Graduate Certificate Programs

Our graduate certificate programs give students the opportunity to study international affairs topics outside their chosen fields. Students enrich their academic programs with an in-depth exploration of today's most relevant global issues. U.S. citizens may apply for a graduate certificate. Non-citizen visa applicants are not eligible for graduate certificates.

Programs

• Global Gender Policy
• International Science and Technology Policy
• Nuclear Policy Studies

GPA Requirement

To obtain the certificate, a students must maintain an average grade of B or better and meet all requirements for the individual certificate program. Students must complete their certificate programs within three calendar years. Certificate students must abide by all regulations of the Elliott School and The George Washington University. (See The George Washington University Bulletin. There is no foreign-language requirement for the certificate program.

Certificate Program Plan

Each student in the certificate program must fill out a Graduate Certificate Program Plan of Study and submit it to the Graduate Student Services Office by the end of the first semester. In the Certificate Program Plan, students must identify the specific courses they will take to meet the requirements for that certificate.

Transfer into an M.A. Program

Students enrolled in a graduate certificate program may apply to transfer into a master’s degree program if all of the following conditions are met:

• Admission requirements of the M.A. program

• Submission of a transfer application into the M.A. program before the student completes more than nine credit hours in the graduate certificate program 

• Good academic standing in the graduate certificate program (a minimum GPA of 3.0)

The student may count toward the master’s degree program up to nine credit hours completed while enrolled in the graduate certificate program.  However, under this option, the student would be enrolled only in the M.A. program and would not receive a graduate certificate.

If the graduate certificate program student would like to complete both an M.A. program and the graduate certificate program, only six credit hours can be double-counted across the two programs.

Transferring Credits

No transfer credits from other academic institutions will be accepted in the certificate program.

Clearance Forms

By the end of the second week of the student's final semester in the certificate program, the student is responsible for applying for clearance in the certificate program. Clearance forms are available from the Graduate Student Services. The form must be completed in order for the student to receive the certificate. Students who successfully complete the certificate program may participate in the Elliott School's Celebration of Student Achievement.

Undergraduate Courses

With the approval of the Office of Student Services, students may take other courses not on the list of suggested courses. Up to six (6) semester hours of undergraduate (100-200-level) courses may be taken for graduate credit with the permission of the instructors. This permission must be granted at the beginning of the semester during which the course in taken.