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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| At least one course from five of the six categories below for a total of 15 credits. | ||
| Islamic spheres | ||
| CAH 2113 | Survey of Early Islamic Art and Architecture from the Seventh to Fourteenth Centuries | |
| CAH 2114 | Survey of Islamic Art and Architecture from the Fourteenth Century to the Present | |
| CAH 2115 | Love and Body in Islamic Art | |
| CAH 3113 | Islamic Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 3114 | Art of the Book in the Medieval Muslim World | |
| or CAH 3114W | Art of the Book in the Medieval Muslim World | |
| CAH 4165 | Topics in Islamic Art and Architecture | |
| Global early modern (1400 to 1800) | ||
| CAH 3120 | Italian Art and Architecture of the Thirteenth through Fifteenth Centuries | |
| CAH 3121 | Italian Art and Architecture of the Sixteenth Century | |
| CAH 3122 | Topics in Early Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| or CAH 3122W | Topics in Early Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 3123 | Topics in Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| or CAH 3123W | Topics in Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 3131 | Italian Art and Architecture of the Seventeenth Century | |
| CAH 3132 | Topics in Northern European Art and Architecture of the Seventeenth Century | |
| CAH 3134 | Topics in Spanish and Portuguese Art through the Sixteenth Century | |
| or CAH 3134W | Topics in Spanish and Portuguese Art Through the Sixteenth Century | |
| CAH 3135 | Topics in Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Spanish and Portuguese Art | |
| CAH 3140 | European Art of the Eighteenth Century | |
| CAH 4129 | Seminar in Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4139 | Seminar in Baroque Art and Architecture | |
| Modern and contemporary | ||
| CAH 2071 | Introduction to the Arts in America | |
| CAH 2140 | Modern Art Worldwide | |
| or CAH 2140W | Modern Art Worldwide | |
| CAH 2154 | American Architecture I | |
| CAH 2155 | American Architecture II | |
| CAH 2161 | History of Decorative Arts: American Heritage | |
| CAH 2162 | History of Photography | |
| or CAH 2162W | History of Photography | |
| CAH 3060 | History of Design | |
| CAH 3065 | Digital Media Culture | |
| CAH 3141 | European Art of the Early Nineteenth Century | |
| or CAH 3141W | European Art of the Early Nineteenth Century | |
| CAH 3142 | European Art of the Late Nineteenth Century | |
| or CAH 3142W | European Art of the Late Nineteenth Century | |
| CAH 3143 | Early Twentieth-Century Art | |
| or CAH 3143W | Early Twentieth-Century Art | |
| CAH 3146 | Modern Architecture in Europe and America | |
| or CAH 3146W | Modern Architecture in Europe and America | |
| CAH 3150 | Theories and History of Graphic Design | |
| or CAH 3150W | Theories and History of Graphic Design | |
| CAH 3152 | American Art in the Era of National Expansion | |
| CAH 3153 | American Art of the Twentieth Century | |
| CAH 3160 | Topics in Latin American Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 3165 | Later Twentieth-Century Art | |
| or CAH 3165W | Later Twentieth-Century Art | |
| CAH 3530 | Art and Architecture of Washington, D.C | |
| CAH 4149 | Seminar in Modern European Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4150 | Seminar in Modern Art | |
| CAH 4150W | Seminar in Modern Art | |
| CAH 4157 | Seminar in Photography | |
| CAH 4159 | Seminar in American Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4159W | Seminar in American Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4169 | Seminar in Contemporary Art | |
| CAH 4179 | Topics in Design History and Theory | |
| CAH 4300 | Victorian Avant-Garde: British Art and Culture from 1851 to 1901 | |
| Asia and the Indian Ocean | ||
| CAH 2190 | East Asian Art | |
| CAH 2191 | South Asian Art | |
| CAH 2192 | Art of Southeast Asia | |
| CAH 3181 | Special Topics in Asian Art | |
| CAH 3182 | Special Topics in South Asian Art | |
| CAH 3182W | Special Topics in South Asian Art | |
| CAH 4181 | Topics in Asian Art | |
| CAH 4182 | Topics in South Asian Art | |
| Africa and the African Diaspora | ||
| CAH 2193 | Introduction to the Arts and Material Culture of Africa | |
| CAH 2194 | History of Modern African Art | |
| CAH 3191 | Resistance and Protest in Modern and Contemporary African Art | |
| CAH 3192 | Aesthetics and Politics of Waste in African Art: Iconology of Mundane Things | |
| CAH 4151 | Seminar in African Art | |
