BS in Urban Design

The School of Urban Studies has created the first undergraduate urban design degree on the west coast. While architecture focuses on the design of individual buildings, urban design operates on a larger scale – envisioning new ways of designing public spaces like parks, streets, groups of buildings, whole neighborhoods, and entire cities. Urban designers work to make these spaces functional, attractive, and sustainable. Our Urban Design major will prepare students to become proficient in the latest in design software, including SketchUp and Lumion as they create 2D and 3D plans and designs.

Additionally, the BS in Urban Design helps students turn their passions for social change and equity into meaningful urban design solutions producing livable cities and neighborhoods. This degree is designed to incorporate community questions and challenges into studio projects, preparing students for a life-time of commitment to public engagement.

Through a sequence of studio courses, students apply skills including:

• Computer modeling Design thinking
• Visual communication Public presentation
• Data gathering Visualization
• Community-engaged design processes
• Urban designers focus on place-making

These skills are applied in design studios dedicated to engaging with local and regional urban issues. Courses draw on the teaching resources of UW Tacoma faculty and experienced regional practitioners. 

Advantages of our program

• Urban setting
• Small class sizes
• Dedicated studio classrooms
• Close interaction with faculty and staff
• Collaboration with communities and institutions
• Opportunity to work and be trained by practitioners
• Career and graduate school workshops
• Innovative course of study
• Study abroad opportunities
• Scholarship opportunities

Students who meet the following requirements will be considered for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Urban Design:

• A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in all college course work. Applicants with a completed application and a minimum GPA of 2.7 will be given priority consideration for admission.
• 5 credits of English composition
• A minimum of 40 credits
• Complete the online application to the Urban Design program

Please email Sarah Young, the SUS Academic Advisor at youngsm@uw.edu for any questions on the application process and deadlines.

Prospective students meeting the above criteria are invited to complete the application for admission to the Urban Design major. Applicants should prepare a thoughtful, 1-2 page response to the following prompt:

Please describe how personal, professional, and/or educational experiences have shaped your academic, career, and/or personal goals. How will a BS in Urban Design from UW Tacoma help you attain these goals?

Tip: It is strongly recommended to schedule an appointment with the Academic Advisor to discuss your application and personal statement.

If you are a current UW Tacoma Student

Submit the Urban Design Application. For admitted students, a formal change of major request will be submitted on their behalf to the Registrar's Office. Students interested in this major are encouraged to meet with an Urban Design Academic Advisor to discuss their academic plan. 

Note:  Students must have at least 40 college-level credits to declare Urban Design as a major. Pre-majors are encouraged to take T GIS 311, and meet with the School of Urban Studies advisor to discuss other courses that will prepare them for the program.

If you are not a current UW Tacoma Student

Please visit the UW Tacoma Admissions website to submit the appropriate application or to connect with them.  You will need to be admitted to UW Tacoma prior to declaring your major. Interested applicants are encouraged to meet with the School of Urban Studies advisor to discuss admissions and degree requirements.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate, in addition to major requirements, students will also be expected to meet general UW university requirements for graduation, many of which can be fulfilled by courses taken to satisfy major requirements. University Graduation Requirements can be found on the Office of the Registrar's website or by running a degree audit.

Degree Requirements

• Overall GPA: minimum 2.0 cumulative
• Major GPA: minimum 2.0 in each course required for the major
• T UDE GPA for studio courses: Effective Winter 2020, the minimum GPA in each studio course is 2.7.
• Graduation Application: completed with your academic advisor by 2nd Friday of final quarter

Current Urban Design Studio Students

Prior to the end of Each Quarter, please complete the below online form to give permission to display your name, picture and urban design project on this website.

https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/urban-studies/urban-design-online-work-publication-form

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Urban Studies Staff at uwturban@uw.edu