General Bachelor Requirements

Elliott School bachelor's degrees engage students with global issues through multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches. Students begin their studies in the first year with foundational courses in political science, economics, history, and anthropology or geography. They supplement these courses with courses in the traditional liberal arts categories of composition, math, science, and the humanities. Foreign language study is also emphasized early in each program to enable students to satisfy the third-year language proficiency requirement of our majors in a timely manner. Explore our introductory curriculum below.

Introduction to the Major

Prerequisite Core (19 credits)

Required*:

IAFF 1001 First Year Experience
(This course is only required for first year students starting Fall 2018 or later; Transfer students are not required to take this course.)

IAFF 1005 Introduction to International Affairs

ECON 1011 Principles of Economics – Micro

ECON 1012 Principles of Economics – Macro

HIST 1011 World History (1500 to present)

PSC 1001 Introduction to Comparative Politics

*These courses must be taken in the first year. With the exception of IAFF 1001 (fall), ECON 1011 (fall) and ECON 1012 (spring), courses can be taken in fall or spring.

Select One:

These courses satisfy departmental prerequisite requirements for upper-level courses approved for use later in the International Affairs program.

ANTH 1002 Sociocultural Anthropology

ANTH 1004 Language in Culture and Society

GEOG 1001 Introduction to Human Geography

With advisor approval, a student may select another introductory social science course if s/he can demonstrate why it is relevant to the student's academic pursuits. Examples of courses that might be accepted include GEOG 1003.

Supporting Courses in the Liberal Arts

Writing (10 Credits)

This requirement enables students to develop their ability to write effectively and to read analytically for the academic world and beyond.

• Writing requirements are established by the University Writing Program

• Students must complete UW1020 before enrolling in a WID course for WID credit.

• The two WID courses should be in the student's major, minor, or a related field, and must be completed in separate semesters in order to receive WID credit.

• WID courses are designated in the Schedule of Classes and GWeb with a "W" next to the course number (e.g. HIST 2340W).

Required:

• UW 1020 University Writing (4 credits)

• Two WID courses (6 credits)

 

Math (3 Credits)

Courses in quantitative reasoning enhance logical and critical abilities using numerical data.

• MATH courses numbered 1051 and higher require a placement test.

• Credit for only one of the following MATH courses may be applied toward a degree: 1221, 1231, or 1252.

• Credit for only one of the following STAT courses may be applied toward a degree: STAT 1051, 1053, 1111 or 1127.

• STAT courses may not be double-counted between the Math requirement and the Research Methods requirement.

Select One:

MATH 1007 Mathematics and Politics

MATH 1009 Mathematical Ideas I

MATH 1010 Mathematical Ideas II

MATH 1051 Finite Mathematics for the Social and Management Sciences

MATH 1221 Calculus with Precalculus II

MATH 1231 Single-Variable Calculus I

MATH 1232 Single-Variable Calculus II

MATH 1252 Calculus for the Social and Management Sciences

MATH 2233 Multivariable Calculus

STAT 1051 Introduction to Business and Economic Statistics

STAT 1053 Introduction to Statistics in Social Science

STAT 1111 Business and Economic Statistics, I

STAT 1127 Statistics for Biological Sciences

 

Science (3-4 Credits)

Lab Required

Courses in the sciences promote exploration of the fundamental principles of the natural world and demonstrate how the tools of science — careful observation and experimentation — not only help develop technology, but also lead to a deeper understanding of the universe.

Select One:

ANTH 1001 Biological Anthropology

ANTH 3412 Hominin Evolution

ASTR 1001 Introduction to Astronomy I

ASTR 1002 Introduction to Astronomy II

BISC 1005 Biology of Nutrition and Health

BISC 1006 Ecology and Evolution of Organisms

BISC 1007 Food, Nutrition and Service

BISC 1008 Understanding Organisms through Service Learning

BISC 1115 Introductory Biology: Cells & Molecules                                                

BISC 1125 Introduction to Cells & Molecules Laboratory (Formerly BISC 1111)

BISC 1116 Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms                              

BISC 1126 Introduction to Organisms Laboratory (Formerly BISC 1112)

CHEM 1003 Contemporary Science for Non-Science Majors

CHEM 1004 Contemporary Science for Non-Science Majors

CHEM 1111 General Chemistry I

CHEM 1112 General Chemistry II

GEOG 1002 Introduction to Physical Geography

GEOL 1001 Physical Geology (Credit will not be given for both GEOL 1001 and 1005)

GEOL 1002 Historical Geology

GEOL 1005 Environmental Geology (Credit will not be given for both GEOL 1001 and 1005)

GEOL 1006 Science and the Environment

HONR 1033 Honors Proseminar: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery

HONR 1034 Honors Proseminar: Scientific Reasoning and Discovery

PHYS 1003 Physics for Future Presidents

PHYS 1007 Music and Physics

PHYS 1011 General Physics I

PHYS 1012 General Physics II

PHYS 1021 University Physics I

PHSY 1022 University Physics II

PHYS 1025 University Physics I w/ Biological Applications

PHYS 1026 University Physics II w/ Biological Applications

Humanities/Creative Arts (9 Credits)*

This requirement can be satisfied by completing 9 credits of Humanities courses, or 6 credits of Humanities courses AND 3 credits of Creative Arts.

