OpenFieldWWU · Bellingham, Washington, United States
Western Washington University is a top-ranking public comprehensive master's university established in 1893, perched along Bellingham Bay overlooking the Salish Sea and North Cascades in Bellingham, Washington. Celebrated for environmental science and marine biology at the Huxley College of the Environment (now College of the Environment), manufacturing engineering technology at the Vehicle Research Institute (VRI), psychology, and marine science at the Shannon Point Marine Center, WWU is an environmental and clean-tech innovation beacon in the Pacific Northwest.
WWU encompasses seven colleges: the College of the Environment, College of Science and Engineering, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Business and Economics, Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Woodring College of Education, and the College of Fine and Performing Arts. The university operates the Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, Washington.
Undergraduate admissions evaluate high school GPA, course rigor, and personal statements with test-optional reviews. Graduate master's programs require an accredited bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, statement of purpose, three recommendation letters, and English proficiency (TOEFL 86+ or IELTS 7.0+). Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) provide stipends of $16,000–$18,000/year plus tuition waivers.
Premier environmental science master's partnering with Shannon Point Marine Center to investigate ocean acidification in the Salish Sea, microplastic bioaccumulation in marine trophic webs, and salmon habitat restoration.
Rigorous thesis-based computer science master's exploring deep learning object tracking, cloud-native cluster computing, secure wireless communications, and biomedical image classification.
ABET-accredited engineering program housed in the renowned Vehicle Research Institute (VRI), designing and building solar-electric hybrid vehicles, composite monocoque chassis, and automated robotics.
Research-intensive chemistry master's offering advanced training in transition-metal organometallics, quantum dot solar luminescence, solid-state NMR, and green polymer degradation.
Pacific Northwest field geological degree investigating active volcanism in Mount Baker, Cascadia subduction zone seismology, glacial geomorphology, and structural geology.
Interdisciplinary environmental policy curriculum exploring tribal treaty rights in fisheries, climate resilience planning, transboundary water governance with Canada, and community food sovereignty.
Director of Shannon Point Marine Center and Professor of Environmental Sciences
Shannon Point Marine Center
Dr. Brian Bingham investigates marine invertebrate larval ecology, cnidarian-algal symbiosis, and the impacts of ocean warming and acidification on Pacific Nort...
View researcher profile ↗Professor of Chemistry and Vice Provost for Research
Department of Chemistry
Dr. David Patrick researches advanced surface chemistry, liquid crystals, molecular self-assembly, and luminescent solar concentrator optical materials for clea...
View researcher profile ↗Professor of Geology and Associate Dean of the College of Science & Engineering
Department of Geology
Dr. Jackie Caplan-Auerbach is a seismologist and volcanologist investigating submarine eruptions, seismic acoustics of glacial collapse, and acoustic tremor sig...
View researcher profile ↗OpenField is an independent research platform not officially affiliated with Western Washington University. Information reflects public documentation reviewed on 2026-10-16. Students must verify application deadlines, fee structures, and prerequisite details directly with official university admissions departments before applying.
Updated 2026-10-16 · Editorial policy · Submit corrections