The Nursing & Healthcare Leadership Program shares the University of Washington Tacoma mission to provide undergraduate and graduate education for the diverse citizens of the South Puget Sound region. The program supports the interdisciplinary mission of the campus through teaching and scholarly inquiry. Within the overall mission of the campus, the program focuses on the discovery and dissemination of knowledge that promotes health within an ethic of social justice. The curriculum emphasizes and fosters the integration of teaching, inquiry and service through a community of learners. Partnerships with the community assist the program in providing learning environments in which learners build upon their skills and knowledge to strengthen their understanding of local, national and global health issues.
The University of Washington Tacoma’s bachelor of arts degree with a major in Healthcare Leadership provides opportunities for students interested in leadership positions across a spectrum of healthcare settings. The program is designed to utilize an interdisciplinary approach that prepares students for careers in healthcare. This degree will prepare students in South Puget Sound with the critical thinking processes and experiential learning necessary to become leaders in organizations ranging from healthcare systems to government agencies.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Healthcare Leadership
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the program must meet the following requirements prior to enrolling:
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 on a 4.0 scale in all college course work
A minimum of 60 credits with a grade of 2.0 or better on a 4.0 scale in prerequisite course work to include:
5 credits of English composition (10 additional writing-intensive credits completed via required Healthcare Leadership course work)
15 credits of Social Sciences course work (may be completed at UW Tacoma)
15 credits of Arts and Humanities course work (may be completed at UW Tacoma)
15 credits of Natural Sciences course work (may be completed at UW Tacoma)
Currently licensed Washington State healthcare providers must provide proof of unrestricted license status (does not apply to non-licensed applicants)
Interested students will meet with the School's academic advisor to declare the Healthcare Leadership major.
Students that have declared the Healthcare Leadership major are required to complete an online criminal background check through CastleBranch with acceptable results. For examples of offenses that would result in individuals being ineligible for fieldwork, see the Department of Social and Health Services Secretary's List of Crimes and Negative Actions website. Please note there is a separate fee for this service. A repeated criminal background check may be required prior to enrolling in practicum courses.
Students are also required to submit required immunizations, and a current CPR certification through the CastleBranch compliance tracker prior to going into fieldwork. Students will be required to complete the UW HIPAA Compliance course. Based on information from major healthcare organization in our region, we anticipate students will be required to have a negative drug screen test as part of clinical clearances. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from fieldwork course work. Currently licensed Washington state healthcare providers must provide proof of unrestricted license status (does not apply to non-licensed applicants) before enrolling in any clinical course.
Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Healthcare Leadership
Credential Overview
The bachelor of arts with a major in Healthcare Leadership curriculum focuses on critical thinking and analysis, communication, and diversity. The baccalaureate degree enables individuals to assume leadership roles in a range of positions. Graduates collaborate with interdisciplinary teams in complex organizational systems to improve health care access, cost, and quality.
Completion Requirements
To earn a bachelor of arts in Healthcare Leadership, a minimum of 90 credits are required as outlined below.
Be a matriculated Healthcare Leadership student in good academic standing with the University of Washington Tacoma.
Complete a minimum of 180 credits, including 15 credits of Social Sciences course work, 15 credits of Arts and Humanities course work and 15 credits of Natural Sciences course work.
Satisfy all of the general university graduation requirements, including five credits of English composition with a minimum grade of 2.0.
Core Courses: 60 Credits
THLEAD 350 (5 credits)
THLEAD 360 (5)
THLEAD 380 (5)
THLEAD 403 (5)
THLEAD 405 (5)
THLEAD 406 (5)
THLEAD 420 (5)
THLEAD 460 (5)
THLEAD 480 (5)
T HLTH 310 (5)
T HLTH 320 (5)
T HLTH 440 (5)
General Electives: 30 credits
Students are encouraged to select health-related courses or to complete a minor. Of the 30 electives, 20 must be UWT electives and a minimum of 10 credits must be upper-division.
Use multiple communication strategies that enhance positive human relationships considering both clients/customers and work force personnel.
Demonstrate the ability to integrate both theoretical and experiential knowledge relevant to leadership in the healthcare environment.
Integrate ethical behaviors into leadership practice.
Demonstrate knowledge of the healthcare environment that includes awareness of cost, access, and quality challenges and the ability to generate solutions to these challenges.
Demonstrate basic budgeting, outcome measurement, and informatics abilities.
To support and document progress toward accomplishing these goals, each graduating student is required to submit a portfolio of work completed during the student's residence at UW Tacoma.
Academic Standards/Policies
Students are required to maintain satisfactory progress meeting the university and program standards in their pursuit of the BA degree with a major in Healthcare Leadership, defined as achieving a minimum grade of 2.0 in all healthcare leadership, healthcare leadership-related and required courses. Students must also achieve a 2.0 grade in any repeated course.
