Our majors include Psychology and Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences with an individually-designed option.
Our curriculum in Psychology is designed to prepare students for careers in human services, community service, human resources and for graduate school for students who plan to work as professional psychologists.
We value interdisciplinarity, being able to combine and use skills and knowledge across disciplines.
Undergraduate Programs
Division of Social, Behavioral and Human Sciences
424 West Coast Grocery Building
253-692-4450 ias@uw.edu
Program of Study: Major: Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
Program Overview
Provides broad exposure to key areas of knowledge within the arts and sciences, while stressing their interconnectedness. Emphasizes interdisciplinary skills and thinking needed to function successfully in a rapidly changing society and world.
This program of study leads to the following credentials:
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (Individually Designed)
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
Completion Requirements
To be eligible for graduation with the bachelor of arts degree, each student enrolled in the program must meet the UW Tacoma scholastic standards (2.0 UW GPA), credits required (minimum 180) and the final-year residency requirement and complete the following program requirements:
Complete all general education requirements not met with transfer courses. See advisor for details.
Complete a minimum of 45 credits of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences course work. Some majors or concentrations may require more.
Complete a minimum of 45 credits of upper-division course work, including transfer courses and UW Tacoma courses.
Complete 5 credits of English composition with a minimum 2.0 grade. This must be completed in a student’s first two quarters at UW Tacoma.
Complete the requirements for a major or concentration (minors are optional).
No more than 15 elective credits can be taken for a Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grade. See advisor for details.
Complete at least 45 of last 60 credits in residence at the University of Washington Tacoma.
Meet with an advisor to complete a graduation application no later than the second week of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate.
Additional requirements specified below.
Additional Completion Requirements
Major specific requirements
In addition to completing the university graduation requirements, the major in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences requires 67 completed credits in total from the following lists.
Foundational/Core Courses: 22 credits
5 credits from One of the following four courses (List A):
T HIST 150
T HIST 151
T HIST 200
T HIST 201
5 credits from one of the following courses (List B):
TESC 102
TESC 201
5 credits from one of the following courses (List C):
T ARTS 200
T FILM 201 (formerly T FILM 272)
T LIT 101 (formerly T LIT 200)
5 credits from one of the following courses (List D):
TECON 101
TPSYCH 101
TPOLS 202
Required: 2 credit course
TIAS 305
Elective Courses: 45 credits
At least 35 credits must be upper division, 20 credits of which must be 400 level.
15 credits (from Lists E/F) - at least 5 credits from each category:
Scientific Thinking/Humans (List E)
Their Environment (List F)
15 credits (from Lists G/H) - at least 5 credits from each category:
History or The Human Past/Society and Culture (List G)
The Human Present (List H)
15 credits from (Lists I/J) - at least 5 credits from each category:
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (Individually Designed)
Credential Overview
This concentration is an individually-designed option for those who wish to create a program of study by combining selected courses from within UW Tacoma’s range of programs. You design your study under the guidance and supervision of an SIAS faculty member, an SIAS advisor, and the concentration coordinator.
Admission Requirements
To propose an individually-designed concentration, students must do the following:
Consult with the concentration coordinator to ensure you understand the requirements of the individually designed concentration. Continue working with the coordinator throughout the proposal process.
Identify the unifying interdisciplinary theme of your concentration. Consider what faculty would be appropriate as mentors and consult with them as needed during development phase.
Identify the courses taken or planned. The list should comprise of 55-credits, plus the 5-credit thesis. Meet with your IAS staff advisor for assistance. This is essential for transfer students.
Draft a 2-3 page proposal that includes:
a brief descriptive title
the rationale for the proposed concentration
a general description of the concentration
a rationale and discussion of the interrelationships among the courses chosen
a complete course list (must include 55-credits plus the senior thesis)
Secure the support of at least one IAS faculty member to be your sponsor for the concentration. The faculty sponsor attests to the intellectual soundness of the proposal and agrees to provide whatever guidance s/he and the student may jointly decide is needed. The faculty sponsor may also suggest changes in the previously approved written proposal or list of courses.
Choose one IAS academic advisor to work with you to help keep track of your progress toward graduation.
Add the Agreement and Declaration page to the proposal and have it signed by the faculty sponsor and academic advisor.
