Washington and Lee offers 41 undergraduate majors in the liberal arts and sciences, pre-professional and interdepartmental areas. Our undergraduate program consists of two divisions with a single admissions process:
All students, whether they intend to pursue majors in the College or in the Williams School, are enrolled in the College during their freshman year. Although each has its own faculty and is administered by its own dean, there is a close relationship between the two divisions, and students are free to take electives in each during their time at Washington and Lee.
The School of Law, with approximately 400 students, offers both the Juris Doctor and Master of Laws degrees. Law students may choose from over 120 courses, as well as a variety of clinical programs which provide experience with real clients in real-world situations. The School of Law's intensive instructional program is designed to equip students with a legal education in the fullest sense; it provides not only the technical tools needed for the practice of law, but a deep understanding of how law operates in our society and a sensitivity to the ethical imperatives of the profession.
W&L prides itself on the depth and breadth of our curriculum. Our undergraduate catalog offers over 1,000 courses for an undergraduate population of about 1700. W&L also features the only fully-accredited business school and fully-accredited journalism program among the nation's top-tier liberal arts colleges.
In addition to the undergraduate majors, W&L offers a number of academic programs, which allow students to supplement and complement the areas of major focus. Programs such as the Shepherd Poverty Program, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Women's Studies, African-American Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Environmental Studies offer students the chance to broaden their experiences and interests.
W&L's unique undergraduate trimester calendar (12-week, 12-week, 4-week) allows students time to pursue focused coursework during the six-week spring term. This calendar enhances students' flexibility to study abroad, in periods as short as four weeks or long as a year.
While W&L's faculty-led spring term abroad classes are among the most popular, the University also offers numerous exchange programs and is involved in external study abroad programs, including a cooperative venture with the University of St. Andrews in Scotland for students majoring in the sciences or interested in the health professions. The Williams School also offers Washington Term in Washington, D.C. and International Finance and Commerce in Manhattan--programs combining internship experience, seminars, and meetings with political and financial leaders.
