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Program Overview

The Law and Policy program provides students with a strong liberal arts foundation for the study of law and policy. The interdisciplinary nature of the program invites students to engage with a variety of different perspectives on the social and legal problems facing societies on local, state, national, and global levels. Students in this major develop a deep appreciation for the complex relationships between law, society, culture, and politics.

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Law and Policy Degree Requirements

Note: Law and Policy majors cannot minor in Law and Policy or Politics.

 

Completion Requirements
To be eligible for graduation with the bachelor of arts degree, each student enrolled in the program must meet the UW Tacoma scholastic standards (2.00 UW GPA), credits required (minimum 180) and the final-year residency requirement and complete the following program requirements:

  • Complete all general education requirements not met with transfer courses. See advisor for details.
  • Must meet a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA in courses applied to the major.
  • Complete a minimum of 45 credits of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences course work. Some majors or concentrations may require more.
  • Complete a minimum of 45 credits of upper-division course work, including transfer courses and UW Tacoma courses.
  • Complete 5 credits of English composition with a minimum 2.0 grade. This must be completed in a student’s first two quarters at UW Tacoma.
  • Complete the requirements for a major or concentration (minors are optional).
  • No more than 15 elective credits can be taken for a Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grade. See advisor for details.
  • Complete at least 45 of last 60 credits in residence at the University of Washington Tacoma.
  • Meet with an advisor to complete a graduation application no later than the second week of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate.
  • Law and Policy requires a total of 65 credits as outlined below:

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Core Courses

Core Courses (35 credits)

Foundations

 

Policy and politics: 5 credits

Law and Social Inequality: 5 credits

Law in a Global Context: 5 credits

Electives

Electives (25 Credits)

Each of the courses selected from the lists below must be in addition to those chosen to fulfill core requirements.

Capstone

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.

 

Students can earn an Honors in Law and Policy by:

  • Graduating with a minimum GPA of 3.50;
  • Earning a minimum of 3.0 in TWRT 211; and
  • Taking an additional 5 credits of capstone by taking TPOL S 480
  • Earning a minimum of 3.5 in both capstones

Law and Policy Honors Declaration Form

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Law and Policy Degree requirements prior to Summer 2024

Law and Policy Core Courses (35 credits)

Law and Policy Elective courses (25 credits)

Each of the courses selected from the lists below must be in addition to those chosen to fulfill core requirements.

Capstone requirement (5 credits)

Toward the end of their studies, all Law and Policy students engage in a capstone class. You must complete the below seminar for your final five (5) credits in this major. This course will be your culminating work for your major and illustrate that you have met the student learning objectives.

Toward the end of their studies, all Law and Policy students engage in a capstone class. As a Law and Policy student, you also have the option of graduating with honors, which requires a second capstone class. This route is especially recommended for students expecting to enter graduate school. 

Law and Policy Honors Declaration Form

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.

Law and Policy Honors Declaration Form

Transfer Students

Almost all colleges offer courses that can be applied toward your Law and Policy degree. Below you will see a list of equivalent courses at select community colleges. An advisor at your institution should be able to help you, or you may contact a UW Tacoma SIAS Academic Advisor at siasadv@uw.edu.

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Transferable Courses
Courses that will fulfill specific requirements in the Law & Policy major  
GREEN RIVER COLLEGE COURSES WITHIN THE AA UW TACOMA EQUIVALENT COURSES WITHIN TLAWPL
POLS 202 American Government TPOL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
POLS 203 International Relations TPOL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
PHIL 240 Introduction to Ethics T PHIL 240 Introduction to Ethics
   
HIGHLINE COLLEGE COURSES WITHIN THE AA UW TACOMA EQUIVALENT COURSES WITHIN TLAWPL
POLS 202 American Government TPOL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
POLS 180 or 190 Critical Issues in World Politics TPOL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
   
   
OLYMPIC COLLEGE COURSES WITHIN THE AA UW TACOMA EQUIVALENT COURSES WITHIN TLAWPL
POLS 202 American Government TPOL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
POLS 203 International Relations TPOL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
PHIL 240 Introduction to Ethics T PHIL 240 Introduction to Ethics
   
PIERCE COLLEGE COURSES WITHIN THE AA UW TACOMA EQUIVALENT COURSES WITHIN TLAWPL
POLS 202 American Government TPOL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
POLS 203 International Relations TPOL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
PHIL 150 Introduction to Ethics T PHIL 240 Introduction to Ethics
PHIL 115 Critical Thinking Practical Reasoning requirement - either T PHIL 250 or T PHIL 251
   
SEATTLE CENTRAL COLLEGE COURSES WITHIN THE AA UW TACOMA EQUIVALENT COURSES WITHIN TLAWPL
POLS 202 American Government TPOL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
POLS 203 International Relations TPOL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
PHIL 240 Liberation Ethics T PHIL 240 Introduction to Ethics
   
SOUTH PUGET SOUND CC COURSES WITHIN THE AA UW TACOMA EQUIVALENT COURSES WITHIN TLAWPL
POLS 202 American Government TPOL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
POLS 203 International Relations TPOL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
   
TACOMA CC COURSES WITHIN THE AA UW TACOMA EQUIVALENT COURSES WITHIN TLAWPL
POLS 202 American Government TPOL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
POLS 203 International Relations TPOL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
PHIL 215 Introduction to Ethics T PHIL 240 Introduction to Ethics