For information about the admission process, including deadlines, visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Applications can be submitted via the Common Application.

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
The George Washington University
800 21st St NW Suite 100
Washington, DC 20052

For questions visit undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/contact-us.

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.

Program-specific curriculum:

Required
11 to 14 credits in introductory natural science courses, including 8 credits in biological sciences and 3 or 6 credits in mathematics.
BISC 1111Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules
BISC 1112Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms
MATH 1220
& MATH 1221		Calculus with Precalculus I
and Calculus with Precalculus II
or MATH 1231 Single-Variable Calculus I
Two courses (6 credits) in analytical methods selected from the following:
CSCI 1011Introduction to Programming with Java
CSCI 1012Introduction to Programming with Python 1
DATS 1001Data Science for All
PUBH 3201Introduction to Bioinformatics
STAT 1127Statistics for the Biological Sciences 2
Three gateway courses (9 to 10 credits) that introduce core concepts, selected from the following:
ANAT 2160Human Functional Neuroanatomy
ANTH 1005The Biological Bases of Human Behavior
BISC 2320Neural Circuits and Behavior
PHIL 1153The Meaning of Mind
PHIL 2045Introduction to Logic
PSYC 2014Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 2015Biological Psychology
SLHS 2106Neural Substrates of Speech, Language, and Hearing
SLHS 2131Language Acquisition and Development
SLHS 2135Language: Structure, Meaning, and Use
Six intermediate content courses (18 credits), which must include two courses from cellular/molecular/systems neuroscience group and four from the cognitive science/cognitive neuroscience group:
Cellular/molecular/systems neuroscience
ANTH 3413Evolution of the Human Brain
BISC 2220Developmental Neurobiology
BISC 3320Human Neurobiology
PSYC 3181Introduction to Psychopharmacology
Cognitive science/cognitive neuroscience
ANTH 3503Psychological Anthropology
PHIL 3121Symbolic Logic
PHIL 3153Mind, Brain, and Artificial Intelligence
PSYC 3115Developmental Psychopathology
PSYC 3118Neuropsychology
PSYC 3119Cognitive Science in the District
PSYC 3120Neuroscience of Consciousness
PSYC 3121Memory and Cognition
PSYC 3122The Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 3124Visual Perception
PSYC 3127Social and Affective Neuroscience
PSYC 3128Health Psychology
PSYC 3180Seminar in Cognitive Science
SLHS 3116Brain and Language
SLHS 3117Hearing and Perception
SLHS 3132Literacy
SLHS 3133Autism
One research/laboratory experience (3 to 4 credits) in the Biology (BISC), Psychological and Brain Sciences (PSYC), or supervised internships/independent research projects taken for course credit in PSYC or Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) departments: 3
BISC 2452
& BISC 2453		Animal Behavior
and Animal Behavior Laboratory
PSYC 4106WResearch Lab in Sensation and Perception
PSYC 4107WResearch Lab in Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 3591Supervised Research Internship
PSYC 4591Independent Research
SLHS 4196Independent Study (taken for at least 3 credits)
Four advanced content courses (12 to 16 credits) selected from the following:
ANTH 3401Human Functional Anatomy
ANTH 3402Human Evolutionary Anatomy
ANTH 3412Hominin Evolution
or ANTH 3412W Hominin Evolution
ANTH 3491Topics in Biological Anthropology 4
ANTH 3501Anthropology of Development
ANTH 3601Language, Culture, and Cognition
ANTH 3603Psycholinguistics
ANTH 3691Special Topics in Linguistic Anthropology 4
ANTH 3995Undergraduate Research 4
BISC 3165Biochemistry I
BISC 3166Biochemistry II
BISC 3209Molecular Biology
BISC 3320Human Neurobiology
BISC 4132Advanced Cellular-Molecular Biology
or BISC 4132W Advanced Cellular-Molecular Biology WID
BISC 4171Undergraduate Research 4
or BISC 4171W Undergraduate Research
BISC 4172Independent Study 4
or BISC 4172W Biological Science Independent Study
CHEM 2151
& CHEM 2153		Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
CHEM 2152
& CHEM 2154		Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
CHEM 4195Undergraduate Research 4
PHIL 3121Symbolic Logic
PHIL 3151Philosophy of Science
or PHIL 3151W Philosophy and Science
PHIL 3152Theory of Knowledge
PHIL 3153Mind, Brain, and Artificial Intelligence
PHIL 3251Philosophy of Biology
PHIL 4196Topics in Theory of Knowledge 4
PHIL 4199Readings and Research 4
or PHIL 4199W Readings and Research
PSYC 3116Brain and Language
PSYC 3118Neuropsychology
PSYC 3119Cognitive Science in the District
PSYC 3120Neuroscience of Consciousness
PSYC 3121Memory and Cognition
PSYC 3122The Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 3124Visual Perception
PSYC 3180Seminar in Cognitive Science
PSYC 3198Current Research Issues 4
PSYC 3199Current Topics in Psychology 4
PSYC 3591Supervised Research Internship 4
PSYC 4106WResearch Lab in Sensation and Perception
PSYC 4107WResearch Lab in Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 4591Independent Research 4
PSYC 4997Honors Seminar
PUBH 3201Introduction to Bioinformatics
SLHS 3117Hearing and Perception
SLHS 3132Literacy
SLHS 3133Autism
SLHS 4196Independent Study 4
STAT 3119Design and Analysis of Experiments

