Mission Statement

The Urban Studies program at the University of Washington, Tacoma offers a course of study leading to a B.A. degree in Urban Studies. This program is interdisciplinary in scope and provides for the study of cities and the urban society from a variety of perspectives: historical, physical, environmental, social, economic, and political.

The program curriculum addresses urban problems and issues by incorporating courses from many of UWT's academic areas. The curriculum is flexible enough to allow students to emphasize particular areas of interest and to permit students to obtain a minor in a related field. This approach provides graduates with the skills and expertise to pursue and enter into a variety of career paths. Employment opportunities include work as city planners, administrative positions in city government/public management, careers with community development corporations, transportation, work with not-for-profit agencies, and private-sector jobs with consulting firms. The program is also excellent preparation for those interested in graduate study in such fields as public administration, law, or urban planning/design.

The mission of UWT includes providing access to upper division education in the south Puget Sound region, a commitment to innovative approaches to teaching and learning, with an emphasis on student competencies in critical thinking, effective oral and written communication, and working with diverse populations. The Urban Studies program provides a vehicle for the achievement of this portion of UWT's mission by creating an interdisciplinary and innovative curriculum that focuses on you, the learner.

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