Established in 1821 in the heart of the nation's capital, the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences is the largest of GW's academic units with more than 40 departments and programs for undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies, including 20 PhD and 35 masters/certificate programs. Our 440 faculty members, renowned scholars in their fields, teach a curriculum that includes 46 undergraduate majors and 56 undergraduate minors-courses ranging from Japanese, Journalism, and Judaic Studies, to Biophysics, History, and Interior Design.
We guide our students to think, to ask the questions and not just answer them.
At Columbian College, we integrate research and teaching in every act and see inquiry and dialogue as two sides of a single purpose. For example, we encourage robust faculty–student collaboration through our Dean's Seminars, small freshman writing courses, capstone courses in research, and a variety of mentoring opportunities. In addition, an unparalleled learning environment for our students is available through our Global Scholars program and unique access to the rich resources of the Folger Shakespeare Library, Smithsonian, National Archives, Library of Congress, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, and National Institutes of Health.
The 21st century requires a responsible citizenry possessed of essential competencies, ethical commitment, and initiative. At Columbian College, our liberal arts education is a combination of innovation and imagination, encouraging learning and action that are grounded in fairness, reason, and reflection. We guide our students to think, to ask the questions and not just answer them; to use their knowledge to examine, through analysis and synthesis of ideas, the big issues ― such as the economy, energy, and the environment ― that cut across disciplines and require a nimble and thoughtful mind.
The liberal arts are integral to a GW education. Columbian College has 5,100 undergraduates in its programs ― nearly half of the University's undergraduate population ― and the majority of undergraduate courses at GW are taught by Columbian College faculty. Because of our scope, we play a significant role in the education of undergraduates in business, engineering, international affairs, and public health.
Given the boundless possibilities of our interdisciplinary approach, the intellectual depth of our faculty, our rigorous scholarly pursuits, and our unique opportunities for partnership and engagement with the nationís capital and beyond, the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences provides a broad exposure to learning and analytical thinking. We provide the breadth and depth of a strong liberal arts education.
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