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.

Where is the Major Declaration Form?  How Do I Learn More About These Changes?

Note: The Declaration Form is not yet available for Autumn 2025: Please sign up to this SBSE list to be notified once it is available, and to be notified about other new information we post about the major declaration process and course planning prior to joining the major.

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.

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 one week after Finals week, so the quarter your new major will take effect is:

Autumn 2025: sign up to this SBSE list to be notified once it is available

Winter 2026: September 2-December 19 Declaration Form Open

Spring 2026: December 22, 2025-March 27, 2026 Declaration Form Open

Summer 2026: March 30, 2026-June 19, 2026 Declaration Form Open

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/.