If a student fails to achieve a 2.0 in a required course, they will be allowed one opportunity to retake the course. If the second attempt to achieve a 2.0 is not successful, unless there is a documented hardship withdrawal, students are not allowed to continue in the Healthcare Leadership major. Any third attempt to take a required course would require Healthcare Leadership committee approval.
Furthermore, a student who fails two (2) required courses will not be allowed to continue in the Healthcare Leadership major as this indicates unsatisfactory progress.
A student may petition to continue in the program. The petition will be reviewed by the Healthcare Leadership committee. The student will be informed of the committee's decision. Likewise, students who do not maintain an overall 2.0 GPA are not allowed to continue in the Healthcare Leadership major. Students do have the right to appeal to the HCL Committee prior to separation from the Program.
Students must meet all of the Essential Behaviors for Admission, Continuation and Graduation and comply with Social Networking policy.
The BSN curriculum focuses on critical thinking, responses to health and human functioning, nursing intervention and person-environment interaction within a context of cultural diversity. The curriculum also includes all the essential elements of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice as defined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). An interdisciplinary emphasis encourages an understanding of a broad range of ideas, knowledge and methods of study.
Since most students in the UW Tacoma Nursing program are employed in a variety of health-care settings, courses are scheduled to enable students to continue employment while enrolled in the program of study. A BSN from UW Tacoma enhances the graduate’s ability to contribute to his or her community’s institutions and to the health of citizens of Washington state, particularly during this period of rapid change in health care.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the UW Tacoma BSN program must meet the following requirements:
Current unrestricted licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Washington.*
*Provisional admission may be offered to students in the final year of an associate degree in a nursing program.
One year of clinical practice (includes associate degree nursing school clinicals)
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in all college course work
A minimum of 90 credits with a grade of 2.0 or better on a 4.0 scale in prerequisite course work to include:**
5 credits of English composition (10 additional writing-intensive credits completed via required Nursing course work)
15 credits of Social Sciences course work (may be completed at UW Tacoma)
15 credits of Arts and Humanities course work (may be completed at UW Tacoma)
5 credits of chemistry
10 credits of anatomy and physiology (may be met via examination)
3 credits of microbiology (may be met via examination)
5 credits of UW School of Nursing-approved statistics (may be taken at UW Tacoma); see approved courses.
**Students with 50-90 transferable credits may be considered. Please contact an advisor for more information.
Forty-five (45) advanced placement credits are earned through successful completion of RN licensure examination.
The UW Tacoma BSN program has an annual admission process and admits students for summer and autumn quarters.
Applications that meet the priority application deadline are assured a review for admission in the upcoming academic year. Subsequent reviews are completed on a space-available basis.
Applications for admission into the Nursing program are considered complete when the following have been received:
UW Tacoma Application for Transfer Admission and application fee
Official transcripts from all previous institutions attended (high school transcripts are required only if world language or intermediate algebra requirements were completed in high school).
Admitted students are required to complete an online criminal background check through CastleBranch with acceptable results. For examples of offenses that would result in individuals being ineligible for practicum placements, see the Department of Social and Health Services Secretary's List of Crimes and Negative Actions website. Please note there is a separate fee for this service. A repeated criminal background check may be required prior to enrolling in practicum courses.
After admission to the program, students are required to submit required immunizations, and a current CPR certification through the CastleBranch compliance tracker and have an unrestricted RN license. Students will be required to complete the UW HIPAA Compliance course. Based on information from major healthcare organization in our region, we anticipate students will be required to have a negative drug screen test as part of clinical clearances. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from practicum course work.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree
Credential Overview
UW Tacoma Nursing takes a registered nurse, licensed in Washington State, to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree. The courses support students in developing professionally. The program goals, in part, stress communication, critical thinking, cultural sensitivity, enhanced patient care, research and scholarship, health promotion and education, and adapting to changes in the healthcare setting.
Completion Requirements
General Requirements
Be a matriculated Bachelor of Science in Nursing student in good academic standing with the University of Washington Tacoma.
Complete a minimum of 180 credits, including 15 credits of Social Sciences course work, 15 credits of Arts and Humanities course work and 15 credits of Natural Sciences course work.
Satisfy all of the general university graduation requirements, including five credits of English composition with a minimum grade of 2.0.
Complete a minimum of 180 credits distributed as follows:
90 transfer credits
45 advanced placement credits via RN licensure examination
Complete the final 45 credits in residence at the University of Washington Tacoma.
To qualify for graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Washington Tacoma, a student must satisfy all BSN admission requirements, plus
45 advanced placement credits via RN licensure examination.
