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
38 or 41 credits (10 or 11 courses) in basic science 1
BISC 1111Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules
BISC 1112Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms
BISC 2207Genetics 2
or BISC 2202 Cell Biology
CHEM 1111General Chemistry I
CHEM 1112General Chemistry II
CHEM 2151
CHEM 2153
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
CHEM 2152
CHEM 2154
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
PHYS 1025University Physics I with Biological Applications
or PHYS 1011 General Physics I
or PHYS 1021 University Physics I
PHYS 1026University Physics II with Biological Applications
or PHYS 1012 General Physics II
or PHYS 1022 University Physics II
MATH 1220
MATH 1221
Calculus with Precalculus I
and Calculus with Precalculus II
or MATH 1231 Single-Variable Calculus I
6 credits (two courses) in quantitative methods, selected from the following:
BISC 2585Biometry
CSCI 1012Introduction to Programming with Python
DATS 1001Data Science for All
DATS 2102Data Visualization for Data Science
DATS 2103Data Mining for Data Science
DATS 2104Data Warehousing for Data Science
PUBH 3201Introduction to Bioinformatics
STAT 1127Statistics for the Biological Sciences 2
9 credits in three gateway courses that introduce core neuroscience concepts, selected from the following:
ANAT 2160Human Functional Neuroanatomy
or SLHS 2106 Neural Substrates of Speech, Language, and Hearing
BISC 2320Neural Circuits and Behavior
BISC 3320Human Neurobiology
PSYC 2015Biological Psychology
15 credits (five courses), taken in the following three categories:
Cellular/molecular/systems neuroscience: 6 credits (two courses), selected from the following:
ANTH 3413Evolution of the Human Brain
BISC 2220Developmental Neurobiology
BISC 3214Developmental Biology
BISC 3320Human Neurobiology
PSYC 3199Current Topics in Psychology
Cognitive neuroscience: 6 credits (two courses), selected from the following:
PSYC 3118Neuropsychology
PSYC 3121Memory and Cognition
PSYC 3122The Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 3124Visual Perception
PSYC 3127Social and Affective Neuroscience
SLHS 2133Autism
SLHS 3116Brain and Language
Advanced biochemistry: 3 or 4 credits (one course), selected from the following:
BISC 3261Introductory Medical Biochemistry
CHEM 3165Biochemistry I 2
CHEM 3166Biochemistry II
Research/laboratory experience
3 or 4 credits in a research/laboratory experience, which may be fulfilled by one semester of guided or independent research in ANTH, CHEM, PHIL, PSYC, or SLHS, or in one of the following courses: 3
BISC 2452
BISC 2453
Animal Behavior
and Animal Behavior Laboratory
BISC 4171Undergraduate Research
or BISC 4171W Undergraduate Research
BISC 4172Independent Study
BISC 4180Undergraduate Research Seminar
PSYC 4106WResearch Lab in Sensation and Perception
PSYC 4107WResearch Lab in Cognitive Neuroscience

138 credits (10 courses) if MATH 1231 is taken; 41 credits (11 courses) if MATH 1220 and MATH 1221 are taken

2Recommended for premed students. In addition, premed students are advised to take BISC 2322, BISC 2337, and SOC 1001.

3SLHS courses are available only to students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in major courses and/or the permission of the instructor.

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.

In addition to the general requirements stated under University Regulations, in order to be considered for graduation with Special Honors, students must maintain a cumulative 3.5 grade-point average in biological sciences courses and at least a 3.0 cumulative overall grade-point average. Students who meet these criteria and wish to pursue special honors must complete an approved research project under faculty direction.