Visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences website for application requirements.
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 for questions:
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.
36 credits, including 15 credits in core courses, 3 credits in skills courses, 6 credits in capstone courses, and 12 credits in elective courses. In lieu of the 12 credits in elective courses, students can choose to complete a 12-credit focus area in climate and sustainability communication.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| Core courses 1 | ||
| SMPA 6202 | Media Effects, Public Opinion, and Persuasion | |
| SMPA 6204 | Strategic Political Communication | |
| SMPA 6208 | Politics and Public Relations Fundamentals | |
| SMPA 6241 | Research Design | |
| SMPA 6242 | Analytics and Data Analysis for Strategic Communication | |
| Skills course | ||
| SMPA 6201 | Strategic Communications Skills (taken twice on different topics for a total of 3 credits) 2 | |
| Capstone 3 | ||
| 6 total credits taken as 3 credits in each of the last two semesters in the program. Students fulfill this requirement in one of the three options below, selected in consultation with the advisor. | ||
| Research thesis | ||
| SMPA 6999 | Thesis Research (taken twice for a total of six credits) | |
or | ||
| Media project | ||
| SMPA 6297 | Media Capstone Project (taken twice for a total of six credits) | |
or | ||
| Strategic communication project. The courses for this option are taken in the order shown. | ||
| SMPA 6220 | Strategic Practicum | |
| SMPA 6298 | Strategic Communication Capstone Project | |
| Electives | ||
| 12 credits in courses selected in consultation with the advisor. | ||
| Optional focus area in climate and sustainability communication | ||
| In lieu of the 12 credits in elective courses normally required for the program (above) students can choose to complete a 12-credit focus area in climate and sustainability. Requirements for the focus area are as follows: | ||
| Required course | ||
| SMPA 6280 | Science and Environmental Communication | |
| One course dealing with the science of climate and environmental change selected from the following: | ||
| GEOG 6218 | Arctic Systems | |
| GEOG 6220 | Seminar: Climatic Change 3 | |
| PPPA 6101 | Environmental Sciences I: Physical Sciences | |
| PPPA 6102 | Environmental Sciences II: Life Sciences | |
| Two courses selected from the following or other courses approved by the director of graduate studies: | ||
| GEOG 6232 | Migration and Development | |
| GEOG 6243 | Seminar: Urban Geography | |
| GEOG 6244 | Urban Sustainability | |
| IAFF 6151 | Environmental Policy | |
| IAFF 6153 | Science, Technology, and National Security | |
| PHIL 6281 | Environmental Philosophy and Policy | |
| PPPA 6140 | Introduction to Environmental Law | |
| PPPA 6066 | U.S. Environmental Policy | |
1On the basis of academic or professional preparation, students can petition to waive any required course with substitution of another approved course.
2Students can take an additional 3 credits in SMPA 6201, to be counted as an elective.
3Students who select the strategic communication capstone option cannot count SMPA 6220 as an elective.
With the permission of the advisor, a limited number of upper-division undergraduate courses can be taken for graduate credit, provided additional work is required by the instructor.