| Admission deadlines: | Fall: January 7th - Fellowship & Application Deadline |
| Spring: October 1st - Fellowship & Application Deadline | |
| Applications for admission will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis after the fellowship deadlines have passed, but students will not be considered for fellowships. | |
| Recommendations required: | Two (2) recommendations, preferably one from an academic source. |
| Standardized tests: | GRE and GMAT scores are not accepted and will not be considered in the review process. Please do not submit scores. |
| Prior academic records: | Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be uploaded to your online application. Official transcripts are required only of applicants who are offered admission. |
| If academic records are in a language other than English, English language translations must be provided. The English translations alone should be uploaded into the online application. Official transcripts and certified English translations will be required of applicants who are offered admission. | |
| Statement of purpose: | For your Statement of Purpose, choose one of these options: |
| In an essay of approximately 500 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study at the Elliott School of International Affairs. As part of your statement of purpose, describe your academic and research interests, career objectives, and how a degree from the Elliott School will enable you to achieve your goals. Please be specific. | |
| OR | |
| In an essay of approximately 500 words, please discuss an issue of international importance you wish to address in your professional career. Please include how the Elliott School and the academic program to which you have applied will prepare you to address this global issue. | |
| Additional requirements: | A resumé or curriculum vitae is required. Resumés/CVs must include dates of employment (if applicable) and date of degree conferral or expected degree conferral. |
| International applicants only: | PLEASE NOTE: International applicants who require a student visa are not eligible for admission to this program. |
| International Applicants may be required to submit official English language tests scores with their application. Please see the Elliott School's English Language Requirements for guidance on whether you need to take an English language exam. Please send official TOEFL scores to institution code 5246. | |
| The minimum English Language Test Requirements can be found below: | |
| Eligible for Admission & requires EAP Courses: | |
| IELTS- 7.0 overall score, no band score below 6.0 | |
| TOEFL- 100 (internet test) 600 (paper test) | |
| PTE- 68 | |
| Eligible for Admission & Exempt from EAP Courses**: | |
| IETLS- 7.0 overall score, no band score below 6.5 | |
| TOEFL- 105 (internet test) 650 (paper test) | |
| PTE- 72 | |
| **Spring applicants must receive at least these scores to be considered for admission. |
Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:
Office of Graduate Admissions
The Elliott School of International Affairs
The George Washington University
1957 E Street, NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20052
Contact for questions:
esiagrad@gwu.edu ~ 202-994-7050 (phone) ~ 202.994.9537 (fax)
9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 15 credits, including one 3-credit core course and 12 credits in supporting courses; up to 3 credits in skills courses may be applied to the supporting course requirement.
See notes regarding special topics and skills courses.*
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| Core course (3 credits) | ||
| IAFF 6102 | Global Gender Policy | |
| Supporting courses (12 credits) | ||
| 12 credits in supporting courses are required. At least three courses (9 credits) must be selected from the following list. Supporting courses also may include up to three 1-credit skills courses, also listed below. | ||
| ANTH 3504 | Illness, Healing, and Culture | |
| ANTH 6501 | Gender and Sexuality | |
| ANTH 6505 | Medical Anthropology | |
| EDUC 6640 | Selected Topics in International Education (Gender in International Education and Development) | |
| HIST 6601 | Topics: Asian History (Gender, Power, and Sexuality in East Asia) | |
or WGSS 6270: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in East Asia | ||
| HIST 6602 | Asia: History, Memory, and Violence | |
| IAFF 3190W | Special Topics (Masculinities in International Affairs; open to graduate students) * | |
| IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Gender, War, and Peace) * | |
| IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Global Justice) | |
| IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Research Methods in Global Gender Issues) * | |
| IAFF 6136 | Gender and Development | |
| IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender and Development) * | |
| IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender, Disaster, and Development) * | |
| IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Human Trafficking) | |
| IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Violence, Gender, and Humanitarian Assistance) * | |
| IAFF 6318 | Special Topics in Asian Studies (Women in Asia) | |
| LAW 6350 | Domestic Violence Law | |
| LAW 6394 | Sexuality and the Law | |
| LAW 6570 | International Human Rights of Women | |
| LAW 6608 | Feminist Legal Theory | |
| PSC 2991 | Special Topics in Political Thought (Obligation, Obedience, and Power) | |
| PUBH 6399 | Topics in Health Policy (Reproductive Health Policy) | |
| SOC 6273 | The Sex Industry | |
| WGSS 2120 | Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | |
| WGSS 2135 | A Study of Women and Media | |
| WGSS 3170 | Special Topics in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (Gender and Islamic Activism) | |
| WGSS 3481 | Women in Islam | |
| WGSS 3981 | Women in Western Religion | |
| WGSS 6220 | Fundamentals of Feminist Theory | |
| WGSS 6221 | Research Issues in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | |
| WGSS 6230 | Global Feminisms | |
| WGSS 6238 | Feminist Ethics and Policy Implications | |
| WGSS 6240 | Gender and Public Policy | |
| WGSS 6241 | Gender, Law, and Politics | |
| WGSS 6268 | Race, Gender, and Class | |
| WGSS 6270 | Seminar: Selected Topics (Global Islamic Feminisms) | |
| WGSS 6270 | Seminar: Selected Topics ** | |
| Recommended skills courses | ||
| Up to three skills courses (for a total of 3 credits) selected from the following may be applied toward the supporting course requirement: | ||
| IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Advocating for Women's Rights) * | |
| IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Courageous Leadership and Change) | |
| IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Developing Effective Proposals) | |
| IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Negotiation Skills) | |
| IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation for Development) | |
| IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Participatory Planning) | |
| IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II (Gender Advisor: Roles and Skills) * | |
| IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II (Gender Monitoring and Evaluation) * | |
| IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II (Gender Responsive Budgeting) * | |
| IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II (Political Analysis) | |
*These courses are directly affiliated with the Elliott School's Gender Equality Initiative in International Affairs and are strongly recommended to be taken as part of a student's program of study.
**Only topics offered under WGSS 6270 that have been determined by the director to be relevant to the student’s program of study may be taken for credit toward the supporting course requirement. Topics vary by semester and must be approved by the director prior to enrollment. Consult the Schedule of Classes for each semester’s offerings.
Additional information regarding skills courses is available on the Elliott School website.