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.

Elliott School bachelor's degrees engage students with global issues through multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. Students begin their studies with foundational courses in political science, economics, history, and anthropology or geography. They supplement these courses with others in the traditional liberal arts categories of writing, oral communication, natural or physical science, mathematics or statistics, and the humanities/creative arts, plus two writing in the disciplines courses. Language study also is emphasized early to enable students to satisfy the third-year language proficiency requirement of the bachelor's degree in a timely manner. 

Elliott School bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 120 credits. The following three sets of requirements must be fulfilled:

  • University General Education requirement
  • Elliott School introductory requirements
  • Major requirements

University General Education requirement

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). 
    • Students in the BS in international affairs program must take a calculus-based course to fulfill the University General Education requirement in quantitative reasoning. Options include MATH 1220 Calculus with Precalculus I and MATH 1221 Calculus with Precalculus II; MATH 1231 Single-Variable Calculus I; MATH 1232 Single-Variable Calculus II; or MATH 1252 Calculus for the Social and Management Sciences. Students must complete all required prerequisites for their intended analytic core courses. Students are encouraged to consult their advisor with any questions.
  • One course in scientific reasoning, with lab (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. 

Elliott School introductory requirements

22 credits

Major requirements

In addition to the University General Education requirement and Elliott School introductory requirements, Elliott School students must complete the specific requirements for their major. See below. Students must earn a grade of C- or above in all courses counted toward major requirements.

If you are an Elliott School student who started at GW before Fall 2024, you are following a different version of the curriculum. Please find your degree requirements in the archived Bulletin for your matriculation year.

Students pursuing the BA in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies as a second major must complete all of the major requirements listed below, including any prerequisites for these courses. These requirements are taken in addition to the requirements for the student's primary major, which typically includes completion of the University General Education requirement and other requirements specific to the primary major. Students are encouraged to talk with their home school's academic advisor for more information about their primary major requirements.

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Elliott School of International Affairs, Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

A minimum grade of C- must be earned in all major requirement courses, to include the last course used to prove third-year proficiency in a modern language.

If a student wishes to take any course not listed here, prior approval of the program director is required.

Foundation (3 credits)
Required
IAFF 2090Latin America: Problems and Promise
Language (credits vary)
Students must demonstrate third-year Spanish proficiency by examination or coursework. If taking coursework, students can satisfy the language requirement by taking a course that is equivalent to third-year proficiency, or by taking a course beyond the third year which has a listed prerequisite of the second semester of the third year. Please note that the language placement exam determines the level at which students begin their language study. Additional information regarding the Elliott School language examinations is available on the Undergraduate Language Proficiency Requirement website.
Spanish
Option one:
SPAN 1001Elementary Spanish I
SPAN 1002Elementary Spanish II
SPAN 1013Intermediate Spanish I: the Spanish-Speaking World
SPAN 1014Intermediate Spanish II: the Spanish-speaking world
SPAN 2005Advanced Spanish I
SPAN 2006Advanced Spanish II
Or
Option two:
SPAN 1012Intensive Elementary Spanish: the Spanish-speaking world
SPAN 1034Intensive Intermediate Spanish
SPAN 2056Intensive Advanced Spanish through Sustainability Literacy

Regional Foundations (3 credits)

One course from the following in any region other than Latin America. IAFF, ANTH, ECON, GEOG, HIST, and PSC courses pertaining to a region of the world with a focus on the contemporary, post-World War II era. Includes courses focused on single and multiple countries in a region.