Humanities

The humanities express the ideas, aspirations, and values of individuals and the societies in which they live. Through courses in the humanities, students experience the richness of ideas, traditions, and stories that have shaped the world.

Select Two or Three:

AH Any Art History course (except AH 4199)

CAH 1090 Art History I: Art Now, Contemporary Perspectives in the Visual Arts

CLAS Any non-language Classical Studies course

FILM Any Film Studies Course

IAFF 2190W Dissent: A Study in Memoirs

MUS 1103 Music in the Western World

MUS 1104 Topics in Music

MUS 1105 Intro: Musical Thought and Practice

MUS 1107 Music of the World

MUS 1108 History of Jazz

MUS 2101 Harmony

MUS 2105 Introduction to Ethnomusicology

MUS 2106 Music History III: 20th Century Art Traditions

MUS 2109 Orchestra Literature

MUS 2110 Chamber Music Literature

MUS 2111 Keyboard Music Literature

MUS 2121 Opera

MUS 2122 Music in the United States

MUS 2123 Musical Cultures of Black Americans

MUS 2174 Introduction to Jazz

MUS 2661 Electronic and Computer Music I

MUS 2662 Electronic and Computer Music II*

MUS 3126 Music History I: Antiquity through Early Baroque

MUS 3127 Music History II: The Tonal Era

MUS 3139 Form and Analysis

MUS 3174 Topics in Music Theory & Composition

MUS 3175 Topics in Music History & Literature

PHIL Any Philosophy course (except PHIL 2045 and PHIL 3121)

REL Any Religion course

TRDA 1015 Understanding the Dance

TRDA 1020 Women & the Creative Process

TRDA 1025 Understanding the Theater

TRDA 2185 Trends in Performance Art

TRDA 2191 Dance History

TRDA 2240 Play Analysis

TRDA 3245 History of the Theatre

TRDA 3246 History of the Theatre

TRDA 3195 Global Dance History

*MUS 2661 is a prerequisite to MUS 2662.

Literature and Film classes in the following departments will also fulfill this requirement:

• Classics

• East Asian Languages and Literatures

• English Literature

• Romance, German, and Slavic Languages and Literatures

Creative Arts

Through courses that require participation in a creative or performing art, students gain insight into the interactions among materials, talent, and imagination, and they develop sensitivity to the diverse elements involved in the arts.

Select up to three credits:

Some MUS and TRDA courses may be repeated for credit. Please consult the Bulletin. All courses must be taken for a letter grade in order to fulfill the requirement; courses taken as pass/no pass will not be accepted.

ENGL 1210 Introduction to Creative Writing

ENGL 2460 Fiction Writing

ENGL 2560 Intermediate Fiction Writing

ENGL 3390 Topics in Creative Writing

FA: Any Fine Arts course

MUS Non-Ensemble Performance Study Courses, including

MUS 1101 Elements of Music Theory

MUS 1102 Comprehensive Musicianship I

MUS 1106 Introduction to Musical Performance & Experience

MUS 2102 Comprehensive Musicianship II

MUS 2134 Composition

MUS 2173 Comprehensive Musicianship for Jazz (2 credits)

MUS 4184 Advanced Composition

TRDA Performance Study Courses, including:

TRDA 1035 Theatre Production

TRDA 1151 Beginning/Intermediate Ballet

TRDA 1152 Beginning Modern/Postmodern Dance

TRDA 1153 Beginning/Intermediate Modern/Postmodern Dance

TRDA 1170-71 Intermediate Modern/Postmodern Dance

TRDA 1214 Introduction to Acting

TRDA 1330 Basics of Production Design

TRDA 2160 Intermediate Ballet

TRDA 2172 Intermediate/Advanced Modern/Postmodern Dance

TRDA 2173 Intermediate/Advanced Modern/Postmodern Dance

TRDA 2179 Contact Improvisation

TRDA 2180 Movement Improvisation & Performance

TRDA 2192 Repertory/Performance

TRDA 2193-94 Dance Styles

TRDA 2215 Intermediate Acting

TRDA 2250 Dramatic Writing

TRDA 2339 Theatre Practicum (1 credit)

