Mission

The Office of Undergraduate Education offers undergraduate students the opportunity to discover their intellectual, creative and professional passions by introducing them to many interconnected areas of knowledge. The program prepares students for success at the upper division by focusing on campus-wide learning goals: communication and self-expression, civic engagement, critical inquiry, global perspectives, diverse cultural views and the ability to solve problems.

Values

  • Service to students, programs and the university
  • Interconnectivity/Cooperation/Building relationships
  • Interdisciplinarity
  • Diversity
  • Flexibility/Mobility/Action

History

In May 2005, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law legislation authorizing UW Tacoma and two other upper-division campuses in Washington to accept freshmen and sophomores. UW Tacoma's first-ever first-year students began their studies in the fall of 2006.

Originally opened as the General Education Center, the Office of Undergraduate Education serves as the curricular home for pre-majors, first-year undergraduates and sophomores with an undeclared major. The Office of Undergraduate Education:

  • Coordinates the core curriculum and other lower-division courses
  • Manages placement testing in Math and Spanish
  • Coordinates programs and opportunities for undergraduate students across programs, such as the Chancellor's Undergraduate Research Award, the quarterly Student Showcase, and the Expedition Fellows program
  • Helps students access campus resources such as the Library, Teaching and Learning Center, Career Services, Counseling Center and Student Involvement