The Office of Undergraduate Education has developed a remote math placement process called the Math Directed Self Placement (DSP).

The Math DSP is an online questionnaire designed to help students determine which math course is the best starting point for their success at the University of Washington Tacoma.

The process takes about 30 minutes and can be completed online from home. Students will be asked:

  • A series of questions to reflect on their previous math experience, and

  • A set of math problems to solve.

Based on their responses and performance, students will receive an initial course recommendation that aligns with their current skill level and readiness.

The main goal of the Math DSP is to ensure each student begins in a math course where they can build confidence, succeed academically, and progress effectively toward their degree requirements.

Take the Math Directed Self Placement

What to do next after you submit your Math DSP: 
Please wait 1 or 2 business days for our office to review your submission and have the scores entered into the system.

UW Tacoma Math Pathways
Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Math Directed Self Placement free? 

Yes
How long is the process? 

The placement can take between 30-60mins

Is the Math Directed Self Placement the only method used at this point? 

Yes,  Math Directed Self Placement is the only method we are using at this time. However, we also accept Accuplacer score reports from other universities/colleges.

What do I do after I submit my math DSP? 

Please wait 1-2 business days for our office to review your submission and have the scores entered into the system.  

When is the Math Placement Test is Needed

You will need to take the math placement test if you have not yet completed the prerequisites for these courses at the college level:
• Intermediate Algebra (eg. TMATH 098).
• Statistics course (eg. TMATH 110 or THLTH 320).
• Precalculus (eg. TMATH 115, TMATH 116 & TMATH 120) or any further courses in the Calculus series.
Other college courses with college level math prerequisites.

You are exempt from taking the math placement exam if you:
• Have already earned college credit (2.0 GPA or higher) in Intermediate Algebra, Precalculus or Calculus.
• Received a Calculus AP score of 2 or higher in either Calculus AB or BC (must have a subscore of 3, 4, or 5 on BC test).
• Earned a IB Mathematics score of 4 or higher.

If you are uncertain about whether you need to take a placement test, please contact your Academic Advisor at the University Academic Advising for more information. For prerequisites and registration restrictions, consult the UW Tacoma Mathematics course description page

Math courses