Once your proposal has been approved, continue working with the concentration coordinator, your faculty sponsor and your academic advisor to ensure your concentration is completed appropriately. Submit the proposal for approval to the concentration coordinator by the end of the junior year.
Completion Requirements
To be eligible for graduation with the bachelor of arts degree, each student enrolled in the program must meet the UW Tacoma scholastic standards (2.0 UW GPA), credits required (minimum 180) and the final-year residency requirement and complete the following program requirements:
Complete all general education requirements not met with transfer courses. See advisor for details.
Complete a minimum of 45 credits of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences course work. Some majors or concentrations may require more.
Complete a minimum of 45 credits of upper-division course work, including transfer courses and UW Tacoma courses.
Complete 5 credits of English composition with a minimum 2.0 grade. This must be completed in a student’s first two quarters at UW Tacoma.
Complete the requirements for a major or concentration (minors are optional).
No more than 15 elective credits can be taken for a Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grade. See advisor for details.
Complete at least 45 of last 60 credits in residence at the University of Washington Tacoma.
Meet with an advisor to complete a graduation application no later than the second week of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate.
Explores the psychological, biological, and contextual determinants of human behavior. Examines philosophical, historical and cultural traditions, including feminism, existentialism, hermeneutics, psychoanalysis and critical theory.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology
Admission Requirements
The following lower-division prerequisites (100- or 200-level) are necessary before declaring the Psychology major. A minimum grade of 2.0 is required for each prerequisite course.
One general or introduction to psychology course (TPSYCH 101 or equivalent)
Two psychology foundation courses from more than one of the following areas:
Developmental psychology (Lifespan or child development; TPSYCH 220, TPSYCH 222, TPSYCH 319 or equivalent)
Abnormal psychology (TPSYCH 210, TPSYCH 212 or equivalent)
Social psychology (TPSYCH 240 or equivalent)
Human cognition (TPSYCH 250 or equivalent)
Biological Bases of Behavior (TPSYCH 260,TPSYCH 265 or equivalent)
One introductory statistics course (TMATH 110, THLTH 305, TSOCWF 351, TURB 225 or equivalent)
One introductory methods course (TPSYCH 209 or equivalent)
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology
Completion Requirements
To be eligible for graduation with the bachelor of arts degree, each student enrolled in the program must meet the UW Tacoma scholastic standards (2.0 UW GPA), credits required (minimum 180) and the final-year residency requirement and complete the following program requirements:
Complete all general education requirements not met with transfer courses. See advisor for details.
Complete a minimum of 45 credits of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences course work. Some majors or concentrations may require more.
Complete a minimum of 45 credits of upper-division course work, including transfer courses and UW Tacoma courses.
Complete 5 credits of English composition with a minimum 2.0 grade. This must be completed in a student’s first two quarters at UW Tacoma.
Complete the requirements for a major or concentration (minors are optional).
No more than 15 elective credits can be taken for a Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grade. See advisor for details.
Complete at least 45 of last 60 credits in residence at the University of Washington Tacoma.
Meet with an advisor to complete a graduation application no later than the second week of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate.
Requires 50 credits total, excluding prerequisites. Reminder: 45 upper-division credits and 45 credits of IAS courses are required for graduation from IAS.
Research Methods: 5 credits
TPSYCH 309
Core Courses: 15 credits, in at least two different areas
Complete (5) additional credits of upper-division coursework from any 300-level or 400-level TPSYCH course, or one of the following independent studies courses:
TPSYCH 496
TPSYCH 498
TPSYCH 499
Upper-Division Coursework: 15 credits, other than the subject of Psychology
15 credits of (300 and 400 level) outside of the subject of Psychology, see the SIAS website for course listings:
5 credits - Arts and Humanities (A&H)
5 credits - Social Sciences (SSc), TPSYCH courses not allowed
Upon completion of your degree, students in the Psychology major should:
Be familiar with the major theoretical approaches and historical trends in psychology.
Understand the core concepts and methodologies of psychology, including what scientific psychology is, the contributions and limitations of different methods of empirical research and be able to apply research methods, including design, data analysis and interpretation.
Be able to read and interpret psychological research verbally and in writing.
Understand that human behavior may have some common determinants and great diversity including individual differences and variations based on differences such as culture, ethnicity, social class, gender and sexual orientation. Maintain awareness and sensitivity to diverse populations.
