Mechanical Engineering
 

General UW Information

Quick Links
Back to Advising
Seattle, Washington
Consistently touted as one of the most livable cities in the United States, Seattle is a rapidly growing metropolitan center with a lively culture and spectacular setting. In addition to its high-quality art museums and galleries, symphony orchestra, opera house, ballet and theater companies, Seattle is graced with a number of events and venues that are unique to the Pacific Northwest: The International Film Festival, Folklife and Bumbershoot music and arts festivals are just a few, along with numerous local microbreweries and espresso bars, the Space Needle, Pioneer Square and the open-air Pike Place Market near the downtown waterfront. Located between Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula to the west and Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountain Range to the east - and with Mount Rainier just to the south - outdoor enthusiasts in Seattle also have an unlimited choice of activities within a day's drive or ferry ride.

Manufacturing and Technology in the Puget Sound Area
The Puget Sound area encompasses the cities of Seattle, Tacoma and Everett. Technology firms in the region provide computer software, microprocessor and semiconductor devices and systems, electronics equipment, marine engineering, biomedical equipment, genetic engineering, water jet cutters, rocket thrusters, energy systems, and waste disposal technologies. Major manufacturing and high technology firms whose headquarters are in the area include: University of Washington
Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is the oldest state-assisted institution of higher learning on the Pacific Coast. Since World War II it has earned an international reputation for its research and graduate programs, and for the past several years has ranked first among public universities in the United States for total annual federal research grant and contract income.

The main campus of the University of Washington is located 10 km from the Seattle city center, and covers 680 beautifully landscaped acres on the shores of Lake Washington and Portage Bay. Students have access to intramural sports facilities, a waterfront activity center, and an excellent intercollegiate athletics program. With its internationally recognized theater, music and dance departments, the university offers an outstanding calendar of performing arts, as well as lectures and films, and high-quality exhibits at the Henry Art Gallery and the Burke Museum.

Housing and Transportation
Residence halls for single graduate students and five housing developments for married graduate students are available on or near the University of Washington campus. Information may be obtained from: Housing Services, University of Washington, Box 355610, Seattle, Washington 98195-5610.

Public transportation in Seattle is excellent and inexpensive, and most of the city and surrounding environment is accessible from campus by bus, ferry or bicycle. The award-winning student U-PASS program allows unlimited access to the Metro and Community Transit bus systems throughout the region for $50 a quarter.