| Admission deadlines: | Fall - February 1: Priority consideration for admission and funding; April 1: Guaranteed review for admission and consideration for funding, if available. (Applications for admission will continue to be accepted after April 1, when space remains available in the program.) |
| Standardized test scores: | The GRE general exam is not required. |
| The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the PTE Academic is required of all applicants except those who hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a college or university in the United States or from an institution located in a country in which English is the official language, provided English was the language of instruction. | |
| Minimum scores for the program are: | |
| - Academic IELTS: an overall band score of 6.0 with no individual score below 5.0; or | |
| - TOEFL: 550 on paper-based or 80 on Internet-based; or | |
| - PTE Academic: 53 | |
| Please note that applicants admitted to the program who are required to take an English for Academic Purposes course (EAP) must be available to complete the EAP course in the summer preceding start of the MA program. | |
| Recommendations required: | Two (2) recommendations |
| 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 must be uploaded to your online application. Official transcripts are required only of applicants who are offered admission. |
| If transcripts are in a language other than English, English language translations must be provided. The English translation alone should be uploaded into your application. | |
| Statement of purpose: | In an essay of no more than 750 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study in your chosen field at GW in particular, including your academic objectives and career plans. |
| Additional Requirements: | An interview with the MA-EX Director of Graduate Studies is recommended. |
| A design portfolio is required. For applicants without backgrounds in art or design, portfolios may include photography, inspirational images, sketches, or any other media that visually represent the applicant. | |
| 1) Include images and brief descriptions of 2D and 3D work. | |
| 2) Provide a visual narrative that illustrates and describes an experience, a perspective, or a project relevant to the field of exhibition design. | |
| International applicants only: | Please follow this link - https://columbian.gwu.edu/international-graduate-applicants - to review the International Applicant Information carefully for details on required documents, earlier deadlines for applicants requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 from GW. |
Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Graduate Studies
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street NW, Phillips Hall 107
Washington DC 20052
For additional information about the admissions process visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Frequently Asked Questions page.
Contact:
askccas@gwu.edu
202-994-6210 (phone)
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.
48 credits, including 33 credits in required courses and 15 credits in elective courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| CAH 6400 | History of Exhibitions | |
| CEX 6010 | Exhibition Design Studio 1 | |
| CEX 6011 | Spatial Representation and Making I | |
| CEX 6012 | Spatial Representation and Making II | |
| CEX 6014 | Materials, Detailing, and Fabrication/Installation | |
| CEX 6020 | Exhibition Design Studio 2 | |
| CEX 6030 | Exhibition Design Studio 3 | |
| CEX 6040 | Exhibition Design Studio 4 | |
| CEX 6100 | Lighting, Acoustics, and Design for the Senses | |
| CEX 6220 | Exhibition Design Research | |
| CEX 6230 | Art and Design Writing | |
| Electives | ||
| 15 credits (5 courses) taken as follows: * | ||
| One 3-credit open elective. | ||
| One 3-credit curatorial course including but not limited to the following: | ||
| CIXD 6011 | Narrative Media Design for Interaction | |
| CMST 6301 | Museum Exhibition Curatorial Research and Planning | |
| CMST 6304 | Exhibition Development and Scriptwriting | |
| CMST 6703 | Museums and Community Engagement | |
| CSA 6016 | Field and Research Methodologies for Artists | |
| CSA 6097 | Topics in Public Strategies | |
| One 3-credit tools/techniques course, which may be, but is not limited to, one of the following: | ||
| CIXD 6012 | Prototyping Interaction | |
| CIXD 6111 | Creative Code | |
| CIXD 6112 | Data Visualization and Sonification | |
| CPJ 6050 | Advanced Multimedia Lab I | |
| CPJ 6300 | Speed of Sound | |
| CMST 6203 | Preventive Conservation Concepts | |
| CMST 6204 | Preventive Conservation Techniques | |
| CMST 6206 | Digitization and Digital Asset Management | |
| CSA 6202 | Sculpture Digital Forms | |
| CSA 6214 | Metals and Metalworking | |
| CSA 6240 | Wear, Strut, Occupy | |
| CSA 6241 | Installation Art | |
| CSA 6601 | Special Topics: Time-Based and Electronic Media | |
| CSA 6606 | Performative Media | |
| CSA 6702 | Screenprinting | |
| CSA 6901 | Special Topics in Cross-Disciplinary Studio Arts | |
| CIAR 6150 | Sketching Architecture and Design | |
| CIAR 6225 | Interior Materials and Color Theory | |
| CIAR 6350 | Sustainability and the Built Environment | |
| CIAR 6425 | Lighting and Acoustics | |
| CIAR 6550 | Structures and Building Systems | |
| One 3-credit arts/design business/management course, which may be, but is not limited to, one of the following: | ||
| CIXD 6021 | Design Leadership and Professional Practices | |
| CMST 6101 | Museum Management | |
| CMST 6102 | Museum Financial Management | |
| CMST 6104 | Managing People and Projects | |
| CMST 6105 | Museum Fundraising | |
| CMST 6106 | Museum Marketing | |
| One 3-credit history, theory, or criticism course, which may be, but is not limited to, one of the following: | ||
| CIXD 6020 | Topics in Human Centered Design | |
| CMST 6107 | Museum Ethics and Values | |
| CMST 6306 | Race, Gender, Sexuality, and the Museum | |
| CMST 6403 | Museums and Technology | |
| CMST 6404 | Museums and Social Media | |
| CMST 6601 | Special Topics in Museum Studies | |
| CSA 6015 | History and Theory of Art in the Public Realm | |
| CSA 6091 | Contemporary Art and Theory for Artists I | |
| Or any CAH course numbered 6000 or above. | ||
*Students must meet with the advisor prior to elective selection.