Africa
ANTH 3708Anthropology of Africa (Africa and the Contemporary Diaspora)
GEOG 3164The Geography of Africa
HIST 2001Special Topics (Pan-Africanism in Africa)
HIST 3530Women in Africa
IAFF 2093Africa: Problems and Prospects
IAFF 3189Special Topics in African Studies (Africa Declassified)
IAFF 3189Special Topics in African Studies (Africa in the Global Economy)
IAFF 3189Special Topics in African Studies (Ethnic and Religious Conflict in Africa)
IAFF 3189Special Topics in African Studies (Hip Hop and Social Change in Africa)
IAFF 3189Special Topics in African Studies (International Affairs in Africa)
IAFF 3189Special Topics in African Studies (Security Challenged in Africa)
IAFF 3189Special Topics in African Studies (Women and Leadership in Africa)
PSC 2381Comparative Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa
PSC 2482African International Politics
Asia
(Students in the BA in Asian studies program must fulfill the regional foundations requirement using a course focused in a world region other than Asia.)
ECON 2169Introduction to the Economy of China
GEOG 3165Geography of South Asia
HIST 3611History of Modern China
HIST 3615History of Chinese Communism
HIST 3621History of Modern Japan
HIST 3631History of Modern Korea
HIST 3640History of Southeast Asia
IAFF 2091East Asia-Past and Present
IAFF 3186Special Topics in Asian Studies (Asian Order and Community Building)
IAFF 3186Special Topics in Asian Studies (Central Asia Security)
IAFF 3186Special Topics in Asian Studies (Comparative Politics in Southeast Asia)
or PSC 2373 Comparative Politics of Southeast Asia
IAFF 3186Special Topics in Asian Studies (Economic Lessons from East Asia)
IAFF 3186Special Topics in Asian Studies (Indo-Pacific Security Challenges)
IAFF 3186Special Topics in Asian Studies (Women in Asia)
IAFF 3752WEquitable Development in Southeast Asia
IAFF 3753International Relations of South Asia
IAFF 3756Christianity and Islam in East Asia
IAFF 3757North Korean Society and Culture
IAFF 3758China and the World
PSC 2368Politics in the Two Koreas
PSC 2371Politics and Foreign Policy of China
PSC 2374Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan
PSC 2373Comparative Politics of Southeast Asia
or IAFF 3186 Special Topics in Asian Studies (Comparative Politics of Southeast Asia)
PSC 2475International Relations of East Asia
PSC 2993Special Topics in Comparative Politics (Politics of China I)
Europe and Eurasia
GEOG 3197Special Topics in Regional Geography (Geography of Russia and Its Neighbors)
HIST 2125Twentieth-Century Europe
HIST 3168Divided and United Germany Since 1945
IAFF 2092Russia and Eastern Europe: An Introduction
IAFF 2094Europe in Transition
IAFF 3185Special Topics in European and Eurasian Studies (Nationalism in Eurasia)
IAFF 3185Special Topics in European and Eurasian Studies (The West and Russia)
IAFF 3185Special Topics in European and Eurasian Studies (Ukrainian Security)
PSC 2330Comparative Politics of Western Europe
PSC 2331Comparative Politics of Central and Eastern Europe
PSC 2332European Integration
PSC 2366Russian Politics
PSC 2993Special Topics in Comparative Politics (Dictators in Europe and Russia)
PSC 2994Special Topics in International Relations (International Politics of Central and Eastern Europe)
PSC 3192WProseminar: Political Science (British Politics)
Latin America
(Students in the BA in Latin American and hemispheric studies program must fulfill the regional foundations requirement using a course focused in a world region other than Latin America.)
ANTH 3702Anthropology of Latin America
ANTH 3791Topics in Regional Anthropology (Anthropology of the Caribbean)
HIST 3701Topics in Latin American History (Democracy in Latin America)
or IAFF 3187 Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Democracy in Latin America)
HIST 3701Topics in Latin American History (Violence, Drugs, and Democracy in Latin America)
HIST 3710History of Latin America I
HIST 3711History of Latin America II
IAFF 2090Latin America: Problems and Promise
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Climate Change and Environmental Policy in Latin America)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Contemporary Issues of US-Mexican Relations))
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Democracy in Latin America)
or HIST 3701 Topics in Latin American History (Democracy in Latin America)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Development in Chile)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Historical Memory and Human Rights in Chile)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (International Relations-Latin America)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Economic and Social Development of Latin America)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Racial and Ethnic Politics of Latin America)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Security in the Americas)
IAFF 3853Latin American Geopolitics and Geoeconomics
IAFF 3855Argentina in Global Context
PSC 2383Comparative Politics of Latin America
PSC 2994Special Topics in International Relations
Middle East
(Students in the BA in Middle East studies program must fulfill the regional foundations requirement using a course focused in a world region other than the Middle East.)
ANTH 3707Anthropology of the Middle East
GEOG 3154Geography of the Middle East and North Africa
HIST 3801Topics in Middle Eastern History (The Middle East Since WWII)
HIST 3825Land and Power in Israel/Palestine
IAFF 2095The Middle East in International Affairs
IAFF 2190Special Topics (Politics and Culture in Africa)
IAFF 2190WSpecial Topics (Arab Politics)
IAFF 2190WSpecial Topics (Politics and Culture in the Middle East)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (International Relations-Middle East)
or PSC 2478 International Relations of the Middle East
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (Israeli Society and Politics)
or JSTD 2002 Topics in Judaic Studies: Modern (Israeli Society and Politics)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (Iran in the Middle East)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (National Security Lab Middle East)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (Partitions: A History)
or JSTD 2002 Topics in Judaic Studies: Modern (Partitions: A History)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (Political Economy of the Middle East)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (Popular Politics in the Middle East)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (The Middle East Since WWII)
IAFF 3188Special Topics in Middle East Studies (US Foreign Policy in the Middle East)
IAFF 3352Israeli and Palestinian Peacebuilding
JSTD 2002Topics in Judaic Studies: Modern (Israeli Society and Politics)
or IAFF 3188 Special Topics in Middle East Studies (Israeli Society and Politics)
PSC 2377Comparative Politics of the Middle East
PSC 2476The Arab-Israeli Conflict
or PSC 2476W The Arab-Israeli Conflict
PSC 2478International Relations of the Middle East
or IAFF 3188 Special Topics in Middle East Studies (International Relations of the Middle East)
PSC 2993Special Topics in Comparative Politics (Politics of Modern Iran)

 Research Methods (3 credits)

One course pertaining to qualitative or quantitative social science research methods, computer programming, or other analytical competencies, from the following:

ANTH 3531Methods in Sociocultural Anthropology
APSC 3115Engineering Analysis III
CSCI 1012Introduction to Programming with Python
DATS 1001Data Science for All
or PSC 2990 (Data Science for All)
DNSC 1001Business Analytics I: Statistics for Descriptive and Predictive Analytics *
DNSC 2001Business Analytics II: Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics **
ECON 2123Introduction to Econometrics
or STAT 2123 Introduction to Econometrics
ECON 3105Economic Forecasting
GEOG 2104Introduction to Cartography and GIS
GEOG 3198Special Topics (Open Source: Geo Programming II)
IAFF 2101Qualitative Methods in International Affairs
IAFF 2102Quantitative Methods in International Affairs
IAFF 3190Special Topics in International Affairs (International Conflict and Politics Research Seminar)
IAFF 4191WResearch and Writing Seminar (International Conflict and Politics Research Seminar)
IAFF 4192Team-Based Applied Learning Seminar (Peacebuilding Applied Research)
IAFF 4192Team-Based Applied Learning Seminar (Applied Research in Africa)
IAFF 4192Team-Based Applied Learning Seminar (Conflict & Stabilization Applied Research)
ISTM 3119Introduction to Programming
PSC 2101Scope and Methods of Political Science
PSC 2990Selected Topics (Data Science for All)
or DATS 1001 Data Science for All
PSYC 2101Research Methods in Psychology
PUBH 2140Foundations of Research Methods
PUBH 2142Introduction to Biostatistics for Public Health
PUBH 3131Epidemiology
PUBH 4201Practical Computing
SMPA 2151Research Methods
SOC 2101Social Research Methods
SOC 2102Techniques of Data Analysis
STAT 1051Introduction to Business and Economic Statistics *
STAT 1053Introduction to Statistics in Social Science *
STAT 1111Business and Economic Statistics I *
STAT 1127Statistics for the Biological Sciences *
STAT 1129Introduction to Computing
STAT 2112Business and Economic Statistics II **
STAT 2118Regression Analysis
STAT 2123Introduction to Econometrics
or ECON 2123 Introduction to Econometrics
STAT 2183WIntermediate Statistical Laboratory: Statistical Computing Packages
STAT 4157Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I
SUST 3097Culminating Experience in Sustainability (Sustainability Research Methods)
*Credit for only one of the following courses can be counted toward an Elliott School undergraduate degree: DNSC 1001, STAT 1051, STAT 1053, STAT 1111, or STAT 1127.
**Credit for only one of the following courses can be counted toward an Elliott School undergraduate degree: DNSC 2001 or STAT 2112.
Latin American literature (3 credits)
One course from the following. Another literature course at the 3000 or 4000 level can be substituted with the approval of the program director.
PORT 4800Independent Study *
SPAN 3100Texts and Contexts of the Spanish-Speaking World
SPAN 3410Latin American Short Fiction
SPAN 3520Decolonizing the Empire: Colonial Latin America
SPAN 3600Special Topics
or SPAN 4600 Special Topics
SPAN 4410Contemporary Narrative in Latin America
SPAN 4800Independent Study *
*Program director approval is required for PORT 4800 or SPAN 4800 Independent Study courses.
Multi-disciplinary core courses
History (3 credits)
One course selected from the following:
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (History of Latin America II)
HIST 3701Topics in Latin American History
HIST 3710History of Latin America I
Political Science (3 credits)
One course selected from the following:
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Democracy Under Siege)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Racial and Ethnic Politics in Latin America)
PSC 2383Comparative Politics of Latin America
Economics (3 credits)
One course selected from the following:
IAFF 3177Political Economy of Latin America
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Economic and Social Development of Latin America)
Geography (3 credits)
One course selected from the following:
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Geopolitics-Geoeconomics of Latin America)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Latino Migration)
Anthropology (3 credits)
One course selected from the following:
ANTH 3702Anthropology of Latin America
ANTH 3791Topics in Regional Anthropology (Anthropology of the Caribbean)
ANTH 3991Special Topics (Displacement & Diaspora)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Latin American Environmental Politics)
Students can use other 3000-level anthropology courses with Latin American content with the approval of the program director
International Affairs (6 credits)
Two courses selected from the following:
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Contemporary Mexican-US Relations)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Latin America-U.S. Relations)
IAFF 3187Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Latin American geopolitics and geoeconomics)
PSC 2484International Relations of Latin America
Undergraduate students can enroll in Latin American and hemispheric studies graduate courses with the instructor's approval.
Related coursework
6 credits
Two courses related to Latin America from any discipline, including International Affairs (IAFF). Courses that are approved for other Latin American and hemispheric studies requirements will automatically satisfy this requirement, but cannot be double counted. Courses taken for this requirement must be taken for a letter grade with a C- or better. Courses that are focused on language instruction cannot be counted toward this requirement. Course selection should discussed with the program director or academic advisor; additional course options can be considered.
Study abroad
Students are encouraged to study in Latin America through one of GW's formal partnerships with a regional university or an approved self-designed study abroad program.