35 credits in required Nursing course work (minimum 2.0 grade in each course):
T NURS 360 (5)
T NURS 407 (5)
T NURS 410 (5)
T NURS 414 (5)
T NURS 420 (5)
T NURS 440 (5)
T NURS 460 (5)
10 credits in upper-division electives at UW Tacoma.* (minimum 2.0 grade in each course)
*Additional electives to meet a minimum of 180 credits (Nursing course work at UW Tacoma used to satisfy this requirement must also be completed with a minimum grade of 2.0).
Opportunities are provided to enable the learner to develop professionally and to meet the Nursing program goals, which are for graduates to:
Integrate concepts and ways of knowing from the arts and sciences in promoting health and managing nursing care across the wellness-illness continuum.
Demonstrate value-based professional behaviors that integrate empathy, autonomy, integrity, social justice, equity as well as respect for diversity and inclusion, human rights, and human dignity through cultivating partnerships with patients, families and communities.
Deliver and advocate for health equity through health promotion, care coordination and disease prevention strategies at the individual, family, community, and population levels.
Apply leadership concepts, skills, and decision making in the provision and oversight of nursing practice in a variety of settings.
Appraise, critically summarize and translate current evidence into nursing practice.
Demonstrate integration of nursing scholarship, critical thinking, clinical decision making, and psychomotor skills necessary for the delivery of competent, safe, evidence-based, holistic, compassionate and high quality care to individuals, families, communities and populations across the lifespan.
Translate principles of safety and quality improvement into the delivery of high quality care to individuals, families, communities, and populations.
Utilize information, communication and patient care technology tools to facilitate clinical decision-making and the delivery of safe, effective and high quality nursing care.
Demonstrate effective professional communication and collaboration within and across disciplines and with the public to optimize health outcomes.
Demonstrate an understanding of how health policy, economic, legal, political, and socio-cultural factors influence the delivery of and advocacy for equitable health care.
To support and document progress toward accomplishing these goals, each student is required to submit a portfolio of work completed during the student's residence at UW Tacoma. This work will become a part of the student's record of accomplishment in the program.
Academic Standards/Policies
BSN students are required to maintain satisfactory progress meeting the university and program standards in their pursuit of the BSN degree, defined as achieving a minimum grade of 2.0 in all nursing, nursing-related and required courses. Students must also achieve a 2.0 grade in any repeated course.
A BSN student may repeat a course once. Both the original grade and the second grade will be computed in the grade-point average but credit will be allowed only once.
Furthermore, a BSN student who fails two (2) required courses will not be allowed to continue in the BSN Program as this indicates unsatisfactory progress. A student may petition to continue in the program. The petition will be reviewed by the BSN committee. The student will be informed of the committee's decision (see: tacoma.uw.edu/nursing/grading-bsn).
Proof of valid RN licensure in the state of Washington is required before enrolling in any clinical course. Students must meet all of the Essential Behaviors for Admission, Continuation and Graduation and comply with Social Networking policy.
The Health and Society minor is open to all UW Tacoma students, except Nursing and Healthcare Leadership majors. The Health and Society minor offers students the opportunity to increase their understanding of, and advocacy for, health within a broad social context. The courses enable students to make use of valid sources of information, to understand health policy, and to examine individual, community, environmental, and global health issues. The Health and Society minor provides a valuable study option for students with allied health work experience or students interested in the health care sector.
This program of study leads to the following credential:
Minor in Health and Society
Minor in Health and Society
Credential Overview
The Health and Society minor is open to all UW Tacoma students, except Nursing and Healthcare Leadership majors. The Health and Society minor offers students the opportunity to increase their understanding of, and advocacy for, health within a broad social context. The courses enable students to make use of valid sources of information, to understand health policy, and to examine individual, community, environmental, and global health issues. The Health and Society minor provides a valuable study option for students with allied health work experience or students interested in the health care sector.
Completion Requirements
All courses must be completed with a minimum grade of 2.0. The minor in Health and Society requires 25 credits to include:
T HLTH 310 (5 credits)
T HLTH 440 (5 credits)
15 credits of T HLTH or THLEAD elective courses. See advisor for approved list.
The Nursing program focuses on the discovery and dissemination of knowledge that promotes health. The curriculum emphasizes and fosters the integration of teaching, inquiry and service within a community of learners. Partnerships with community members assist the program in providing learning environments in which learners build upon their skills and knowledge to strengthen their understanding of local, national and global health issues.
About the Degree Program
The Master of Nursing program prepares registered nurses for practice in wide variety of settings including acute, long-term care, ambulatory, community, and education settings. The curriculum has a strong emphasis on mentoring, both in terms of fieldwork placements and with the faculty. The core coursework includes research, health systems, health policy, leadership, and social issues related to health.
Students take 8 core courses and two quarters of fieldwork that provide students with an opportunity to participate in a setting that assists in meeting their educational and career goals. The standard program plans have students complete the 47 required credits in five quarters. Students can begin the program in autumn quarter.
