phd in george washington university

Ph.D. Arabic & Islamic Studies

The Ph.D. Program in Arabic and Islamic Studies offer advanced training in the disciplines of Arabic Linguistics, Arabic Literature (Modern and Classical), and Islamic Studies (Intellectual History, Theology, Law) with an emphasis on the close reading and interpretation of primary sources, whether linguistic or textual, modern or classical.

The department strives to educate students in current theoretical, critical and cultural scholarly approaches as tools to explore and analyze primary sources and linguistic data and to evaluate and challenge secondary scholarship. In forming the new generation of research scholars in our fields, we strive to give them the linguistic and critical tools necessary for original and creative scholarship. Our Ph.D. students typically go on to academic careers, often beginning with post-doctoral fellowships, with tenure-track university appointments or in other research institutions.

Entering students are required to have Arabic language competence equivalent to at least that attained by the end of the third year of intensive language study in the undergraduate program at Georgetown University. In the first week of their first academic year, students who are non-native Arabic speakers are required to take an Arabic language exam administered by the department. Students who fail this exam are required to be enrolled in advanced Arabic classes, and to take the exam again at the end of the fall semester. If they still do not score satisfactorily they have until the end of the spring semester to successfully retake the exam. Students must pass the Arabic proficiency exam by the end of August of their first academic year if they are to continue in the program. Arabic language courses taken to enable students to reach the required proficiency level do not count towards the degree credits. Students who desire ACTFL proficiency certification should make arrangements with the department.

Students already enrolled in the master’s program at Georgetown must apply again if they are interested in joining the Ph.D. program; these students are not guaranteed admission, and will be considered by the admissions committee along with other applicants from outside the department.

For more details on the Ph.D. program, please see the  Graduate Handbook.

To apply, please visit the Graduate School  admissions website.

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The Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington recognizes three principal sub-fields of anthropology into which its graduate programs are divided: archaeology, biological anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology. We currently offer several graduate programs within these subdivisions:

• PhD in Anthropology: Archaeology
• PhD in Anthropology: Biological Anthropology 
• PhD in Anthropology: Sociocultural Anthropology
• Master of Arts in Archaeological Heritage
• Master of Public Health & PhD in Anthropology (MPH/PhD)

Archaeology and Biological Anthropology admissions will be run every year, Sociocultural Anthropology only offers admissions every other year. The next admission cycle for Sociocultural Anthropology will be for Autumn 2026. Applications open on September 1st and close on December 15th.  Applicants may apply for and be admitted for autumn quarter only. Offers of admission are usually mailed prior to the first of March. Those receiving offers of admission must respond by April 15 .

Applicants are considered on the basis of academic ability, career motivation, and promise for achieving professional competence associated with the PhD, with interests and goals that fit with departmental programs and faculty interests. It is recommended that the applicant complete an undergraduate program appropriate for graduate work in anthropology, but a BA/BS in anthropology is not specifically required. Please visit the Graduate School Requirements for a list of University-wide application requirements. 

If you wish to apply to the Department of Anthropology, you must complete the online application on the University of Washington Graduate School website. Please note that applicants may only apply to one of the three PhD track programs. All applicant materials (including letters of recommendation and unofficial transcripts) will be collected online and the deadline to apply is  December 15th.

International Applicants

For information about the Financial Ability Requirement, English Language Proficiency, F-1 Employment Options, and detailed information about the post admission process, please visit the International Applicants page on The Graduate School's website. 

Application Fee Waiver

For information about your eligibility and the application process for this fee waiver, please visit the Application Fee Waiver page on The Graduate School's website. 

Graduated Non-Matriculated (GNM) Students

Interested in attending courses without becoming a graduate student? Graduate non-matriculated (GNM) status allows post baccalaureate students who are not presently seeking a graduate degree at the University of Washington to take UW graduate courses and apply the credits toward degree requirements should they later be accepted into a graduate program at the UW (Acceptance as a GNM student does not confer priority for later admission to a graduate program at the UW). To learn more please visit Graduate Non-Matriculated Student .

Tuition & Funding

Students who receive assistantships are granted a tuition waiver and receive a stipend for the quarter in which they hold their appointment.  Please visit the Graduate Student Funding page for more information. For more information about tuition/fees and financial assistance options, please visit the Paying for Graduate School page on The Graduate School's website. 

For an overview of the cost of attendance for full-time, resident and non-resident students please visit Cost of Admission on the Office of Admission's website. To learn about WA  residency status, as it relates to tuition costs, please visit the Washington State Residency Office .

