Bachelor of Arts in CSS Admissions
The Computer Science & Systems BA major admits students once per year for autumn quarters only. The autumn application opens in early February and closes in late August. Please use the BS application if you plan to apply to the Bachelor of Science CSS program.
Please read this page carefully for instructions on when to submit your application and details on the review timeline.
Autumn Application Opens: February, 2024
Autumn Application Deadline: August 31, 2024
BA CSS is a capacity-constrained major. Competitive applicants typically have grades of 3.0 and higher in prerequisite math, science, and computer science courses, as well as a strong cumulative grade point average.
When should I apply?
You are eligible to submit a CSS application once you've been admitted to UW Tacoma and have completed all the prerequisite courses. If you still have prerequisite courses in progress, you may start your CSS application at any time, but it is your responsibility to save it and return to submit once all your prerequisite grades have posted. Do not submit your application with missing grades or with projections of what your grades will be. Applications with missing prerequisites will not be reviewed and will be automatically denied.
If you are not a current student at UW Tacoma, your first step is applying for admission to the university. You will need to be admitted to UWT in order to submit your CSS application with your UW student ID number. See the UW Tacoma Admissions page for information on the application process and deadlines. UW Seattle and UW Bothell students seeking to transfer to UW Tacoma will also need to have a transfer application on file in order to be considered for admission. If you are not admitted to UWT, you cannot be admitted to the CSS major, but you may hold off on accepting your offer of admission to UWT until you have your CSS admissions decision.
Admissions Review Timeline
The BA CSS admissions committee will review applications on a rolling basis with a status update in 1-2 weeks. Students will be notified of their status or an admission decision by email and in the application system.
For students with strong grades in prerequisites and little or no repeats, an admission decision may be given early, or the committee may decide to hold the application and review after the application deadline. The majority of new students will be admitted after the application closes. We anticipate that all final admissions decisions will be made by the end of August for autumn.
Selection Criteria
As stated above, BA CSS is a capacity-constrained major, which means we normally have more applications than space in the program. Competitive applicants typically have grades of 3.0 and higher in prerequisite math, science, and computer science courses, as well as a strong cumulative GPA.
Applicants are evaluated on the following criteria:
- Completion of all prerequisite courses
- Grades in prerequisite courses -- individually and cumulatively
- Overall previous academic performance, consistency in grades, repeats and grade trends are all considered
- Quality and content of personal statement questions
- Completion of at least 45 college-level credits
New Student Registration
Students are eligible to register for CSS courses once they are admitted into the major. We reserve space in TCSS 305 and 321 for all new majors. With this in mind, you may wish to register for an alternate autumn schedule on your registration date. You will be able to update your schedule with your CSS courses once your change of major is processed. The CSS schedule planning grids are a helpful tool for planning your path through the major.
B.A. CSS Schedule Planning Grid
Scholarships
Newly admitted students are eligible to apply for SET program scholarships. The application process occurs during summer quarter with an application deadline in late August.
Computer Science and Systems - BA
Bachelor of Arts in CSS Admissions
The Computer Science & Systems BA major admits students once per year for autumn quarters only. The autumn application opens in early February and closes in late August. Please use the BS application if you plan to apply to the Bachelor of Science CSS program.
Please read this page carefully for instructions on when to submit your application and details on the review timeline.
Autumn Application Opens: February, 2024
Autumn Application Deadline: August 31, 2024
BA CSS is a capacity-constrained major. Competitive applicants typically have grades of 3.0 and higher in prerequisite math, science, and computer science courses, as well as a strong cumulative grade point average.
When should I apply?
You are eligible to submit a CSS application once you've been admitted to UW Tacoma and have completed all the prerequisite courses. If you still have prerequisite courses in progress, you may start your CSS application at any time, but it is your responsibility to save it and return to submit once all your prerequisite grades have posted. Do not submit your application with missing grades or with projections of what your grades will be. Applications with missing prerequisites will not be reviewed and will be automatically denied.
If you are not a current student at UW Tacoma, your first step is applying for admission to the university. You will need to be admitted to UWT in order to submit your CSS application with your UW student ID number. See the UW Tacoma Admissions page for information on the application process and deadlines. UW Seattle and UW Bothell students seeking to transfer to UW Tacoma will also need to have a transfer application on file in order to be considered for admission. If you are not admitted to UWT, you cannot be admitted to the CSS major, but you may hold off on accepting your offer of admission to UWT until you have your CSS admissions decision.
Admissions Review Timeline
The BA CSS admissions committee will review applications on a rolling basis with a status update in 1-2 weeks. Students will be notified of their status or an admission decision by email and in the application system.
For students with strong grades in prerequisites and little or no repeats, an admission decision may be given early, or the committee may decide to hold the application and review after the application deadline. The majority of new students will be admitted after the application closes. We anticipate that all final admissions decisions will be made by the end of August for autumn.
Selection Criteria
As stated above, BA CSS is a capacity-constrained major, which means we normally have more applications than space in the program. Competitive applicants typically have grades of 3.0 and higher in prerequisite math, science, and computer science courses, as well as a strong cumulative GPA.
Applicants are evaluated on the following criteria:
- Completion of all prerequisite courses
- Grades in prerequisite courses -- individually and cumulatively
- Overall previous academic performance, consistency in grades, repeats and grade trends are all considered
- Quality and content of personal statement questions
- Completion of at least 45 college-level credits
New Student Registration
Students are eligible to register for CSS courses once they are admitted into the major. We reserve space in TCSS 305 and 321 for all new majors. With this in mind, you may wish to register for an alternate autumn schedule on your registration date. You will be able to update your schedule with your CSS courses once your change of major is processed. The CSS schedule planning grids are a helpful tool for planning your path through the major.
B.A. CSS Schedule Planning Grid
Scholarships
Newly admitted students are eligible to apply for SET program scholarships. The application process occurs during summer quarter with an application deadline in late August.