Welcome to the Engineering Dean's Scholars, a program created to support students who have incredible potential to become excellent engineers.

Through holistic programming, you will receive the support and tools needed to transition to life as an engineering student before joining the College and during your first academic year. You will learn to navigate the UW, create a four-year educational plan and build your engineering network.

Diversity, access, equity, inclusion and sovereignty are needed in engineering. As an Engineering Dean’s Scholar, you will be prepared to create a significant societal impact, helping to shape a healthier and better world.

Admission process

Students are chosen for Engineering Dean’s Scholars through the College's Pathways for Inclusive Excellence (PIE).

Students who select engineering or computer science as their first choice major on their UW freshman application and who would benefit from additional time and resources to ensure a strong STEM foundation are selected for PIE conditional admission. PIE programs will set students up for success by offering holistic programming and support starting the summer after high school and through the first or second year at UW. Your University of Washington admission letter will state that you have been selected for the conditional admission cohort.

Pathways for Inclusive Excellence (PIE)

Program features

The summer transition program

This part of the program will give you a head start as an engineering student, ensuring that you are set up for success before you even start the academic year. As a result of engaging in the program, you will:

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  Develop a strong academic foundation

  Coursework will focus in math and chemistry, which will be essential to your academic success and to prepare you for the rigor of the engineering curriculum.
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  Build a support network

  You will gain important connections with engineering peers and professionals.
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  Identify your strengths and work in a team

  Facilitated through "Discovering Me" workshops run by the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity.
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  Discover engineering

  Explore the interdisciplinary nature of engineering by applying engineering principles in UW makerspaces and engineering labs.
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  Develop friendships

  Connect with other students who were admitted through PIE into STARS and the Allen School Scholars Program.

Holistic academic advising

One of the most significant supports for your educational journey is intentional academic advising that encourages your overall development as a student and future engineering professional. You will be assigned an engineering academic adviser and an adviser within the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (OMAD) whom you will meet with during your first year at the UW.

This advising team will ensure you’re connected to all UW resources that can support your success both in and out of the classroom. Your advisers will help you explore engineering majors, create your academic plan, identify clubs and competition groups to get involved with, explore opportunities for scholarships, navigate your housing plans, etc. Your advisers are excited to get to know you, learn about your specific interests and support your educational journey!

The cohort experience

As a Dean's Scholar, you will be a part of a tight-knit cohort of other incoming engineering students. You will take courses together throughout the first year, which will allow you to engage in collaborative study and help you learn to apply concepts through shared knowledge.

In addition, you will attend events outside of the classroom to help you build friendships and a sense of community. Events may include visiting an engineering company, exploring a local Seattle landmark or attending UW events. The cohort experience of the Engineering Dean’s Scholars makes the UW feel smaller, provides a home base to explore from and gives a sense of consistency working with people who are sharing a common first-year experience.

Your first-year schedule

You will complete a common first-year schedule of courses with your Engineering Dean’s Scholars cohort. This will ensure you’re well-prepared to request placement in an engineering major at the end of your first year and put you on track to complete your engineering degree in four years. These courses will be paired with engineering workshops (ENGR 19Xs) that will provide opportunities for you to practice your skills and will support your success.

The first-year curriculum will meet engineering placement requirements for all engineering departments and count towards graduation requirements. It is acknowledged that you may have credit for some of the listed courses or are pursuing an engineering major that does not require all the courses below. Credits transferred do not always provide an equal nor equitable transition to the rigor and pace of UW courses. By starting with the first calculus course and first general chemistry, you will progress with a strong academic foundation and more confidence in the sequential UW curriculum.

We are grateful for support from our industry partners