TRDA 3174 Advanced Modern/Postmodern Dance

TRDA 3175 Advanced Modern/Postmodern Dance

TRDA 3182-83 Dance Composition

TRDA 3186 Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology

TRDA 3222 Topics in Advanced Acting

TRDA 3240 Introduction to Dramaturgy

TRDA 3250 Intermediate Dramatic Writing

TRDA 3331 Introduction to Lighting

TRDA 3332 Makeup Design

TRDA 3333 Stage Management

TRDA 3335 Introduction to Scene Design

TRDA 3336 Introduction to Costuming

TRDA 4184 Choreographic Projects (1-3 credits)

TRDA 4275 Directing for the Theatre

TRDA 4338 Scene Painting

Foreign Language

Asian Studies Major

Students must prove 3rd year proficiency in one of the following modern foreign languages by examination or coursework. If you would like information on the Elliott School coordinated foreign language examinations, please visit this website.

Chinese

CHIN 1001, 1002, 2003, 2004, 3105, and 3106

Japanese

JAPN 1001, 1002, 2003, 2004, 3105, and 3106

Korean

KOR 1001, 1002, 2003, 2004, 3105, and 3106

International Affairs Major

 

Students must prove 3rd year proficiency in one of the following modern foreign languages by examination or coursework. If you would like information on the Elliott School coordinated foreign language examinations, please visit this website.

If you were required to take the TOEFL or IELTS exam as part of your admissions application to GW, your 3rd year proficiency requirement will automatically be satisfied for International Affairs majors.

Arabic

ARAB 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002, 3001, [3301, 3302, or 3311]
– or –
ARAB 1201, 1202, 2201, 3201, [3301, 3302, or 3311]

Chinese

CHIN 1001, 1002, 2003, 2004, 3105, and 3106

French

FREN 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 2005, and 2006

German

GER 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, and [(2009, 2010) or (2101, 2102)]
– or –
GER 1005, 1006, and [(2009, 2010) or (2101, 2102)]

Hebrew

HEBR 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002, 3001, and [3301 or 3302]

Italian

ITAL 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 2005, and 2006

Japanese

JAPN 1001, 1002, 2003, 2004, 3105, and 3106

Korean

KOR 1001, 1002, 2003, 2004, 3105, and 3106

Persian

PERS 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002, 3001, 3002

Portuguese

PORT 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 2005, 2006
– or –
PORT 1012, 1003, 1004, 2005, 2006 
*Portuguese courses offerings are dependent on faculty availability* 

Russian

SLAV 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, and [(2005, 2006) or (1013, 1014) or (2015, 2016)]
– or –
SLAV 1012, 1034, and [(2005, 2006) or (1013, 1014) or (2015, 2016)]

Spanish

SPAN 1011 or 1012, 1013, 1014, 2005, 2006 or (2056)]
– or –
SPAN 1012, 1034, 2056

Latin American and Hemispheric Studies Major

 

Students must prove 3rd year proficiency in one of the following modern foreign languages by examination or coursework. If you would like information on the Elliott School coordinated foreign language examinations, please visit this website.

Spanish or Portuguese

SPAN 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 2005, 2006 or (2056)
- or - 

PORT 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1012, 2005, 2006
*Portuguese courses offerings are dependent on faculty availability* 

Middle East Studies Major

Students must prove 3rd year proficiency in one of the following modern foreign languages by examination or coursework. If you would like information on the Elliott School coordinated foreign language examinations, please visit this website.

For beginners, the coursework option generally requires the completion of six semesters of language study.  For those with substantial previous study in a modern regional language, the coursework option is considered fulfilled upon successful completion of one of the courses marked by an asterisk (*) below.

Arabic

ARAB 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002, 3001, [3301*, 3302*, or 3311*]
– or –
ARAB 1201, 1202, 2201, 3201, [3301*, 3302*, or 3311*]

Hebrew

HEBR 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002, 3001, and [3301* or 3302*]

Persian

PERS 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002, 3001, 3002*

Electives

Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits to graduate. Courses that do not satisfy specific requirements are considered electives. Electives are taken in addition to courses used to satisfy requirements to earn 120 credits.

Electives (including internships) are the only courses Elliott School students may take Pass/No Pass.

LSPA (formerly EXSA) courses have a limited amount of credits that can count towards the 120 credits required to graduate. Students can choose to do one of the following: (a) have a maximum of 6 credits of HLWL coursework count toward their degree as electives, or (b) have a maximum of 3 credits of HLWL coursework and a maximum of 3 credits of LSPA coursework count toward their degree as electives.