About Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a highly selective liberal arts college in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a place where people come together — to learn, to make lasting connections, to plunge into a sea of ideas, and to begin to scale the challenges of the world ahead. An intellectual atmosphere, an energized academic community, a beautiful campus in a vibrant city, and a depth of opportunities to reach out, connect, and explore, Puget Sound is the result of a unique confluence of the elements.
The Academic Program
Curriculum
- Four-year core curriculum in the liberal arts tradition
- More than 40 majors, minors, and interdisciplinary programs
- 1,200 courses offered annually
The People
Students
- 2,600 students, 42% men and 58% women from 48 states and 20 countries; 76% from outside Washington state
- Ethnic/national distribution:
- African American 3%
- Asian/Pacific Islander 9%
- Caucasian 74%
- Hispanic/Latino 4%
- International 1%
- Native American 1%
- Other 8%
Student honors earned
ASIANetwork Freeman Foundation Fellowship
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
Boren Scholarship
French Government Scholarship
Fulbright Scholarship
Gillman Scholarship
Hertz Foundation Fellowship
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowship
Morris K. Udall Scholarship
National Science Foundation Fellowship
Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
Truman Scholarship
Undergraduate Summer Research Grant
Select academic honor societies
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Kappa Phi
Faculty
- Total faculty: 219
- Hold doctorate or equivalent: 98% of tenure-line faculty
- Full-time: 93%
- Student-faculty ratio: 11 to 1
The Place
Location
- Tacoma, Washington, population approximately 200,000; 35 miles south of Seattle
- Campus located in the residential North End neighborhood, near shopping, downtown, and waterfront
- 97-acre landscaped campus with extensive facilities and varied residential options
The Possibilities
Student Life
- More than 100 wide-ranging organizations and clubs
- Active student government
- Greek-letter organizations
- Residence halls: 9
- On-campus houses: 58
- Theme and foreign language houses: 21
Athletics and Recreation
- NCAA Division III Northwest Conference
- 23 varsity sports
- Varied intramural and club sports
CONTACT INFORMATION
1500 N. Warner, Tacoma, WA 98416
253.879.3100
Featured Student
Arianna Bodaghi '10
The opportunities at Puget Sound are really endless. The academics are demanding, but there is plenty of support to be found on campus. There are more clubs and organizations to join than any ambitious student could hope for. I founded a not-for-profit corporation in August 2008 called Music and Art in Refugee Communities (M.A.R.C.) and now sit on the board. My senior thesis work involves the use of expressive therapies in helping child refugees recover from traumatic experiences. As the first in my family to get a college degree, graduate work never seemed feasible—but with the support Puget Sound has given me, I now plan on applying for law school in the fall. Learn more about academic advising.
