Frequently Asked Questions

Global Honors is the interdisciplinary campus honors program at UW Tacoma. It provides highly motivated students an enriched and sophisticated understanding of the world and their place within it at a time when global interactions are transforming the planet. Students may opt to pursue a Minor in Global Engagement and earn the highly valuable honors distinction on their transcripts. Students may also consider two alternative pathways with fewer credits, culminating in certification in Global Leadership or Global Citizenship.

To learn more about the meaning and purpose of 'honors', check out the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) website here.

Global Honors classes are taught seminar style and capped at 20 students per class. The small class size promotes a high level of engagement and a sense of community among the Program's students and faculty. Global Honors students repeatedly cite the learning environment as one of the best aspects of the program.

Additionally, Global Honors students receive individualized attention from the Global Honors staff relating to their academic interests and resources such as scholarship, research, internship, and conference opportunities.

Students also have the opportunity to work closely with a faculty member of their choice when writing their capstone. As a result of these interactions, faculty often direct students to other opportunities that better prepare them for their career or for graduate studies. They also tend to serve as wonderful references.

Learn more about the benefits of honors programs by visiting the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) website here.

For many UW Tacoma majors, there is considerable overlap between Global Honors requirements and major-specific requirements. Speak with your academic advisor to see how Global Honors courses might apply towards the requirements for your chosen major. In addition to major and minor requirements, Global Honors courses can also fulfill elective credits and general education requirements.

Since the Global Honors Program has pathway options varying between 12 and 28 credits, it is feasible for most students to fit it into their academic plan. However, this is a two or three-year program, and the Minor in Global Engagement includes 12-15 credits in the first year and 10-13 in the second year. Therefore, students with more than 105 credits are often not eligible to participate.

In order to be considered for admission to the Global Honors program students must have:

• A 3.3 or higher cumulative grade point average (either from UW Tacoma or as an incoming transfer) 
• A minimum of 45 credits at the time of admission
• Less than 135 credits at the time of admission

Students will be selected on the basis of their GPA, unique perspectives, and demonstrated ability to make an exceptional contribution to the program.

To apply to Global Honors, please visit the Global Honors page for details, and contact us at ghonors@uw.edu if you have any questions.

No. As with all UWT major, minor, and elective courses, Global Honors courses are covered by your regular tuition fees.

Please note, students who enroll in more than 18 credits in a given quarter incur additional tuition costs for that quarter. This is true for all courses at UWT, not just Global Honors. If you have questions regarding this, please reach out to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships for guidance. 

No. Global Honors is an academic program, typically involving one honors course (2-5 credits) taken each quarter over the course of the two year program. 

While Global Honors is not a scholarship, students admitted to the program avail of tremendous funding opportunities. Students pursuing the Minor in Global Engagement can also apply to the Bamford Fellowship in Global Engagement, which includes up to a $2000 award to fund study abroad and other research activities. Furthermore, honors students are competitively qualified for various UW and other scholarship opportunities.

No. While study abroad is highly encouraged, it is not a requirement for Global Honors students. Students interested in study abroad should contact the UWT Office of Global Affairs.

All Global Honors students are required to complete a senior capstone, and most choose to complete a thesis. The Global Honors thesis is research-based and must be globally themed and 20-25 pages in length. Students work with an individual faculty advisor of their choice to explore a topic at the intersection of the Global Honors curriculum, their work in their academic major, and/or their other research interests. If their academic major also requires a thesis or capstone, upon approval, students can use one thesis to fulfill both requirements, provided they adhere to both sets of requirements. Full details can be found here.

Students who choose to study abroad for a minimum of three weeks can choose between writing a thesis (5 credits) or a reflection essay (2 or 5 credits). The reflection essay is only available to those who have studied abroad while at UW Tacoma (for a minimum of three weeks). The reflection essay focuses on growth in the student's personal, intellectual, and global identity, as informed by experiences at UW Tacoma, including but not limited to study abroad, community service and Global Honors coursework.

An internship capstone is also available for students interested in experiential learning. Details for all capstone options can be found here.