Academics

     

Schools & Colleges

Columbian College of Arts & Sciences; student at microscope


Columbian College provides the academic foundation for studies in arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The school houses nearly 500 faculty, 53 majors and 61 minors, ranging from political science to chemistry.

 
Elliott School of International Affairs; speaker at Sigur Center for Asian Studies event


A leader in international affairs education, the Elliott School prepares students for challenging global careers. With D.C. as an ideal backdrop, the interdisciplinary programs draw on anthropology, economics, political science, languages, history, and science.

 
GW School of Business; professor teaching at front of classroom with students taking notes


GW’s School of Business trains students to be socially-conscious global leaders. With organizations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund blocks away, students see beyond the bottom line and consider the big picture.

 
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; professor and student interacting in lab


SEAS, a tight-knit community that is quickly expanding, calls Science and Engineering Hall home. It includes six departments that promote applied research activities and train the next generation of innovators.

 
Corcoran School of Art and Design; student in front of art installation


In the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the Corcoran School trains artists, designers, photographers, and educators. D.C., a recognized epicenter for art and culture, provides a rich palette for creative inspiration for students.

 
School of Media and Public Affairs; female behind camera and male student with microphone behind the scenes


SMPA mixes practice and theory to hone students’ journalism skills, and explain how media influences policy and politics. Instructors are professional journalists and students have access to audio and visual equipment and a broadcast studio.

 
Milken Institute School of Public Health; interior view of Milken Institute School of Public Health building

The Milken Institute, the only school of public health in D.C., fosters the next generation of thought leaders, practitioners, policymakers and scientists who seek to improve health worldwide. Students learn from faculty at the top of their fields.
 
Find your field; George Washington bust on Foggy Bottom campus


No matter what you study at GW, you’ll have the opportunity to put knowledge into action. Look through the more than 75 undergraduate programs we offer, and see where a GW degree could take you as you make history.

 

EXPLORE ALL OF GW'S UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS

Hope Kim

Hope Kim

Class of 2021
Public Health Student

When I officially decided to come to GW, it was hard for me to imagine what the next four years would look like. I was scared that I wouldn't get along with my roommates, that my classes would be too challenging, and that overall city life just wasn't for me. But during my years at GW, I've made more memories and had more laughs than I ever thought possible. My roommates to this day are still my best friends and my professors in the Milken Institute School of Public Health are beyond compare. From my #OnlyatGW experiences of running into Elizabeth Warren after dinner in Chinatown and giving a tour of GW to J.K. Simmons to my countless memories of going to the monuments at 2 a.m. with my friends and attending galas across the District, GW has given me more than I had ever imagined.




 

  • Discover Science and Engineering Hall (SEH)
    Students and professor working in a lab in Science and Engineering Hall

    Discover Science and Engineering Hall (SEH)

    From biology to engineering, SEH houses researchers from across GW. With state-of-the-art labs and classrooms with industry-level equipment, research is at your fingertips.

  • Gain Lifelong Mentors
    Classroom discussion with students around table

    Gain Lifelong Mentors

    At GW, many faculty members may become lifelong mentors. English Professor Edward P. Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who likes to think of himself as a “cheerleader” and “guide” for students, helping them to discover their inner creativity.

  • SCALE-UP with Hands-On Learning
    Students sitting in SCALE-UP classroom with lesson projected on screen.

    SCALE-UP with Hands-On Learning

    GW believes that active, hands-on learning is an integral part of undergraduate experiences. Many classrooms use a SCALE-UP approach (Student Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs). Students solve problems on walls, chat with peers around the world via live video and answer polling questions digitally. Collaboration and team exercises aren't just accepted, but encouraged.

Malcolm Badger

Malcolm Badger

Class of 2020
International Politics and Business Administration Student

Throughout my time at GW, I've been able to figure out what I want to do with my life and establish a community that both cares about my well-being and gives me the support I need to be successful. I joined a community service fraternity (Alpha Phi Omega) in the first two weeks of my first year on campus and that fraternity was how I got the chance to have my first internship sophomore year. That internship, over the summer before my junior year, prepared me for my first job, as one of the 2020 Senior Class Gift Campaign Coordinators for the Division of Development and Alumni Relations. I made my class gift to Alpha Phi Omega, so that it can help future GW students find their home at GW, just like I did. I'm proud to represent GW and I feel confident that a GW education and experience has best prepared me for the real world. 




 

Research at Your Fingertips

graphic presentation of a student at a desk looking at a pie chart

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Learning at GW doesn’t end in the classroom. Conducting research as an undergraduate is an important way to build relationships with mentors, prepare for graduate studies, explore careers and translate skills into real-world applications. Faculty from all disciplines are eager to bring students into their labs and fields, and the university supports these projects through fellowships, scholarships and exhibitions.

 Participate in research
graphic presentation of people in front of a hospital and buildings

Centers & Institutes

In the next decade, GW will invest approximately $500 million in facilities and faculty to drive innovation in everything from groundbreaking cancer research and high-performance computing to arts, sustainability and cross-disciplinary initiatives. Much of this research is housed within more than 85 centers and institutes that drive policy and partner with powerful institutions, like the Smithsonian, National Institutes of Health and Library of Congress.

 View a list of our centers and institutes

A Global Education

Student looking at scenery next to water

Make the World Your Classroom

Whether for a week, a semester, a year — or two — more than half of all GW undergraduates complement their studies in Washington, D.C. with a study abroad experience.

 Explore the GW international experience
Student in front of architecture

Pursue Your Passions Abroad

Hike the Andes Mountains of Peru. Mount a camel in the deserts of Morocco. Watch London’s actors perform Shakespeare at the Globe. Whatever your style, there is a study abroad program that will fit your academic and personal goals. GW students can study in more than 350 programs in more than 60 countries.

 Find your study abroad program

Adriana Feijoo

Adriana Feijoo

Class of 2021
Political and Organizational Science Student

I chose to come to GW because I wanted to study political science in a place where all the action is! My educational experience at GW has been absolutely incredible. The professors I get to work with have years of experience in their workfield that help translate to teaching us how to apply what we are learning to the real world. I have had the honor to study with past DNC employees, members of the White House Correspondent Organization, and diplomats who have gone out of their way to make us love the content we are learning. The internships and jobs I have gotten in DC have been because of the extraordinary network professors and students have established at GW! I am so grateful for my GW experience! Fun fact: this pic was taken while I studied abroad in London!




 

Start Your Career Before Graduation

Graphic presentation of three silhouettes in frames

The Colonial Network

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Colin Powell and Kerry Washington: just a handful of GW alumni who have left the world a better place for the Colonials who followed after. The GW alumni community has more than 250,000 alumni in more than 150 countries worldwide. They play an active role in the life of the university, enriching student experiences, forging professional networks and giving back to the university through volunteerism and philanthropy.

 Take advantage of our ever-expanding alumni network
graphic presentation of student interns in front of the Capitol, National Mall and Washington Monument

GW is “Best for Internships”

Some college students head back to their beds after class, while GW students walk to work on Capitol Hill, at the Washington Post or even to the White House. Washington, D.C., is a mecca for internship opportunities — more than 15,000, in fact, are available for 10,000 GW undergraduate students. You don’t need to be a math major to know those are pretty solid odds.

 Take advantage of the city’s thousands of internship opportunities