Program Overview

The School of Urban Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies with two formal options: Community Development & Planning and GIS & Spatial Planning.  The degree starts with an introduction into the discipline of urban studies with course topics on exploring cities, world development, and urban studies "in practice".  The formal options deliver focused theory and skill-based courses that teach how to understand and impact the local and global dynamics of urban society. 

Graduates are prepared for public or private-sector jobs in areas such as housing and community development, planning, GIS, transportation, government agencies, and social services. The program is also excellent preparation for those interested in graduate study in such fields as community development, spatial analysis, public administration, law or urban planning/design.

 

Advantages of our program

  • Urban setting
  • Small class sizes
  • Flexible class offerings
  • Close interaction with faculty and staff
  • Diverse and growing student body
  • Collaboration with communities and institutions
  • Career and graduate school workshops
  • Interdisciplinary and innovative course of study
  • Study abroad opportunities
  • Scholarship opportunities

Overall goals

  • Provide students with a broad understanding of the problems and prospects of our metropolitan areas
  • Equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue careers related to the multi-faceted nature of urban studies
  • To serve as a resource, through service and research, to communities in the South Sound region

Specific objectives

  • Provide students with an understanding of the form and function of cities
  • Instill an awareness of problems and issues confronting metropolitan areas
  • Create an interdisciplinary curriculum that allows students to understand the complex inter-relationships that make up the urban environment and permits them to approach problems from a variety of perspectives
  • Equip students with the analytical skills needed to undertake research in an urban milieu

Keeping in mind these goals, graduates of the program are expected to:

  • Approach urban issues from an interdisciplinary perspective
  • Apply analytic and quantitative skills to assess and develop strategies to resolve urban issues
  • Compare and contrast approaches used in designing and undertaking research in urban studies
  • Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills
  • Demonstrate appreciation for diverse nature of urban populations and social justice issues many of these populations face

Degree Options

Urban Studies majors select one of two formal options: Community Development and Planning  or GIS & Spatial Planning.

 

BA Urban Studies – Community Development and Planning

Examines the production and development of cities from different community perspectives and teaches how cities are planned and built, and the power dynamics that influence inclusion and exclusion from urban spaces and political processes.  Explores new strategies for producing better cities and improving urban conditions.

BA Urban Studies – GIS & Spatial Planning 

Prepares students to solve complex social, economic, and environmental problems by combining GIS (geographic information systems) based approaches to mapping and spatial analysis with a classical and theoretically critical foundation in urban planning.

 

Admission Requirements

If you have completed the prerequisites listed below with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, and have earned at least 40 credits, you can be considered for admission to the bachelor of arts in Urban Studies.

  • A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in all college course work. Applicants with a completed application and a minimum GPA of 2.50 will be given priority consideration for admission.
  • Completion of a minimum of 40 transferable college-level credits.
  • Three years of high school math through intermediate (second year) algebra or a course in intermediate algebra at the college level
  • 5 credits of English composition

The School of Urban Studies admits students every quarter except summer. 

How to Declare Your Major

Step 1:  To declare Urban Studies as your major, please contact the Academic Advisor to discuss your academic plan. 

Step 2:  An official request will be submitted on your behalf to the Registrar's Office.  

Please visit the UW Tacoma Admissions website to submit the appropriate application or to connect with them. 

Transfer students meeting the above requirements may apply directly to the major.

Freshmen will need to be admitted to UW Tacoma and complete the above requirements prior to declaring your major. 

Curriculum

Major Requirements

The curriculum consists of 63-73 credits, depending on formal option and course selection:

  • Introductory courses (11 credits)
  • Foundation courses (22 credits)
  • Methods courses (10-11 credits)
  • Formal options (choose one option) (20-29 credits)

In addition to the coursework required for the major, students are required to complete general university requirements and electives, and to bring their total number of credits to 180. The degree planning worksheet can help track your progress through the program.  

Introductory Courses (11 credits)
T URB 101 Exploring Cities (5)
T URB 102 City in World Development (5)
T URB 103 Urban Studies in Practice (1)

Foundation Courses (22 credits, all required)
T URB 220 Introduction to Urban Planning (5)
T URB 316 Cities and Belonging (5)
T URB 345 Urban Governance (5)
T URB 432 Understanding Metropolitan Regions (5)
T URB 403 Professional Development for Urban Careers (2)

Methods Requirement (10-11 credits)
T URB 225 Statistics for Urban Analysis (5) or T GIS 311 Maps & GIS (6)
T URB 200 Introduction to Urban Research (5) was T URB 350

Formal Options
Students need to declare one of the following formal options:

A.  Community Development & Planning

Select 4 courses from the list below:

 B.  GIS & Spatial Planning (9 courses)
T URB 235 Community Development (5)
T URB 312 Race and Poverty in Urban America (5) 
T UDE 310 Social Production of Space (5)
T URB 480 Housing in the United States (5)
T SUD 475 Community and Economy (5)

GIS Certificate*: Complete all 5 courses listed below:
T GIS 311 Maps & GIS (6)
T GIS 312 Intermediate GIS (6)
T GIS 313 Applied GIS and Project Design (3)
T GIS 414 Advanced GIS (5)
T GIS 415 Critical GIS and Project Practicum (5)

Advanced GIS courses: Select two courses from the list below:
T GIS 350 Remote Sensing (5)
T GIS 450 Participatory Mapping (5)
T GIS 460 Cartography and Data Visualization (5)
T GIS 470 GIS Scripting and Automation (5)

*Note: GIS Certificate courses are sequential, and cohort based. Please make sure to apply to the certificate program by posted deadlines and contact the Academic Advisor to discuss course planning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Electives

In addition to the coursework required for the major, students are required to complete general university requirements and electives, and to bring their total number of credits, including the above requirements, to 180. 

The balance of credits needed to meet University credit requirements are general electives.  Students may focus on an in-depth area of study (i.e., a minor or certificate) or explore the liberal arts, business, social work or health-related fields; or may take further T URB or T SUD courses. Transfer credits from other institutions may apply toward general electives.

Contact the School of Urban Studies Academic Advisor to help track your progress through the program.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate, all UW students are expected to meet general university requirements, many of which can be fulfilled with transfer and/or lower-division coursework:

Major Requirements: 

  • Overall GPA: minimum 2.0 cumulative
  • Major GPA: minimum 2.0 in each course required for the major