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:

Prerequisite courses
The prerequisite courses listed below are not required for students who demonstrate proficiency beyond the level of a given course. For example, a student who demonstrates proficiency beyond the first-year level can be exempted from JAPN 1001 and 1002. A student whose proficiency exceeds that of JAPN 2004 is not required to take any of these courses.
JAPN 1001Beginning Japanese I
JAPN 1002Beginning Japanese II
JAPN 2003Intermediate Japanese I
JAPN 2004Intermediate Japanese II
Required for the major
JAPN 3105Intermediate Japanese III
JAPN 3106Intermediate Japanese IV
JAPN 3111Japanese Literature in Translation I
JAPN 3112Japanese Literature in Translation II
JAPN 4109Introduction to Bungo, Literary Japanese
Electives
Six additional JAPN courses (18 credits) numbered 3000 or above.
Two courses (6 credits) selected from the following:
ANTH 3705Anthropology of East Asia
CAH 2190East Asian Art
CHIN 3111Chinese Literature in Translation I
CHIN 3112Chinese Literature in Translation II
CHIN 3136WChinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film
or WGSS 3136 Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film
or WGSS 3136W Chinese Women in Myth, Literature, and Film
EALL 3811Confucian Literature in East Asia
or REL 2811 Confucian Literature in East Asia
EALL 3814Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
or REL 2814 Religion and Philosophy in East Asia
EALL 3831Introduction to Daoism
or REL 2831 Introduction to Daoism
HIST 3610Imperial China (Song-Qing)
HIST 3611History of Modern China
HIST 3621History of Modern Japan
IAFF 2091East Asia-Past and Present
KOR 3111Korean Literature in Translation I
KOR 3112Korean Literature in Translation II
PSC 2370Comparative Politics of China and Northeast Asia
PSC 2374Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan
PSC 2475International Relations of East Asia
REL 2601Buddhism

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.

Students may apply to earn special honors in Japanese to be noted on their transcript. The Japanese program selects no more than two students based on overall performance in the program. Departmental faculty will recommend the student for special honors only if they meet the requirements for eligibility:

  • Meet GW’s special honors requirements 
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.7 in courses in the major and overall GPA of 3.4.
  • Achieve a minimum grade of C- in every course taken at GW