Be able to synthesize theories and methodologies across disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.
Understand the application of psychological principles to the understanding of social issues.
Program of Study: Minor: Education and Community Engagement
Program Overview
The Education and Community Engagement Minor is aimed at students interested in understanding the purpose and impact of education across global communities. Candidates examine the role of multiple forms of education, the impact on a range of societal inequalities, and the sociopolitical forces of race, class, gender, sexuality, culture, language, and immigration within a human rights framework. Students choose from multidisciplinary courses that focus on applied education, including the context of K-12 schooling and higher education, employment preparation, and knowledge and socio-emotional well-being development that often occurs in partnership with multiple communities. The minor supports those interested in various educational contexts, including schools, community organizations and advocacy efforts, museum education, youth leadership organizations, after school programming, non-profit and community based organizations, and other applied educational contexts outside of schools.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Minor in Education and Community Engagement
Minor in Education and Community Engagement
Completion Requirements
Required Courses: 10 credits
T EDUC 292
T EDUC 301
Additional Requirements: 20 Credits
Two courses from List A: Diversity elective list
One course from List B: Social Emotional Well-Being in Schools and Society elective list
One course from any of the elective lists (List A, List B, or List C)
Approved Diversity Course Electives (List A)
This elective requirement exposes students to foundations in equity and justice in relation to education, society, and knowledge.
Must take two courses from the Approved Diversity Courses (List A).
Program of Study: Minor: Social Science Research Methods
Program Overview
The Social Science Research Methods minor focuses on social science research methods and statistical analysis. This minor is open to students from all majors and would benefit students who wish to develop skills directly applicable to specific fields or majors including business, consumer research, economics, education and information technology.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Minor in Social Science Research Methods
Minor in Social Science Research Methods
Credential Overview
The Social Science Research Methods minor focuses on social science research methods and statistical analysis. This minor is open to students from all majors and would benefit students who wish to develop skills directly applicable to specific fields or majors including business, consumer research, economics, education and information technology.
Completion Requirements
The Social Science Research methods minor requires 33-35 credits with a minimum of 20 credits completed at UW Tacoma. All courses must be completed with a minimum grade of 2.0. A minimum of 20 credits must be completed outside of the student’s major degree requirements. In addition, at least 20 credits must be from upper-division courses. Students must complete 3-5 credits from each of the 7 areas listed below (Lists A - G).
Program of Study: Minor: Teaching, Learning and Justice
Program Overview
Completing the Teaching, Learning and Justice minor will help you understand the role and responsibilities of classroom teachers and career opportunities in educational settings.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Minor in Teaching, Learning and Justice
Minor in Teaching, Learning and Justice
Credential Overview
Completing the Teaching, Learning and Justice minor will help you understand the role and responsibilities of classroom teachers and career opportunities in educational settings. In this program, students will develop broad perspectives on educational issues in today's world; work closely with professors, teachers and others interested in education and schooling; get hands-on experience in a public classroom setting; prepare for graduate and or teacher certification programs in education.
Completion Requirements
Any course taken for the purpose of fulfilling a Teacher Certification program curriculum requirement or prerequisite must be passed with a 2.7 minimum grade. Students should consult with a program advisor prior to enrolling in classes. The Teaching, Learning, and Justice minor requires 30 credits.
Teaching, Learning, and Justice Core: 15 credits
All three courses below:
T EDUC 290 (5 cr) **
T EDUC 471 (5 cr) *
T EDUC 482 (5 cr) *
*T EDUC 471 and T EDUC 482 (2.7 grade or higher and must have been taken in academic year 2012-2013, or later, to qualify) will count as equivalent courses for two of the courses within our Teacher Certification Program, T EDUC 520 and T EDUC 501 (3 cr), respectively. NOTE: If not taken as part of the Education minor, T EDUC 471 and T EDUC 482 (same restrictions as above) will still count as equivalent courses for T EDUC 520 and T EDUC 501.
** T EDUC 290 will fulfill 40 hours of documented experience in a public school classroom, which is an admission requirement for our Teacher Certification Program.
Writing-intensive courses: 10 credits
Two writing-intensive courses:
E.g. English Composition and Literature (or other writing-intensive course). These courses will fulfill K-8 Teacher Certification Program prerequisite coursework. See program website for Secondary prerequisite coursework.