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Katie Hsiao Assistant Professor, Children’s National Research Institute

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Katie Hsiao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s National Research Institute, with an academic appointment at George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine under the mentorship of Deanna Benson, where her work elucidated the role of dysregulated synaptic translation in CYFIP1 haploinsufficiency as a key genetic factor in autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Hsiao completed her postdoctoral training with Priya Rajasethupathy at Rockefeller University, where she made significant contributions to the characterization of thalamocortical circuits in working memory, funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). This work, published in  Cell , identified novel GPCR signaling pathways that influence cognitive performance and goal-directed behavior.

Dr. Hsiao joined Children’s National Research Institute to establish her independent research program, where her lab focuses on the development of motor control circuits from neonate to adulthood and the effects of trisomy 21 on these pathways. Her work combines molecular genetics and systems neuroscience to investigate the role of neuronal plasticity in brain development, particularly in the context of Down syndrome. Currently, her research is supported by extramural funding from the NIH and private foundations. The long term goal of her laboratory is to advance the understanding and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders through cross-disciplinary innovation and collaborative research

• BS Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University
• PhD Molecular Cellular Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Research in the Hsiao Lab investigates how cerebellar circuitry influences motor control and cognitive flexibility during development. We are particularly interested in how altered connectivity within the olivocerebellar and cerebellothalamic pathways affects avoidance behaviors and other cognitive functions in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Autism and Down syndrome.

To explore these questions, we utilize cutting-edge techniques such as in vivo multi-site brain recordings, chemogenetic modulation, and advanced preclinical models. Through these studies, we aim to not only elucidate the role of the cerebellum in typical brain development but also provide critical insights into the neurobiological basis of cognitive and behavioral challenges in Neurodevelopmental disorders.

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Patrick Healy Graduate Fellowship

Named in honor of Georgetown University’s 28th President, Patrick Healy, the first African American to earn a doctorate degree, and the first African American President of Georgetown University (1874–1882), the Patrick Healy Graduate Fellowship is intended to further Georgetown’s commitment to creating a diverse community composed of the most qualified students. The program is designed to help recruit and retain graduate students who are talented individuals of the highest caliber and who might otherwise find it difficult or impossible to successfully pursue a doctoral degree. The Graduate School is committed to training future faculty, researchers and leaders with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and ideas who will enrich critical thinking, generate new areas of inquiry, and advance knowledge across all disciplines. Diversity is a crucial element in preparing students for the service of others. Healy Fellowships will be awarded to students whose individual life experiences, when evaluated holistically, suggests they are uniquely able to contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University and in the academic profession as a whole. Support will be provided to Patrick Healy Fellows for twelve months per year, for up to five years, assuming satisfactory progress toward the Ph.D.

Nomination Information

Faculty may submit nomination statements of no longer than two (2) pages to the Fellowship Committee. The deadline for submission of nominations for Fall 2024 is  12:00 noon (EST) on Friday, February 23, 2024 . Nominated students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, entering their first year of a Ph.D. program. While the first year is a service-free year for all fellows, the students must be eligible to work in the U.S. at the time of admission and throughout their time at Georgetown. The nomination statement must include a description of how the student’s individual life experiences can contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown; and a paragraph on how the department plans to mentor and support the student if selected. If submitting multiple nominees, departments should rank them. Healy Fellowships are awarded to students on the basis of their individual life experiences and how the student intends to employ the skills, perspectives, ideas, and other attributes they have developed as a result of their experiences to better the University and the academic profession. Students’ educational, familial, cultural, economic, social, and other life experiences are considered holistically in making awards to those who best demonstrate their ability to overcome significant disadvantages, as well as their commitment to supporting diversity and cultural understanding. Georgetown is committed to inclusiveness and nondiscrimination. The Healy Fellowship is awarded to eligible students without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran, or other protected status.. To be considered, nominations must be submitted via the  Healy Fellowship Nomination Form  by the deadline. The Healy Fellowship is designed to be a prestigious award, given to the best students that meet the fellowship criteria. As such,  programs must commit to funding the nominee with a   standard stipend package if a Healy Fellowship is not awarded. For more information about the Patrick Healy Graduate Fellowship, please contact Elizabeth George ([email protected]) at the Graduate School.

Healy Fellows

Discover the doctoral programs of our incoming, current and former Healy Graduate Fellows and get to know them.

