Admission guidelines

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Below are the minimum general admission requirements for undergraduate transfer students. Applicants to IAS must have completed the following:

  • 45 college quarter credits
  • 2.0 GPA
  • English composition - Students who have not completed English composition (the equivalent of Composition 101) with a 2.0 or higher grade before coming to UW Tacoma must complete TCORE 101 or TWRT 112 or the equivalent within the first two quarters at UW Tacoma.
  • Math - Demonstrated by completion of three years of high school math through intermediate (second year) algebra or a college level course in intermediate algebra with grade of 2.0 or higher.

Some majors have additional prerequisites or suggested preparatory course for admission, which are noted below by major. You are welcome to speak with an admissions adviser who will help you determine your best path to college success.

Majors with additional prerequisites

B.A. in Communications (Professional or Research Track)

All students declaring this major must earn a minimum grade of 2.0 in one of the following courses:

  • TCOM 201: Media and Society
  • TCOM 230: Media Globalization and Citizenship

B.A. in Environmental Studies and B.S. in Environmental Science

Below are the lower-division courses that will prepare you to enter the Environmental Science or Studies major in an efficient manner. All of these courses are offered at UW Tacoma; however, transfer students who want to take them at a community college or elsewhere prior to applying to or enrolling at UW Tacoma should use this list as a guide to plan their schedule. Minimum grade requirements are posted for each course. All of the courses listed below should be taken within five years of admission to UW Tacoma. If your coursework is older than five years, please contact an Environmental Science adviser.

Preparatory courses for the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science

  • Biology: 15 credits, College-level majors sequence with lab, Minimum grade of 1.5 in each class
  • Chemistry: 15 credits, College-level majors sequence with lab, Minimum grade of 1.7 in each class
  • Geology: 5 credits, College-level course with lab, Minimum grade of 2.0
  • Physics: 5 credits. College-level mechanics course with lab, Minimum grade of 2.0
  • Calculus: 5 credits, Minimum grade of 2.0
  • Statistics: 5 credits, Minimum grade of 2.0

Preparatory courses for the Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies

  • Ecology-focused Biology: 5 credits, College-level course with lab, Minimum grade of 1.5
  • Chemistry: 5 credits, College-level course with lab, Minimum grade of 1.7
  • Geosciences: 5 credits, College-level course with lab (physical geology or oceanography), Minimum grade of 2.0
  • Statistics: 5 credits, Minimum grade of 2.0
  • Pre-calculus: 5 credits, Minimum grade of 2.5

B.A. in Psychology

The following lower-division prerequisite courses must be completed before declaring a Psychology major. A minimum grade of 2.0 is required for each prerequisite course.

  • General or Introductory Psychology Course: 100-level course
  • Foundational Psychology Courses - two of the following courses: Personality Theories, Developmental Psychology (Lifespan or Child Development), Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, or Human Cognition
  • Introductory Statistics: one course

B.A. in Writing Studies (Creative Writing Track)

All students declaring this major must earn a minimum grade of 2.0 in each of the following courses:

  • TCORE 101 or TWRT 112: Introduction to Academic Writing
  • TWRT 211: Academic Research and Argument

How to apply for undergraduate studies

Before you begin, verify the quarters in which new applications are accepted. Complete applications received by the application deadline will be assured of a review; complete applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

Application Requirements
Transfer/returning students
  • Submit Application for Transfer Admission, $60 application fee
  • Submit one official transcript from each college or university attended
  • Submit a high school transcript if using high school credit to fulfill admission requirements
  • Submit a personal statement including life and career goals and how the IAS degree will help advance those goals
Current UW Tacoma students
  • Identify the IAS major you want to pursue
  • Submit a Request to Declare/Change a Major or Minor form (Note: you must have 45 quarter credits and meet the prerequisites for the requested major.)
  • Submit a personal statement including life and career goals and how the IAS degree will help advance those goals

When IAS is fully enrolled and there are more qualified applicants than can be accommodated, admission will be competitive and applicants will be evaluated on three principal criteria:

  • Appropriateness of academic preparation for the degree program
  • Likelihood of success in the degree program
  • Relationship between the degree program and academic or career plans and opportunities