Majors

Declaring or Changing a Major

A major is the academic discipline, such as business or environmental science, to which an undergraduate student formally commits. Successful completion of the courses prescribed in an academic major, general education requirements and elective courses for a minimum of 180 credits qualifies a student to apply for an undergraduate degree.

Admission and graduation requirements for every major offered at UW Tacoma are available in the Degree Programs section of the catalog. The process for declaring a major varies depending on the major chosen. Once the major is finalized, a change of major form or notification is submitted by the academic program to the Office of the Registrar for processing up until the second week of the current term; all others will become effective for the upcoming term.

Students are encouraged to declare or apply to a major as soon as possible. Failure to declare a major before a student has earned 105 credits will result in a hold being placed on their registration. Students who have not yet declared or been admitted to a major, and need guidance, should consult University Academic Advising for assistance.

Most majors are not printed on UW undergraduate diplomas. In most cases, it will print "Bachelor of Arts" and "Bachelor of Science" only.

Double Major or Double Degree

Students may complete the requirements of two majors as either a double major or a double degree.

Double Major

Students will earn a double major when both majors lead to the same degree name even if the two majors are in different schools or programs.

Example: if a student completes the requirements for two majors, both of which are deemed bachelor of arts, this is earning a double major.

Only 180 credits are required to earn a double major.
Double Degree

Students will earn a double degree when the two majors lead to differently named degrees. 

Example: if a student completes the requirements for the bachelor of arts and the requirements for the bachelor of science degree. The student will receive two diplomas.

225 credits are required to earn a double degree.

 

Degrees with Two Majors

Students must submit separate graduation applications for each major. Requirements of both majors must be met and each major will appear on the transcript.

Second Baccalaureate Degree

A second baccalaureate degree may be granted, upon readmission, but a student must earn a minimum of 45 credits beyond the number required for the first degree, and must be earned in residence. The student must achieve no less than a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in the credits required for the second degree.

Two Baccalaureate Degrees Concurrently

Students who complete 225 credits and complete the requirements of two majors will be awarded two bachelor’s degrees only if the degree types are different. For example, a student with a major in psychology and a major in social welfare will receive one bachelor of arts degree with a double major. A student with a major in nursing and a major in finance will receive a bachelor of science in nursing and a bachelor of arts in business administration because the two degree types are different.

Declaring an Option within a Major

Some majors offer formal options within the majors that allow students to obtain a more focused degree. A formal notation of any declared option will be added to the academic record (transcript).

Minors

Declaring a Minor

A minor is an optional program of study (usually 25 to 35 credits) built around a particular subject or discipline. Minors can be helpful by allowing students to focus their degree by choosing a minor related to their major or to broaden their degree by taking an unrelated but complementary minor. The minor appears on the student’s transcript.

Students who are working on their first baccalaureate degree and are in a major with at least 45 credits can declare a minor by meeting with their academic advisor. Minors do not have prerequisites and do not require any additional application materials.

Students are eligible to complete as many as three minors while earning their first undergraduate degree. Post-baccalaureate students are not eligible to earn a minor(s).

Completion of a Minor

A student cannot major and minor in the same discipline. A minor must be awarded at the same time the student’s first bachelor’s degree is awarded. This means:

  • A student who does not graduate cannot be awarded a minor.
  • A student cannot earn a minor after graduation.