Our Degrees

Image: FEPPS graduates seated at commencement ceremony in caps and gowns.

Tacoma Community College diploma covers ready to be given to FEPPS graduates. The covers are made of royal blue leather with the TCC crest embossed in gold. One cover is in focus with rest fading into the background.

Associate of Arts DTA

FEPPS offers an Associate of Arts degree accredited by Tacoma Community College. This degree is included under the Washington State Board for Community and Technical College’s Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) and allows FEPPS students to transfer to any public four-year school in the state with junior standing.

Image: Tacoma Community College diplomas ready to be given to FEPPS graduates.

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies

In 2019, the Board of Trustees of the University of Puget Sound unanimously agreed to accredit a BA degree, offered by FEPPS at WCCW. The first cohort of BA students began classes in Winter 2021 and earned their Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies in summer 2024.

Image: FEPPS student carries University of Puget Sound “Class of 2024” banner at graduate

 

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies

  • AA graduates are admitted to the University of Puget Sound as transfer students.

  • BA students will take two courses each in the Social Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences or Mathematics, and two additional courses in one of the above areas.

  • Students will define an emphasis for their degree through a Capstone Project, or major research project, rooted in their chosen theme.

  • To the best of our knowledge, this is the seventh Bachelors program in a women’s prison nationally and the first degree of its kind in Washington State.

Associate of Arts (Direct Transfer Agreement)

  • Students take 90 credits in Composition, Mathematics, Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Physical Education.

  • FEPPS students take courses in Student Success and Library Science to prepare them for research-intensive coursework.

  • Course offerings have included over 90 unique courses Marine Biology, Black Cultural Studies, Sociology of Sport, Primatology, Political Theory, Spanish and German Language, Human Nutrition, Sociology, Statistics, Inorganic Chemistry, Creative Writing, Yoga and more. Explore the whole history of FEPPS course offerings below!

  • Since 2016, 72 students have earned their AA DTA through FEPPS.

 

Classes Offered

Since accreditation by Tacoma Community College in 2014 (and then University of Puget Sound in 2020), FEPPS has offered over 200 college and pre-college classes (over 90 unique courses), spanning a wide range of disciplines. More than 140 instructors from 28 different academic, research and community institutions have taught these classes, many of them as unpaid volunteers.

Spring 2025 Classes

Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy, Amon Greene, Tacoma Community College

Math 107: Math in Society, James Aisenberg

Math Prep II, James Aisenberg

English 102: Argument and Persuasion, Lucien Spect, City University of New York

English 271: Contemporary American Fiction, Phebe Jewell and Kayleen Oka, Seattle Central College

Sociology 260: Introduction to Queer Studies, Liam Nold, Seattle University School of Law

Chemistry 110: Chemical Concepts with Lab, Sonya Doucette, Bellevue College

Psychology 200: Lifespan Psychology, Ashley Moser, Tacoma Community College

Winter 2025 Classes

College 101: College Success, Amon Greene, Tacoma Community College

Math Prep I, James Aisenberg

Math Prep II, Dino de Raad

English 101, Blaine Hunt, Tacoma Community College

English 102, Lucien Spect, City University of New York

Art 101: Art Appreciation, Megan Gottfried, Seattle Central College

OCEA& 101: Introduction to Oceanography, Zho Ragen, University of Washington

Humanities 116: Introduction to Humanities I, Ashley Moser, Tacoma Community College

Fall 2024 Classes

College 101: College Success, Nadra Fredj, Seattle University

Math Prep I & II: Kirsten Otterby, South Kitsap High School

English Prep, Blaine Hunt, Tacoma Community College

English 101, Blaine Hunt, Tacoma Community College

Environmental Science 101: Introduction to Environmental Science, Zho Ragen, University of Washington

Summer 2024 Classes

History 146: Early US History, Kurt Shaffer, Bates Technical College

Sociology 201: Social Problems, Anna Hackman, Seattle Central College

Spring 2024 Classes

English 280, Mark Petterson and Phebe Jewell, Seattle Central College

English 102, Blaine Hunt, Tacoma Community College

Math 107: Math in Society, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound College

College 101: Student Success, Nadra Fredj, Seattle University

Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology, Kristi Rendahl, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Physics 114: General Physics I, Brandon Montemuro, Saint Michael’s College

Winter 2024 Classes

English 101, Blaine Hunt, Tacoma Community College

Math Prep II, Emily Boyce, South Puget Sound College

Math 107: Math in Society, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound College

College 101: Student Success, Nadra Fredj, Seattle University

Sociology 271: Deviance and Social Control, Liam Nold, Seattle University School of Law

PE 142: Introduction to Yoga, Faraji Bhakti, Yoga Behind Bars

English 238: Afrofuturism (BA course)

Environment 382: Global Environmental Politics (BA course)

Liberal Studies Capstone (BA course)

Fall 2023 Classes

English Prep, Mary DeWine, Science & Math Institute, Tacoma Public Schools

Math Prep, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound College

College 101: College Success, Nadra Fredj, Seattle University

Humanities 179, Special Topics: Identities & Intersectionalities, Phebe Jewell & Kayleen Oka, Seattle Central College

Business 340, Law & Ethics in Business, Lisa Johnson, University of Puget Sound (BA course)

Greek, Latin & Mediterranean Studies 322: Race & Ethnicity in the Ancient World, Eric Olin, University of Puget Sound (BA course)

History 369, History of the West and Pacific Northwest, Douglas Sackman, University of Puget Sound

