students also benefit from CWU’s prime location within the Columbia Valley AVA. This region is home to over 99% of all of Washington’s vinifera acreage, placing students in close proximity to a myriad of exciting career and job opportunities.