| Ancient and medieval worlds | ||
| CAH 3101 | Ancient Art of the Bronze Age and Greece | |
| CAH 3102 | Ancient Art of the Roman Empire | |
| CAH 3103 | Art and Archaeology of Egypt and the Near East | |
| CAH 3104 | Art and Archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age | |
| CAH 3105 | Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology | |
| CAH 3106 | Art and Archaeology of Israel and Neighboring Lands | |
| CAH 3107 | Ancient Mexican Civilizations | |
| CAH 3111 | Early Christian and Byzantine Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 3112 | Proseminar in Romanesque and Gothic Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 3116 | Aztec Empire | |
| CAH 3117 | Special Topics in Precolumbian Art and Archaeology | |
| CAH 4109 | Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology | |
| CAH 4119 | Seminar in Medieval Art and Architecture | |
| Junior and senior seminars | ||
| At least two seminars selected from the following for a total of 6 credits: | ||
| CAH 4109 | Topics in Ancient Art and Archaeology | |
| CAH 4119 | Seminar in Medieval Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4129 | Seminar in Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4139 | Seminar in Baroque Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4149 | Seminar in Modern European Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4150 | Seminar in Modern Art | |
| CAH 4150W | Seminar in Modern Art | |
| CAH 4151 | Seminar in African Art | |
| CAH 4157 | Seminar in Photography | |
| CAH 4159 | Seminar in American Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4159W | Seminar in American Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4165 | Topics in Islamic Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 4169 | Seminar in Contemporary Art | |
| CAH 4179 | Topics in Design History and Theory | |
| CAH 4181 | Topics in Asian Art | |
| CAH 4182 | Topics in South Asian Art | |
| CAH 4189 | Seminar: Topics in Art History | |
| CAH 4300 | Victorian Avant-Garde: British Art and Culture from 1851 to 1901 | |
| One 3-credit Fine Arts course | ||
| 3 credits in either one Fine Arts (FA) course taken at any level or CAH 3170 Materials, Methods, and Techniques in Art History. | ||
| Electives | ||
| Any two courses (total of 6 credits) from the categories aboveand/or from the list below. One or both courses can be taken in another department with the prior approval of the director of undergraduate studies. * | ||
| CAH 1000 | Dean's Seminar | |
| CAH 1031 | Survey of Art and Architecture I | |
| CAH 1032 | Survey of Art and Architecture II | |
| CAH 1070 | The American Cinema | |
| CAH 1090 | Art History I: Art Now, Contemporary Perspectives in the Visual Arts | |
| CAH 1091 | Art History II: Historical Perspectives in the Visual Arts | |
| CAH 1099 | Variable Topics | |
| CAH 1135 | History of Spanish Art From the Golden Age to Goya | |
| CAH 1136 | History of Spanish Art From Goya to the Present | |
| CAH 2001 | Special Topics | |
| CAH 2001W | Special Topics | |
| CAH 2145 | History of European Decorative Arts | |
| CAH 3099 | Variable Topics | |
| CAH 4197 | Senior Thesis | |
| CAH 4198 | Independent Study | |
| CAH 4199 | Internship in Art History | |
| CAH 4401 | Museum Practicum | |
*No course can be counted toward more than one 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
- 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 can also be counted toward majors or minors. Transfer courses taken prior to, but not after, admission to George Washington University can 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.
To be eligible to write a senior thesis and for honors in art history, students must have attained a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 in the major and 3.3 overall by the end of their junior year. By the end of their junior year, students should consult the director of undergraduate studies regarding eligibility and selection of an area of research and the appropriate faculty members to supervise the project. Students work closely with a thesis advisor, gaining additional feedback from one or two readers at the draft stage. Students are strongly encouraged to consider taking the full two semesters to complete the thesis. If writing the thesis in one semester, students should consider basing their project on preexisting research from a prior course.
Students pursuing the thesis register for CAH 4197 Senior Thesis, which may count toward an elective in fulfillment of the major.