OpenFieldWillamette · Salem, Oregon, United States
Willamette University is a distinguished private liberal arts and professional university founded in 1842 in Salem, Oregon, making it the oldest university in the Western United States. Situated directly across the street from the Oregon State Capitol and State Supreme Court, Willamette is renowned for political science and law at the College of Law, business and public administration at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management, data science, and environmental science.
Willamette encompasses five colleges and schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Law, Atkinson Graduate School of Management, School of Computing and Information Sciences, and the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA in Portland). The university operates the Zena Sustainability Park—a 305-acre living research forest.
Undergraduate admissions evaluate secondary school transcripts, essays, and extracurriculars with test-optional policies. Graduate admissions for law, business, and computing require an accredited bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, resume, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and English proficiency (TOEFL 80+ or IELTS 6.5+). Merit scholarships are awarded upon admission.
Applied data science master's program utilizing direct partnerships with Oregon state government agencies to analyze geospatial climate datasets, public health telemetry, and machine learning policy governance.
ABA-accredited legal education positioned directly opposite the Oregon State Capitol, offering unparalleled legislative externships, water rights law, public policy advocacy, and trial practice.
One of only two programs in the world accredited by both AACSB International (business) and NASPAA (public administration), integrating corporate finance with public policy and nonprofit leadership.
Hands-on undergraduate environmental science curriculum conducting field ecology, watershed hydrology, and wildfire restoration at the 305-acre Zena Sustainability Park.
Interdisciplinary studio art MFA based at PNCA in Portland, Oregon, fostering critical discourse, studio critique, printmaking, installation sculpture, and contemporary social practice.
Distinctive interdisciplinary undergraduate major that places students in legislative offices and the Governor's office at the Oregon State Capitol, examining constitutional law, political philosophy, and state policymaking.
Professor of Environmental Science and Dendrochronology Director
Department of Environmental Science
Dr. Karen Arabas is a biogeographer and dendrochronologist who uses tree rings to reconstruct wildfire history, forest disturbance regimes, and climate variabil...
View researcher profile ↗Professor of Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics
Department of Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics
Dr. David Gutterman researches political theory, American political thought, the rhetoric of religious nationalism, democratic social movements, and narrative e...
View researcher profile ↗Professor of Computer Science
School of Computing and Information Sciences
Dr. Haiyan Cheng conducts research in high-performance scientific computing, parallel algorithm design, computational linear algebra, and data assimilation for ...
View researcher profile ↗OpenField is an independent research platform not officially affiliated with Willamette 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