Graduation requirements

To qualify for graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare or Criminal Justice from the University of Washington Tacoma, you must complete the following requirements:

University requirements

• Complete a minimum of 180 credits, at least 45 of which are taken in residence at UW Tacoma.
• Complete 45 of your last 60 credits as a matriculated student in residence at UW Tacoma. To seek an exception to this requirement, you should contact the program adviser, who will submit the request to the Admissions, Academic Standards and Graduation Committee. If an exception is granted, you still must present a minimum of 45 credits in residence as a matriculated student to be awarded a UW degree.
• Remove any admission deficiencies.
• Complete all university admission requirements and social welfare or criminal justice prerequisites.
• Have at least a 2.0 cumulative UW Tacoma GPA at graduation.
• Apply for graduation with your program adviser by the application deadline.

Criminal Justice requirements

In addition to fulfilling all university requirements, Criminal Justice prerequisites and all Criminal Justice major requirements by the time of graduation, a student must also:

• Earn a minimum 2.0 grade or higher in each Criminal Justice major requirement.
• Complete at least 45 upper-division credits (300- and 400-level).
• Earn a 2.0 grade or higher in English composition.

Social Welfare requirements

In addition to fulfilling all university requirements, Social Welfare prerequisites and all Social Welfare major requirements by the time of graduation, a student must also:

• Earn a minimum 2.0 grade or credit (in courses taken C/NC) in each required Social Welfare course.
• Have at least a 2.50 GPA in all required Social Welfare classes.
• Complete at least 67 upper-division credits (300- and 400-level).
• Earn a 2.0 grade or higher in English composition.

Applying to graduate

Graduation is not automatic. In order to officially graduate and receive your diploma you must submit a graduation application. Graduation applications are completed during an appointment with an academic adviser, and are due by the second Friday of the quarter in which you wish to graduate. It is recommended that you apply for graduation two quarters before your planned date of graduation.

Information about the Commencement ceremony and what you need to do to prepare for it can be found on the UWT Commencement page.

Registration priority for graduating seniors

You can apply to graduate when you are within 45 credits of graduation. Once the graduation application is on file, you will allowed to register for classes earlier than other students. This is called Graduating Senior Priority. You get a maximum of two quarters of priority. If, after two quarters, you have not graduated and continue to take classes, you will register during regular senior registration according to the schedule.