This newsletter was sent from the Graduate School Dean to UW leadership on July 1, 2026.
Letter from the Dean
Dear colleagues,
As another academic year ends, I want to thank you for your partnership over the past year. It has been a privilege to work alongside so many dedicated faculty, staff and campus leaders who are deeply committed to supporting graduate education and advancing the University of Washington’s mission.
There is much to celebrate! Throughout the year, our graduate students have continued to demonstrate extraordinary talent and impact. From Fulbright Scholars representing the UW around the world, to innovative research showcased during the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, to impactful, citizen-scholar research with the Graduate School Medal, excellence in mentoring, and Husky 100 recognition, our students are inspiring. Their accomplishments are a testament not only to their own hard work, but also to the mentorship, teaching and support they receive from faculty and staff across our campuses. Thank you for helping them thrive.
This spring also marked an important milestone for the Ph.D. Task Force. Over the past year, we convened monthly steering committee meetings, held Town Halls with faculty and staff, met separately with graduate students and gathered feedback through a variety of additional channels. The result is a thoughtful set of recommendations that will help guide the future of doctoral education at the UW.
We look forward to sharing the final report, along with short- and long-term recommendations and an implementation plan, in Autumn 2026. I am grateful to leadership, staff, students and faculty for your partnership throughout this ambitious, multi-year effort.
Thank you again for everything you have done to support our graduate students this year. I hope you have an opportunity to rest and recharge this summer.
Warmly,
Joy
From the Office of Academic Affairs
Academic unit reviews
During AY 2025-26, the Academic Unit Review team in the Office of Academic Affairs conducted comprehensive reviews of the following units: Department of Sociology; Department of French & Italian Studies; Food Systems & Nutritional Health Program; Public Health – Global Health Program; Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology; School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences; Disability Studies Program; Evans School of Public Policy; and Comparative History of Ideas department (total = 9)
These reviews were conducted in collaboration with unit leadership, faculty, staff, and faculty review committees.
Curriculum
New graduate programs
The Office of Academic Affairs is pleased to have guided the following program proposals through the approval process over the past year: Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Department of Rehabilitation Medicine), Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (College of Education), Master of Science in Finance (Foster School of Business), Master of Science in Environmental Science (Department of Science and Mathematics; UW Tacoma), Graduate Certificate in Human Centered AI (Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering), Graduate Certificate in Instrumental Performance (School of Music), Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Organizations (The Information School), and the Graduate Certificate in Instructional Leadership (College of Education). These programs will be enrolling students in Autumn 2026 or 2027.
Graduate AI Workshop
In response to increasing demand for programs in artificial intelligence, and to promote interdisciplinarity across units while minimizing duplication of effort, the Office of Academic Affairs has established a Graduate AI Workgroup. This group provides feedback on opportunities for cross-collaboration on proposed graduate programs in artificial intelligence during, or prior to, the Preliminary Notice of Intent (PNOI) stage of development. The workgroup brings together expertise from across units to support this effort.
Graduate School Council
In 2025–26, the Graduate School Council—composed of graduate faculty and ex-officio campus partners—advanced a range of key initiatives.
Members reviewed 10 academic units, 5 interim reports, 6 five-year reports for newer programs, and 11 new graduate program proposals. Among the programs approved this year: a Master’s in Robotics, a Master’s in Medical Sciences, and new graduate certificates in AI, Robotics, and Statistics, fields in which graduate talent is increasingly in demand.
Working alongside the Graduate School Policy Committee, Council also reviewed and revised 14 Graduate School policies, with notable updates to admissions criteria, English language proficiency thresholds, and supervisory committee expectations. These revisions improve clarity for students and keep UW’s graduate policies current and accessible.
We are grateful to Council members for the care and expertise they bring to this work.
Updates to Graduate School policies
Over the past several months, the Graduate School, in consultation with the Graduate School Council Policy Committee and the Policy Implementation Review Team, has implemented several important policy revisions:
- Policy 1.5 – Concurrent Degrees: Establishes a percentage-based approach to shared credits for informal concurrent degrees, replacing the previous fixed credit cap.
- Policy 3.1 – Graduate Admissions: Updates address the use of artificial intelligence in admissions processes, recognition of three-year bachelor’s degrees from international institutions, and required procedures for admitting students already enrolled as UW graduate students.
- Policies 3.2 & 5.2 – English Language Proficiency: Updates include revised test score thresholds and an expanded list of countries in which a university’s medium of instruction in English satisfies documentation requirements.
- Policy 4.2 – Supervisory Committees: Introduces a new section outlining program and student responsibilities related to the formation and reformation of supervisory committees.
Acknowledgment
We thank our campus partners, including faculty, staff, academic leaders, and members of the Graduate School Council, for their continued collaboration, expertise, and commitment to graduate education.