Willamette is a nationally renowned private liberal arts university in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, Willamette is the first university in the western U.S. and has become a national leader in sustainability and civic engagement.
Our beautiful, historic campus — located across the street from the Oregon State Capitol and co-located with Tokyo International University of America — features a residential undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and two professional graduate schools: the College of Law and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.
Through small classes, close student-faculty relationships, a commitment to collaborative research, and a variety of programs to meet individual student objectives, we provide an environment where teaching and learning flourish.
Willamette University provides a rigorous education in the liberal arts and selected professional fields. Teaching and learning, strengthened by scholarship and service, flourish in a vibrant campus community. A Willamette education prepares graduates to transform knowledge into action and lead lives of achievement, contribution, and meaning. Willamette University is home to three schools — the College of Liberal Arts, College of Law and Atkinson Graduate School of Management.
Known for their distinctive learning environments, rich curriculum, and outstanding faculty, they equip students with practical and professional skills that have lifelong value. Students are also able to combine their undergraduate and graduate experiences through our unique dual degree programs.
The classroom is not the only place where Willamette students receive an outstanding undergraduate or graduate education. Through internships, fieldwork, and lab projects, our students pursue professional and scholarly research to translate knowledge into action. Some go on to publish in reputed journals, while others share their findings at regional and national conferences. Some work independently, and others assist professors through summer and year-round programs. From the sciences to the humanities, our students work with staff and faculty to discover numerous ways to make meaningful contributions to the world.
Whether you are looking for a premier undergraduate program, a respected law school to prepare you for a life in the law, or an MBA program to catapult your management career, you can find your educational home at Willamette. We're excited to get to know you throughout the admission process, and we invite you to continue exploring all of the opportunities available through each of our schools and programs.
Financing a college education is one of the essential expenditures that you and your family will make. Willamette University offers need-based financial aid and merit scholarships to help students and families afford the cost of education. This investment in your future will pay dividends throughout your life.
The Willamette motto — "Not unto ourselves alone are we born" — is not a phrase gathering dust on our university seal. It inspires and guides us in unique ways, shaping the lives of our community members. In their first days at Willamette, our students discover they are not alone. They are part of a community that shares inspiration and ideas, which uses discoveries to improve the world around them. They connect to the world through internships at the Oregon State Capitol across the street, expansive research opportunities, and career communities that provide strong support for exploring opportunities after graduation.
Our graduates never forget this lesson, entering the world as confident, self-directed, and engaged global citizens. They use the lessons they learned at Willamette to follow their passions. Their successes in life and their careers are among the reasons we are one of 40 "Colleges That Change Lives."
Willamette offers graduate degrees through its two professional schools in law and management. Each year students from around the world come to Willamette to earn a law degree, an MBA, or both. Our graduate programs value quality teaching with world-renown faculty, provide individualized instruction through small classes, and use experiential learning and community service to translate knowledge into action. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to make earning a Willamette graduate degree accessible and affordable. Our alumni are not just outstanding lawyers and managers. They are also innovative leaders who serve their organizations and communities.
As a student at Willamette, you'll never have a shortage of things to do. You can study, play, network, and take part in a wide variety of activities. You can join an existing group or even start your on-campus endeavor.
Our Student Life team serves as your go-to resource to ensure that your time here is a vibrant, healthy, safe, and memorable one. Whether it is athletics, joining a club, or participating in a community project, we are here to guide and support you. Also, we offer health, safety, career, and multicultural services.
At Willamette, we even integrate community outreach into our curriculum. Through our Community Service Learning program, students reach out to the Salem community and beyond. It is a beautiful way to have an impact and learn new skills at the same time.
There's a reason Willamette is on the honor roll for community service and impact by the President of the United States — our students contribute more than 25,000 volunteer hours annually, reflecting the Willamette motto, "Not unto ourselves alone are we born."
VIDEOS