2024-25 Incoming Fellows

Patrick Grey

Program: History

Claire Hazbun

Program: Government

Erykah Pasha

Alexander Rodriguez

Mary Ruxsarash

Program: Chemistry

Gabbi Williams

Program: Pharmacology & Physiology

Current & Former Fellows

Related News

Graduate Fellowships and Awards, News

Five Healy Fellows Who Took Unexpected Paths to Their Ph.D.

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Whether you want to advance your current career or start on a fresh path, we’re confident you will find what you’re looking for at GW. With more than 240  graduate programs  in our  schools and colleges , there’s a program here that will fit your interests and lifestyle. If you want to work in labs with researchers who are changing the world or take a metro ride to class after work to study with world-renowned faculty, GW offers the variety and flexibility to meet your needs. With our graduate education, the relationships you build with your fellow students and faculty members will become a network you’ll carry with you.

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We welcome graduate students with diverse backgrounds. Our graduate student population includes everyone from those who recently completed undergraduate degrees to those who’ve been in the workforce for years or who have families and unique schedules. With a varied group of students, it is important that we provide options for study. Our programs are not only flexible in what and when you can study, but also where you can learn. We offer both full- and part-time programs. You can study with us in the heart of D.C. or in Virginia at either our  Virginia Science and Technology Campus  or one of our  graduate education centers  in Alexandria or Arlington. We also offer more than 100  online programs  where you earn the same degree as students who study in the classroom.

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With student assistance programs like scholarships, graduate assistantships and fellowships, and various financial aid options including loans and grants, GW is an affordable option for any student who’d like to come here.

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PhD in Political Science

The Ph.D. in Political Science program  prepares students  to be outstanding researchers and scholars at top universities, policy think tanks, consulting firms, and U.S. and international institutions. Working in small classes and with experienced faculty mentors, doctoral students construct a program around a major and minor field of study.

Recent dissertation topics have spanned women's organizations and the partisan gender gap, judicial politics in the Middle East, media freedom in Turkey, social justice in the corporate world, and coercive kidnappings in violent political organizations. Our students present their research at conferences around the country, earn awards and prestigious research grants for their scholarship, and publish articles in major journals, such as International Security, American Political Science Review, International Organization, Perspectives on Politics, and Journal of Politics.

Funding is guaranteed for five years, conditional on adequate progress.

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PhD Job Placement Data

The deadline for our MA program is April 1, 2025, for Fall 2025 admission. Our next PhD application deadline is Dec. 15, 2024, for Fall 2025 admission. If you have questions, please contact the Department Administrator by email: [email protected] .

Major and Minor Fields

Doctoral students choose both a major and minor field of study. Any of the major fields is also an option for a minor.

Major Fields

• American Politics
• International Relations
• Comparative Politics

Minor Fields

• Political Theory
• Public Policy
• Research Methods

Learn About Research by Field

Course Requirements 

Additional requirements

In addition to required coursework, program requirements consists of two comprehensive examinations covering a primary and supporting field, an original research paper, and a dissertation demonstrating the capacity to undertake original and significant research. The research paper, to be completed by the second year in the program, must reflect the student's ability to conduct original research. Students prepare for the comprehensive exams by taking at least five courses in their primary field and at least four courses in their supporting field, selected according to departmental guidelines. Three primary fields are available: American politics, international relations, and comparative politics. In addition, political theory, public policy, and research methodology are available as supporting fields. Petitions for a self-designed minor field (e.g., political communications) composed primarily of courses not offered by the established fields can be jointly proposed by students and faculty. All students must complete a sequence of courses in research methodology comprising PSC 8101 , PSC 8108 , and PSC 8109 . 

A recommendation to the Dean for Admissions to candidacy, or the dissertation research stage, will be considered upon satisfactory completion of all coursework, research paper, field examinations, and successful defense of the dissertation prospectus. Students must pass their primary field examination with a satisfactory pass or above and must pass their supporting field examination with a bare pass or above in order to be considered eligible for promotion to candidacy. Admission to candidacy is permitted only if the student’s performance on the examinations and in the coursework gives a good indication of success in the second unit. Passing the field examinations does not in itself ensure admission to candidacy.

The dissertation prospectus must outline the central research question(s), relate the proposed research to the existing literature, detail a research methodology, and explain the nature of the original contribution that the completed project will provide. The prospectus must be presented and defended in an open forum, which all faculty and doctoral students are invited to attend. The full dissertation must be similarly defended. A dual degree program enables students to earn the master of public policy along with the PhD in the field of political science.

