BA Art History at George Washington University

Programme overview

The Art History program at GW's Corcoran School of the Arts and Design is situated in the heart of Washington, DC, providing students with culturally rich opportunities to study the arts inside and outside the classroom. The program's proximity to many museums and galleries means that some of the most important art institutions in the world, such as the National Gallery of Art, often serve as the backbone of a program of study. As art history majors, students learn to apply visual and historical analyses to artworks, as well as to incorporate relevant theoretical and methodological approaches to research.

Faculty: Columbian College of Arts and Sciences | Department: Art History | Duration: 15 credits | Location: Washington, DC, United States

What you will study

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs. At least one course from five of the six categories below for a total of 15 credits. At least two seminars selected from the following for a total of 6 credits: 3 credits in either one Fine Arts (FA) course taken at any level or CAH 3170 Materials, Methods, and Techniques in Art History.

Career pathways

Graduates of the program have gone on to work at the National Gallery of Art, The Phillips Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, and CulturalDC.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

University/college-level admission (applies to all majors): For information about the admission process, including deadlines, visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Applications can be submitted via the Common Application. For questions visit undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/contact-us.

USD 72,000 a year (2026-27). Full-time main campus undergraduate tuition for students entering in 2026-27 in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, Elliott School, Milken Institute School of Public Health or School of Engineering and Applied Science (12-18 cr Source

First-year students enter in the fall semester; transfer applications are accepted for fall and spring admission.

Early Decision I deadline is November 1 and Early Decision II is January 5 (both binding); the Regular Decision deadline is January 5. Applications use the Common Application. Transfer applications are due April 15 for fall and October 1 for spring. Testing is optional (SAT or ACT), except for BA/MD, homeschooled and narrative-evaluation applicants. BFA applicants (except Interior Architecture) submit a portfolio of 10 to 15 works through SlideRoom. The application fee is $80.

International applicants whose first language is not English submit TOEFL (minimum 90), IELTS (minimum 6.5) or PTE Academic scores.

Apply through the official page: https://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/

Explore more study programmes

Arts & Humanities