New transfer students starting in Winter 2025: Please see the incoming student action items outlined below. Students starting in Winter 2025 are invited to meet with advisors starting October 25th. Students starting at UWT anytime after Winter 2025 should check the advising dates listed in the Incoming Student section below. 

We are glad you have chosen to be part of the University of Washington Tacoma community and are investing time in planning your academic career.

Our advisors are student-centered professionals who aim to guide and challenge students through their academic careers. Our mission is to engage students in meaningful conversations which require them to critically think and learn life skills. We strive to successfully prepare students for graduation from the University of Washington Tacoma to enhance the impact they make in our local and global communities.

Connect with your advisor quarterly to make sure you are on track to graduate. We look forward to meeting you!

How can an advisor help you? Advisors...

  • Partner with you in clarifying and planning your academic career
  • Teach you how to navigate academic planning tools
  • Review both departmental and university policy in regard to major and graduation requirements
  • Educate you about campus resources and deliver information to support your education
 

SIAS Advising Services

Declared SIAS Major Students

Currently declared students have the following options for accessing advising support:

  1. Student Advising Mentors: For assistance navigating UWT academic planning tools (including MyPlan, degree audits, time schedules, and MyUW) connect with the Student Advising Mentors online or in-person: https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/advising.

     
  2. Email: You are always welcome to directly email your advisor with any questions you might have (advisor contact information below). If you are not sure who to contact, please email our main account at SIASadv@uw.edu. Please include your student ID number in your emails and always send emails from your UW email address. 

     
  3. Advising Appointments: Appointments can be scheduled using the links below. Students should prepare for their advising appointments by reviewing their academic records (degree audit, transcript, etc.), major requirements, and course offerings in MyPlan. When you schedule an appointment, your advisor is setting aside this time just for you. If you cannot attend your appointment please cancel your appointment online or email your advisor as soon as possible. If you are over 10 minutes late for an advising meeting, you will need to reschedule. 
UWT Pre-major Students

UWT pre-major students who have earned 45 college credits and meet their intended major's pre-admission requirements can reach out directly to an IAS major advisor to get declared and to address any academic planning needs. 

UWT pre-majors who have not yet fulfilled their major's pre-admission requirements are invited to work directly with IAS major advisors if they meet any of the criteria below:  

  1. Have 40 earned college credits and have decided on an IAS major.
  2. Have met with a pre-major advisor who has referred you to work with an IAS advisor.
  3. Have 90 earned college credits and are considering an IAS major. 

Advisor contact information and scheduling links can be found below. 

Incoming UWT Students

Newly admitted UWT students with 40 or more transfer credits, who have declared in or are intending to declare an IAS major, should complete the following steps in order to prepare for registration and advising. 

  1. Review your major requirements on the UWT website.
    • Science and mathematics students should also review the academic planning tools on the SAM Advising page. Students pursuing the Environmental Science, Mathematics, or Biomedical Sciences majors must watch the corresponding major orientation video and complete the action items outlined in the video.
  2. Watch the MyPlan Overview Video and log into MyPlan. MyPlan is the tool you will use to check your degree audit and register for courses each quarter. You will also use your MyPlan to create tentative schedules for future quarters.
    • Go to the quarterly registration page in MyPlan to check if you have any registration holds and to see your registration date. (This page will be titled WIN 25, SP 25, SU 25, etc.)
    • Check your Degree Audit (DARS) from the homepage of MyPlan. 
    • Browse courses on the Find Courses page of MyPlan. Add some course options to your MyPlan. (If your registration is currently open, feel free to enroll in courses right away. These can be adjusted after your advising appointment if needed.)
       
  3. Make sure you have sent UWT all of your college transcripts. Because official transcripts can take a few weeks to be received and processed, please also have your current unofficial transcripts available to reference while meeting with an advisor. 
     
  4. Meet with your advisor. Advisor contact information and scheduling links can be found below. Action items 1-4 must be completed before meeting with an advisor. Students are invited to start meeting with advisors on specific dates depending on the quarter in which they plan to start attending UWT. These dates are listed below. If needed, students can reach out to advisors before the below dates via email. 
    • Autumn quarter - June 1st
    • Winter quarter - October 25th
    • Spring quarter - February 10th

Incoming students with less than 40 transfer credits should start by working with a pre-major advisor in University Academic Advising.

Prospective Students

Students who have not yet been admitted to UWT are invited to reach out to SIAS advisors via email. Have questions about major requirements, pre-requisites, transfer courses, etc.? Find the advisor for your intended major below. 

For admissions related questions, please reach out to UWT Admissions. 

SIAS Advisors