New for Autumn 2025 and Beyond: Sustainable Bioresource Systems Engineering is now a Minimum Requirements Major

As of Autumn 2025, the Sustainable Bioresource Systems Engineering (SBSE) major (formerly the Bioresource Science and Engineering major) is no longer a Capacity-constrained major and is now a Minimum Requirements major.  Because of this change, there is a new required process for how students become SBSE majors.

Declaring the SBSE Major

The B.S Degree with a major in Sustainable Bioresource Systems Engineering is a “Minimum Requirements” major, which means that all current UW students who meet the Minimum Requirements for Admission, who have cleared any UW Admissions Deficiencies, who are not on Academic Probation, and who can complete the degree within the UW’s Academic Satisfactory Progress restrictions are admitted.  Students can request to declare the major at any time by submitting our online major declaration form.

Sustainable Bioresource Systems Engineering (SBSE) Minimum Admission Requirements

To be able to declare the SBSE major, students must have completed all of the minimum course requirements with the minimum grade requirements as listed below.

Minimum course requirements: MATH 124, 125, 126 (or MATH 134, 135, 136); CHEM 142, CHEM 152, CHEM 162 (or CHEM 143, 153; or CHEM 145, 155, 165); PHYS 121 (or PHYS 141); 5 Credits English Composition

Minimum grade requirements: 2.5 Cumulative GPA in all courses required for Admission, and a 2.0 in each course required for admission.

These courses must be completed, and all the grades must be listed on your UW Transcript, including any transfer credit or AP/IB/A Level/AS Level exams.  Please note: this means that incoming UW students will be eligible to declare this major if they completed all the credits elsewhere once their transcripts/exam results are received by UW Admissions and recorded to the student’s UW Transcript, which first happens right before an incoming student’s New Student Orientation.

When to start the SBSE Major – Timing is Important

All prospective SBSE students should be aware that while students can join the major at any time, the SBSE-prefixed courses begin in Autumn Quarter of Junior Year (year 3).  Students admitted prior to this need to be completing all of the courses included in years 1 and 2 of the SBSE academic plan so they are ready to start the SBSE-prefixed courses in Autumn of year 3.  There are two years (6 quarters, Autumn-Spring) of required SBSE-prefixed courses.

Many more details about the SBSE Academic Requirements and SBSE course planning are available.

Students admitted after Autumn quarter of Junior year (year 3) will need to be working on other courses required for the major and begin the SBSE courses in the following Autumn quarter.  SBSE course content builds from quarter to quarter, with completion of previous courses a prerequisite for enrolling in courses in the following quarter, so beginning the first quarter of SBSE-prefixed courses in Autumn quarter of year 3 is required.

Declaration Dates

We review declaration forms as they are submitted, and students should hear back from us within 10 business days. The deadline to declare the major for the following quarter is the last day of Finals week.

Winter 2026: Now Open. Closes December 12, 2025

Spring 2026: December 13, 2025-March 20, 2026 Declaration Form Open

Summer 2026: March 21st, 2026-June 12, 2026 Declaration Form Open

How to Declare the Major

The application consists of this list of components, which you should gather/prepare/check before you access the online major declaration form. You must be signed in to your UW NetID account to access this form.

1. Answers to the following questions:
   1. What is your current Major/Pre-Major Code?
   2. How did you first learn about the SBSE major?
   3. Why are you choosing to enroll in the SBSE major?
   4. If you are already in another major, whether you will drop your current major when you join SBSE or keep your present major as a second major?
2. Your UW Student Number and your UW Email address.
3. Download and save a copy of the Sustainable Bioresource Systems Engineering Degree audit that shows completion of all SBSE Minimum Requirements courses with the necessary GPAS, and does not indicate that you have any uncompleted UW Admission Deficiencies from the Degree Audit home at https://myplan.uw.edu/audit/#/degree.
4. Make sure your Unofficial UW Transcript doesn’t show you are on Academic Alert, Academic Warning, or Academic Drop.
5. Make sure you will be able to finish an SBSE degree within UW Satisfactory Progress rules, which are available at https://registrar.washington.edu/register/policies-procedures/.
6. UW Students who are applying to SBSE as a second or third major/degree should also be aware of the UW Financial Aid rules regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress, which are detailed at https://www.washington.edu/financialaid/receiving-aid/satisfactory-academic-progress/

SBSE Major Declaration Form

Statement of Non-Discrimination

The University of Washington prohibits discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns, make complaints, or direct inquiries to the Civil Rights Compliance Office. The statement of nondiscrimination is located at: uw.edu/civilrights/policies-and-guidance/statement-of-nondiscrimination/.