Summer 2023 Classes

Psychology 190: Human Sexuality, Mia Lawrie, University of Washington-Seattle

Biology 310: Biology of Climate Change, Meera Lee Sethi & Kelli Hvorecny, University of Washington-Seattle (BA course)

Politics & Government 244: American Political Thought, Seth Weinberger

Experiential Learning 101 & 201: Career Awareness and Experiential Learning, Rebecca Pettitt and Nicole Kendrick (BA courses)

Spring 2023 Classes

Biology 160: General Cell Biology, Riddhi Sood

Math 107: Math in Society, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound College

PE 155: Fast Fitness, Eric Wylie

SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology, Anna Hackman, Seattle Central College

Connections 354: Hormones, Society, Sex & Self, Melvin Rouse, University of Puget Sound (BA course)

African American Studies 305, Black Fictions & Feminisms, Renee Simms, University of Puget Sound (BA course)

Fall 2022 Classes

SOC 201: Social Problems, Anna Hackman, Seattle Central College

BIOL 100: Introduction to Biology, Meera Lee Sethi, University of Washington-Seattle

SOAN 202: Families in Society, Lindsay Custer, University of Puget Sound (BA Course)

BIO 310: Plants in a Changing World, Bryan Thines, University of Puget Sound (BA Course)

Summer 2022 Classes

HUM 285: The City (Paris), Leah Montange, University of Toronto

SCI 105L: Special Topics (Cancer), Riddhi Sood, University of Indiana

HIST 220: African American History, Brukab Sisay, University of Washington

HIST 214: Pacific Northwest History, Kurt Schaefer, Bates Technical College

Spring 2022 Classes

HUM 179: Special Topics in Humanties (What We Know), Anthony Zaragoza, Evergreen State College

Math Prep Review, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound College

Fall 2021 Classes

PE 170: Independent Fitness, Eric Wylie, Lakeside Health Coaching

SOC 262: Race and Ethnic Relations, Anna Hackman, Seattle Central College

ENGL 242: Contemporary Non-Western Literature, Blaine Hunt, Tacoma Community College

MATH 146: Introduction to Statistics, Aneesh Hariharan, University of Washington

ENGL 211: Creative Writing, Liza Birnbaum, Highline College (BA course)

SSI2: Borders and Borderscapes, Leah Montange, University of Toronto (BA course)

Summer 2021 Classes

PE 100: Total Fitness, Eric Wylie, Studio Fitness/Lakewood YMCA

College Math Readiness Workshop, Quintin Lenti, University of Puget Sound

PHIL 370: Social and Political Philosophy, Paul Tubig & Anna Bates, University of Washington (BA course)

Spring 2021 Classes

ENGL& 102: Argument and Persuasion, Liza Birnbaum, Highline College

Math 95: Intermediate Algebra, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound College

NUTR 101: Human Nutrition, Tiffany Hensley-McBain, University of Washington

SOC 120: Women’s Studies, Anna Hackman, Seattle Central College

LBST 310A: Liberal Arts and the Construction of Knowledge, Tanya Erzen, University of Puget Sound (BA course)

Fall 2020 Classes

HUM 120: The American Multicultural Arts Experience, Victoria Thomas, East Stroudsburg University

ENGL& 101: English Composition, Liza Birnbaum, Highline College

GERM& 122: German II, Kirsten Christensen, Pacific Lutheran University

Math Prep II, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound Community College

Summer 2020 Classes

PE 100: Total Fitness, Eric Wylie, Studio Fitness/Lakewood YMCA

SPAN& 123: Spanish III, Maria Ferrer-Lightner, Tacoma Community College

GERM& 122: German II, Kirsten Christensen, Pacific Lutheran University

Spring 2020 Classes

College Preparatory Math I, Carlea McAvoy, South Puget Sound Community College

College Preparatory English II, Mary DeWine, the Math and Science Institute in Tacoma, and Blaine Hunt, Tacoma Community College

GERM& 121: German I, Manfred Bansleben & Elisabeth Cnobloch, University of Washington

POLS& 202: American Government, Robin Jacobson & David Sousa, University of Puget Sound

HIST 244: The 1960s, Max Likin, Ph.D., & Kurt Schaefer, Bates Technical College

BIOL& 175: Human Biology, Nicole Arroyo, North Seattle College

PE 142: Introduction to Yoga, Jess Frank & Maggie Wegener, Yoga Behind Bars

Fall 2019 Classes

English Prep I, Mary DeWine, Science and Math Institute, and Blaine Hunt, University of Puget Sound

HUM 179: Black Cultural Studies, Mia Lawrie & Victoria Thomas, University of Washington

SOC 120: Intro to Women's Studies, Anna Hackman, Seattle Central College

BIOL& 100: Survey of Biology, Leslie Saucedo, Bryan Thines, & Peter Wimberger, University of Puget Sound

PHIL& 101: Intro to Philosophy, Paul Tubig & Anna Bates, University of Washington

English 102: Composition II: Argument and Persuasion, Suzanne Warren, University of Puget Sound

PE 100: Total Fitness, Eric Wylie, Studio Fitness/Lakewood YMCA

HD 101: Student Success, Tanya Erzen, Jennifer Bright, Zoe Brown, Rachael Shelden, FEPPS Staff and University of Puget Sound

“As a student, I am motivated not just by my desire to earn a degree, but by being in the classroom with other people who are accepting the challenge with me. When all of us reach that “Aha!” moment together, it’s like a second wind when I’m running. The moment you realize, I can do this! I AM doing this!”

— 2016 AA Graduate