About

About the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences

Established in 1990 as UW Tacoma's Liberal Studies program, the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences (IAS) is UW Tacoma's largest program with 18 areas of study in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences and more than 1,100 students enrolled.

To provide an interdisciplinary and comparative basis for the study of different groups, societies, and cultures, our interdisciplinary curriculum is organized around three general dimensions of life: Culture and Ideas (Fine Arts and Humanities), Society and the Individual (Social Sciences) and the Natural World (Natural Sciences).

The focus of our curriculum is the comparative study of peoples, groups, societies, cultures, and environments within the United States and selected regions of the world.

Mission

The School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington Tacoma prepares diverse students to contribute to a complex multicultural society and encourages sustainable citizenship at the local, national, and global levels. Using an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge, inquiry, and problem-solving, students learn to create, analyze, and express themselves in ways that enhance their own development, their sense of community within human and natural environments, their ability to deal with problems of injustice and inequality, and their dedication to positive change. We prepare students to be adaptable outstanding leaders, professionals, and citizens.