• About Willamette
• History of Willamette
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About Willamette: Quick Facts

Willamette is recognized nationally for an academic experience that combines the benefits of an engaged, collaborative learning environment with many opportunities for cocurricular development. Our tradition of service and our location adjacent to the Oregon state Capitol facilitate internships, collaborative research, and other special projects that span a wide spectrum of academic interests.

Overview

Founded in 1842, Willamette is a private, selective, coeducational, residential liberal arts university composed of four schools: the undergraduate College of Liberal Arts, the College of Law, Atkinson Graduate School of Management and the graduate School of Education.

The University and its specific degree programs are accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, University Senate of the United Methodist Church, National Association of Schools of Music, American Chemical Society, Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Committee, American Bar Association, Association of American Law Schools, Association to Advance American Schools of Business, and National Association of Schools of Public Affairs.

Location

Willamette’s 80-acre campus is located across the street from the Oregon Capitol in the urban heart of Salem, the state’s second-largest city. The greater Salem area, which is home to approximately 150,000 residents, lies in the Willamette Valley and is nearly equidistant from Portland to the north, the Oregon coastline to the west, Eugene to the south, and the Cascade mountain foothills to the east. Willamette’s central location contributes to the wide range of social, cultural, volunteer and outdoor activities available to the community. Our location also supports exceptional mentoring, internship and career networking opportunities with alumni throughout the Pacific Rim.

College of Liberal Arts (CLA)

The College of Liberal Arts for under-graduates encompasses 47 academic programs in a rigorous arts and sciences curriculum. The most pursued majors include politics, biology, English, psychology and economics.

CLA operates on a traditional two-semester calendar. Students typically enroll in four courses per semester, which may include or be complemented by faculty-mentored research and internships.

Students

Class of 2011 Entering Profile

Faculty

Financial

Off-campus Study

The Office of International Education supports a diverse collection of study abroad and exchange programs in 40 countries on six continents.

Students who earn credit for off-campus study: 57%

Centers for Excellence

Willamette’s Centers for Excellence offer enhanced research opportunities for students and faculty. The centers support student internships, faculty and student fellowships, campus programming and community outreach. The five centers are the Center for Ancient Studies and Archaeology; the Center for Asian Studies; the Center for the Study of Democracy, Religion and Law; the Center for Public Policy; and the Center for Sustainable Communities.

Tokyo International University of America (TIUA)

Every year 100 students from Tokyo International University (Japan) enroll at TIUA/Willamette to study English and the liberal arts. Through campus life programming and classes, Willamette and TIUA students share cultures and learn from each other. Some TIU students enter Willamette as degree-seeking students, and 10–15 Willamette students enroll in the Japan Studies Program at TIU (Japan).

Athletics

NCAA Division III Sports

• Baseball (M)
• Basketball (M, W)
• Cross Country (M, W)
• Football (M)
• Golf (M, W)
• Rowing (M, W)
• Soccer (M, W)
• Softball (W)
• Swimming (M, W)
• Tennis (M, W)
• Track and Field (M, W)
• Volleyball (W)

Community Service

Service and volunteerism permeate the Willamette community. Each year students contribute more than 40,000 hours of volunteer service to 160 local nonprofit agencies and schools. One especially popular program is Take a Break (TaB), through which students spend their spring break serving communities in need throughout the country.

College of Law

The first law school in the Pacific Northwest, Willamette’s College of Law is distinguished by a versatile Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) curriculum and a nationally emulated Center for Dispute Resolution. The college also offers a joint degree program in conjunction with the Atkinson Graduate School of Management, through which law students interested in business, government and management may earn both their MBA and JD on an accelerated schedule.

Atkinson Graduate School of Management (AGSM)

Atkinson Graduate School of Management’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is one of only two MBA programs in the world accredited for both business administration (AACSB International) and public administration (NASPAA). Additionally, AGSM maintains a joint BA/MBA program with the College of Liberal Arts that allows students to acquire both degrees within five years. AGSM also operates a Professional MBA program for post-graduate working professionals.

School of Education

The School of Education’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program offers authorizations to teach at the early childhood, elementary, middle and secondary school levels. Students may also acquire reading or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsements. Willamette’s School of Education has the highest teacher placement rate in the state of Oregon, with last year’s rate at 100 percent. The Center for Excellence in Teaching provides continuing education for K–12 teachers and administrators.

CLA Majors, Minors and Special Programs (M, m, s)

• American Studies (M)
• American Ethnic Studies (m)
• Anthropology (M, m)
• Art History (M, m)
• Art, Studio (M, m)
• Arts, Technology and Multimedia (m)
• Asian Studies (M, m)
• BA/MBA Business Management (s)
• Biology (M, m)
• Chemistry (M, m)
• Chinese Studies (M, m)
• Classical Studies (M, m)
• Comparative Literature and History of Ideas (M)
• Computer Science (M, m)
• Economics (M, m)
• 3-2 Engineering (s)
• English (M, m)
• Environmental Science (M, m)
• Exercise Science (M)
• Film Studies (M, m)
• 3-2 Forestry (s)
• French (M, m)
• Geography (m)
• German (M, m)
• History (M, m)
• Humanities (M)
• International Studies (M)
• Japanese (m)
• Japanese Studies (M)
• Latin American Studies (M, m)
• Mathematics (M, m)
• Music (M, m)*
• Philosophy (M, m)
• Physics (M, m)
• Politics (M, m)
• Pre-Law (s)
• Pre-Medicine (s)
• Pre-Veterinary Medicine (s)
• Psychology (M, m)
• 3-2 Public Management (s)
• Religious Studies (M, m)
• Rhetoric and Media Studies (M, m)
• Russian (m)
• Science Studies (M, m)
• Sociology (M, m)
• Spanish (M, m)
• Theatre (M, m)
• Women’s and Gender Studies (M, m)

*Willamette also offers a Bachelor of Music degree.

Academic Excellence