Master's Degree Admission Qualifications

Students who apply for Master’s degree candidacy in the Museum Studies Program must meet all general requirements for admission to Columbian College of Arts & Sciences and must hold a Bachelor's degree with a major, or its equivalent, in an academic subject relating to museum collections. Some common majors are Anthropology, American Studies, History and Biology, but other majors are also accepted.

Master's Degree Admission Procedures

No application is reviewed until it is complete. To be complete, the application must contain:

• A completed and signed GWU application form.

  Applications can be completed online.

• A statement of purpose

  On a separate sheet of paper provide additional information about yourself that you think is pertinent to your application. Include such information as past and present museum experience, academic objectives, career goals, teaching or other professional experience, honors, publications, and other similar matters. This statement is read carefully by the Admissions Committee and is typically 250 – 500 words, but has no set length.

• Two Letters of recommendation

  Two letters of recommendation are recommended. You should request recommendations from individuals who are familiar with your academic and/or work achievements and your potential. Ask each recommender to write a confidential letter in English commenting on your ability to participate in the Museum Studies Program. You may have the letters mailed directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions or you may choose to have the letters submitted electronically using the online GW application. One letter of recommendation should be from a museum supervisor if the student has museum experience either as staff or on a volunteer basis.

• Official or certified copies of academic records from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not the program was completed

  These records should include study-abroad and summer-study programs. If academic records are in a language other than English, a certified English translation must be provided. Certification must be by an official government agency or authorized official, such as a notary public.

• Official GRE scores

  The ETS code for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences is R5246. There is no additional ETS code for the Museum Studies Program.

• All applicants who are from countries in which English is not the official language must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

  The required minimum TOEFL score for admission to a graduate degree program is 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based).

  Applicants admitted as degree candidates will be required to take the English for Academic Purposes Test at The George Washington University before registering. Those who score 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based) or more on the TOEFL are exempted. Depending on the applicant's performance on the placement test, EFL course work may be required.

• Application fee

  For the current application fee, click here and go to the "Special Fees and Deposits" area.

Additional Requirements for Foreign Applicants:

• Applicants requiring I-20 or IAP-66 forms for this university for F-1 or J-1 visas must submit all required documents usually by early January for the fall semester.

• Before admission can be completed, the Financial Certificate citing funding resources must be submitted. Funds must be certified in U.S. currency only. You will need copies of your financial documentation to prove to U.S. consular officials that you have sufficient funds to attend GW for the duration of your studies. We suggest, therefore, that you make copies of this and all supporting documents.