Fairhaven College - Western Washington University

New students must simultaneously apply to both Western
Washington Universityand Fairhaven College by
completing the following:
APPLICATION TO WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
»» Undergraduate
Application on the
WWU website
»» Indicate Fairhaven interest
»» Official high school
and/or college
transcripts
Apply to Fairhaven
»» $55.00 application fee
or fee waiver form
Submit materials to:
OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS
Western Washington University
516 High St
Bellingham, WA 98225-9009
Contact:
(360) 650-3440
admit@wwu.edu
Fairhaven College
OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
&
APPLICATION TO FAIRHAVEN COLLEGE
»» An essay outlining any
background relevant to
your academic interests
or your educational goals.
»» Two letters of
recommendation from
teachers or employers.
»» Interview may be
requested
QUARTERLY APPLICATION DEADLINES
Jan. 15
Jan. 31
Mar. 1
Oct. 1
Spring Quarter (all applicants)
Fall Quarter (Freshmen)
Fall & Summer Quarter (Transfers)
Winter Quarter (all applicants)
Submit materials to:
FAIRHAVEN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
516 High St
Bellingham, WA 98225-9118
Contact:
(360) 650-6680
Fairhaven.Admissions@wwu.edu
About Fairhaven College
Fairhaven College is the interdisciplinary, liberal
arts college of Western Washington University.
A small community of 400 students, Fairhaven
emphasizes small seminar classes, intensive
advising, independent and experiential
learning, student-designed majors, narrative
assessment, and a commitment to social justice.
WE WELCOME VISITORS!
With advance notice, appointments can be arranged
with Fairhaven admissions staff & current Fairhaven
students by calling: (360) 650-6680
TUITION & FINANCIAL AID
Fairhaven students pay the same tuition and fees as students of
other colleges at Western. Students should apply for Financial
Aid through Western’s Office of Student Financial Resources.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Admitted Fairhaven students are eligible for Fairhaven College
and Western Scholarships. For more information visit:
• www.wwu.edu/depts/fairhaven/Scholarships.html
• www.finaid.wwu.edu/scholarships/
Peer mentor class meeting, Fall 2010.
Cover Photo: Fairhaven advising meeting, Fall 2008.
Brochure photos courtesy of Amy Keeling, Jennifer Peterson, Nick Mikula and Rhianon
Laurie.

A Small College
within a University
At Fairhaven, students enjoy the best attributes
of a small college while making full use of the
facilities and resources at Western Washington
University. While students work closely with their
professors in Fairhaven’s small, seminar classes
of 15-20 students and through individualized
advising, they also take classes from the other
colleges across campus.
Faculty member Babafemi Arinkinade meets with graduating
senior Jessica Tracey.
Interdisciplinary
Studies
Interdisciplinary study is at the heart of
the Fairhaven College Core Curriculum.
The Core Curriculum is a set of small, 15-
20 student, seminar-style courses designed to
explore important academic disciplines (social theory,
expressive arts, humanities, sciences, etc.) and the
connections between them. Students apply what they
learn through independent study, internships and
experience-based learning activities. The Fairhaven
Core Curriculum replaces Western’s General University
Requirements (GURs) for Fairhaven students.
Degree Options
Fairhaven students can choose a Western major
or, with faculty guidance, design their own plan of
study called an “Interdisciplinary Concentration”
which combine coursework from Fairhaven and
other WWU departments as well as independent
study. Students interested in issues of law and
social justice may further focus their studies
through the Law, Diversity & Justice Concentration.
Concentrations themes have included “Medicine
and Social Justice,” “Eco-Cultural Studies in
Education,” and “Law, Diversity & Public Policy.”
Narrative Evaluations
Narrative evaluations replace traditional letter
grades at Fairhaven, forming an “academic
autobiography“ of growth and
learning with depth and
individuality. When
Sample Courses
students complete
courses from other
»» International Human Rights
WWU departments,
»» Ethnobotany
they receive letter
grades.
»» Grant Writing Workshop
»» Cultural Creation of Identity
»»
Poetry & Lyric
Brittany Larabee takes part in the course Marine Bird
Population Ecology.
Rhiannon Laurie shares a meal in
India on the Adventure Learning
Grant, a 10 month, $15,000 grant for
students to enrich their education
by traveling abroad.
Our Commitment to
Social Justice
Faculty design courses to encourage students of
diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives to
share their views and learn interactively. Students
learn to connect theory with practice in both local
and international contexts.
Beyond Fairhaven
Graduate and professional schools throughout
the nation recognize that our students are well
prepared for graduate study. Recent graduates
have been admitted to top programs around
the country including: UCLA’s School of Law;
the Public Administration program at Syracuse
University; Vancouver Film School; and Cornell
University’s Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology.
Who we are...
Of 15,000 Western Washington University students, 400
attend Fairhaven College *
90 new students begin in Fall quarter; transfer students
can apply for admission any quarter
24% are students of color
33% are from outside Washington State
22% are the first of their families to attend college
Class sizes are typically15-20 students
Of our faculty, 33% are people of color
Learn more @ wwu.edu/fairhaven
Based on 2007-2008 entrants.
* Based on Fall 2012 entrants.
Students at fall orientation.