The Academic Major

All Columbian College students must declare a major not later than the registration period of their fourth full-time semester, or the semester following completion of 45 credit hours at GW, whichever comes first.

Academic Requirements in the Major

The requirements for all majors are listed in the Bulletin , at the beginning of the course descriptions for each department. In selecting a major, students should consider whether the major includes related requirements, such as a prescribed level of proficiency in mathematics or a foreign language. In addition, some majors may require students to complete courses in related fields prior to being admitted to the major. Some majors in CCAS are restricted and require a separate application.

The University requires that all 100-level courses in the major must be passed with a grade of at least C- to count toward the major. In all majors, at least 12 credits of 100-level work must be taken in residence in the Columbian College. This rule applies to all students, including transfer students.

Double majors may be completed by students in different CCAS departments. Some departments that offer more than one major may not permit students to complete more than one of them.

Restricted majors in the Columbian College School are Communication, English and Creative Writing, the Special Interdisciplinary Major, and both majors in the School of Media and Public Affairs: Journalism and Political Communication. For more information, visit the web sites of these departments.

Cross-School majors may be completed by CCAS students in the Elliott School and School of Engineering . CCAS students may complete minors, called Secondary Fields in these schools and in Business and Public Health. Students should see a professional advisor in Phillips 107 and in the advising office of the other school to register for a cross-school major or secondary field.