1 CSCI 1012 is recommended but not required to fulfill this requirement.

2If a student wishes to take a Statistics course to fulfill this requirement, STAT 1127 is recommended but an equivalent STAT course may be substituted.

3The research/laboratory experience requirement can also be fulfilled by taking any of the independent research courses offered by the associated departments. Courses that can be taken to fulfill the requirement are listed in the advanced content section with the footnote 4. All courses so noted can be taken multiple times and each enrollment can be applied to either the advanced content or the research experience requirement. Note that each independent research course can be applied to either the lab or the elective requirement and not to both at the same time.

4These courses could have GPA requirements and require the permission of the instructor. Students should contact the relevant departments for more information. Each course must be taken for a total of at least 3 credits to count toward the requirement.

In addition to the University General Education Requirement, undergraduate students in Columbian College must complete a further, College-specific general education curriculum—Perspective, Analysis, Communication (G-PAC) as well as the course CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience. Together with the University General Education Requirement, G-PAC engages students in active intellectual inquiry across the liberal arts. Students achieve a set of learning outcomes that enhance their analytical skills, develop their communication competencies, and invite them to participate as responsible citizens who are attentive to issues of culture, diversity, and privilege.

Coursework for the University General Education Requirement is distributed as follows:

  • One course in critical thinking in the humanities.

  • Two courses in critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, or scientific reasoning in the social sciences.

  • One course that has an approved oral communication component.

  • One course in quantitative reasoning (must be in mathematics or statistics).
  • One course in scientific reasoning (must be in natural and/or physical laboratory sciences).
  • UW 1020 University Writing (4 credits).
  • After successful completion of UW 1020, 6 credits distributed over at least two writing in the discipline (WID) courses taken in separate semesters. WID courses are designated by a "W" appended to the course number. 

Coursework for the CCAS G-PAC requirement is distributed as follows:

  • Arts—one approved arts course that involves the study or creation of artwork based on an understanding or interpretation of artistic traditions or knowledge of art in a contemporary context.
  • Global or cross-cultural perspective—one approved course that analyzes the ways in which institutions, practices, and problems transcend national and regional boundaries.
  • Local or civic engagement—one approved course that develops the values, ethics, disciplines, and commitment to pursue responsible public action.
  • Natural or physical science—one additional approved laboratory course that employs the process of scientific inquiry (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
  • Humanities—one additional approved humanities course that involves critical thinking skills (in addition to the one course in this category required by the University General Education Requirement).
  • CCAS 1001 First-Year Experience

Certain courses are approved to fulfill GPAC requirements in more than one category.

Courses taken in fulfillment of G-PAC requirements may also be counted toward majors or minors. Transfer courses taken prior to, but not after, admission to George Washington University may count toward the University General Education Requirement and G-PAC, if those transfer courses are equivalent to GW courses that have been approved by the University and the College.

Lists of approved courses in the above categories are included on each undergraduate major's page in this Bulletin.