This program of study leads to the following credentials:
Students are required to maintain satisfactory progress meeting the university and program standards relative to scholarship and performance in pursuit of the master’s degree including each of the following:
Maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA.
Earn a quarterly GPA of 3.00 or higher.
Earn a grade of 2.7 or higher in each required course.
Students may repeat only one core course one time. Student may repeat only one curriculum option course one time.
Make adequate progress with the scholarly project or thesis or course work option.
Meet all Essential Behaviors for Admission, Continuation and Graduation and Social Networking policies.
Students may repeat only one core course one time. Students may repeat only one curriculum option course one time. Students pursuing the coursework option for scholarly inquiry who do not earn a satisfactory grade may repeat the course once or submit a revised proposal for review and approval, if a new course is selected.
Master Of Nursing
Admission Requirements
Contact department for requirements.
Completion Requirements
47-50 credits depending on scholarly inquiry option
Core courses (varies depending on option): See additional requirements section below for option-specific core courses.
Research course (5 credits): T NURS 551
Fieldwork (6 credits): T NURS 503, T NURS 505
Scholarly Inquiry (6-9 credits): Choose one of the following:
Scholarly project (6 credits): T NURS 598
Thesis (9 credits): T NURS 700
Additional Completion Requirements
Option-specific courses:
Core courses (30 credits): T NURS 510, T NURS 512, T NURS 554, T NURS 539, T NURS 527, T NURS 548
The ADN-BSN-MN study option is an accelerated program plan for high-achieving associate degree and diploma-prepared nurses to earn their MN degree. Applicants must be graduates of a National League for Nursing accredited program. ADN-BSN-MN students substitute two MN courses for two undergraduate nursing courses. The six credits of master’s level course work are counted as part of the 180 required undergraduate credits.
A program of study is planned that meets UW Tacoma BSN and MN graduation requirements. The BSN is awarded upon completion of the baccalaureate program. Once a baccalaureate degree is earned and the student is accepted into the UW Graduate School, the student then completes a 41-credit graduate program, rather than the standard 47-credit program.
Admission Requirements
Note: the program is not admitting to this pathway.
Completion Requirements
47-50 credits depending on scholarly inquiry option
Core courses (varies depending on option): See additional requirements section below for option-specific core courses.
Research course (5 credits): T NURS 551
Fieldwork (6 credits): T NURS 503, T NURS 505
Scholarly Inquiry (6-9 credits): Choose one of the following:
Scholarly project (6 credits): T NURS 598
Thesis (9 credits): T NURS 700
Additional Completion Requirements
Option-specific courses:
Core courses (12 credits): T NURS 527, T NURS 554, T NURS 556, T NURS 557
Program Goals: All students in the Master of Nursing program are prepared by the program to meet each of the following goals:
Evaluate the adequacy of underlying knowledge from nursing science, related fields and professional foundations as it informs nursing practice.
Competently assess, manage health-related issues with a defined population or care system and evaluate the effectiveness of these nursing practices.
Utilize knowledge and skills in professional practice among diverse and multi-cultural populations.
Demonstrate competence in development of inquiry relevant to practice, education or administration.
Develop and utilize leadership strategies that foster improvement of health care.
Articulate ethical issues and responsibilities involved in nursing practice.
Admitted Students: Admitted students are required to complete an online criminal background check through CastleBranch with acceptable results. For examples of offenses that would result in individuals being ineligible for fieldwork placement, see the Department of Social and Health Services Secretary’s List of Crimes and Negative Actions website. Please note there is a separate fee for this service. A repeated criminal background check may be required prior to enrolling in fieldwork courses. After admission to the program, students are required to submit required immunizations, and a current CPR certification through the CastleBranch compliance tracker and an unrestricted RN license. Students will be required to complete the UW HIPAA Compliance course. Based on information from major healthcare organization in our region, we anticipate students will be required to have a negative drug screen test as part of clinical clearances. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from fieldwork.
Transfer Credit: An admitted MN student may petition to transfer up to the equivalent of 12 quarter credits of graduate course work earned in graduate status from an accredited institution. Graduate credits that have been applied toward a completed degree cannot be transferred. Written petitions for transfer credit must be submitted to the Graduate Committee within one quarter of acceptance to the MN program.
Graduate Non-matriculated (GNM) Status:Graduate non-matriculated (GNM) enrollment is beneficial to those who are interested in professional development or beginning work toward a graduate degree. A graduate non-matriculated student is a postbaccalaureate student who wants to take graduate courses, but who has not been admitted by the Graduate School to a degree program. GNM status allows qualified students to earn graduate credits in an area of interest. A total of 12 credits can apply toward a graduate degree. This status is not available to international students on F-1 visas. Acceptance as a GNM student does not imply nor does it confer priority for later admission to the Graduate School for pursuit of a degree.