Milken Institute School of Public Health

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Public Health Doctoral Programs

The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health (GWSPH) prepares PhD candidates to become an integral part of discovering and creating solutions to public health challenges nationally and globally. Our DrPH program provides experienced public health practitioners with advanced skills to lead domestic and global organizations into the future.

DrPH and PhD Programs Overview  

Ranked No. 11 as a best public health school by  U.S. News & World Report , Milken Institute SPH is the only public health school in the nation’s capital.

With 29 active Research Centers and Institutes as well as over 140 full-time faculty leading over 600 research projects, Milken Institute SPH provides students with access to leaders and experts in the field.

Doctoral students gain access to weekly seminars, monthly Lunch & Learn events, and yearly Research Days to discuss new topics, meet faculty, and showcase their research to compete for cash prizes.

With hands-on training opportunities and close interaction with research-leading faculty, you’ll gain an unparalleled education and the skills to lead diverse areas of global public health.

DrPH and PhD Degree Options

At GW, we are committed to provide doctoral students with practical training opportunities and access to our rapidly growing research infrastructure and mission-driven networks.

Our seven PhD degree programs and one DrPH program (on campus or online) prepare researchers and public health professionals to make significant contributions to various fields of public health.

Doctor of Public Health- DrPH

Online Doctor of Public Health - DrPH

Environmental Health - PhD

Epidemiology - PhD

Exercise Physiology and Applied Nutrition - PhD

Global Public Health Sciences - PhD

Health Data Science - PhD

Health Policy - PhD

Social and Behavorial Sciences - PhD

Why choose the george washington university for your doctoral degree in public health.

PhD and DrPH students will benefit from mentorship and proximity to experts and agencies immersed in the most current health policy and public health topics in the hub of health policy decision-making and debate.

The GWSPH is made up of seven departments, unified with the focused goal of advancing health around the world. Each doctoral program features a multidisciplinary curriculum and is taught by renowned faculty with a wealth of expertise.

Request information to learn more about earning your DrPH or PhD in public health from the George Washington University.

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PhD in Clinical Psychology

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Accredited by the American Psychological Association , the clinical psychology PhD program follows a scientist-practitioner model. Students are trained as applied researchers and scientists, developing skills in research and practical methods used to advance knowledge of the causes, prevention and treatment of emotional, behavioral and physical health problems within diverse communities.

We embrace a community psychology orientation that emphasizes multiple influences on the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities and values engaging communities in all aspects of the work that we do.

Our training is grounded in developmental and social-ecological perspectives that attend to the intersection of multiple forms of diversity and recognize the impacts of systemic oppression on individuals and communities. We aspire to train behavioral scientists who are able to identify, implement and evaluate strategies to promote equity and social justice and to reduce health and mental health disparities in a variety of settings.

Faculty subscribe to a range of theoretical orientations, including cognitive-behavioral, family systems, social-ecological and community frameworks. These perspectives enable students to develop a broad base of knowledge and the opportunity to specialize in particular areas of research and evidence-based application.

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  Resources for Current Students

  Clinical Doctoral Student Handbook for Fall 2024 (PDF)

Faculty Mentor Requirement

The clinical program follows a mentorship model. Qualified applicants are chosen based on how their interests fit with the overall goals of the program and with the research interests of specific faculty members. These faculty will be available to mentor students beginning in the 2025-26 academic year: Dr. Sarah Calabrese , Dr. Fallon Goodman and Dr. Sharon Lambert .

Applicants should review bios for these core faculty and indicate their ranking on the online application for the PhD program in clinical psychology.

Faculty Preference Ranking (PDF)

Program Information

American psychological association accreditation.

The clinical psychology program has been accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) Committee on Accreditation (COA) since 1970. COA is part of the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation (OPCA).

View Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data

Further information on the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences’ accreditation status and the accreditation process may be obtained from the American Psychological Association:

American Psychological Association Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 750 First St. NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 202-336-5979  [email protected]

The clinical psychology program is also recognized by the Society for Community Research and Action as a doctoral clinical-community training program.

To build real-world clinical experience, students in the PhD program complete a minimum of two assessment practica and two therapy practica in the  Meltzer Psychological and Community-Based Services Center.

Additionally, students complete two externship placements in community settings. Clinical practice is supervised by licensed faculty members and clinicians at field placements.

Finally, as part of the PhD program in Clinical Psychology, students are also required to complete a one-year Psychology Internship Training Program. In almost all cases this will be an APA- approved pre-doctoral internship program.

Our Clinical Psychology program trains graduates who are successfully licensed in many states. No graduate from our program has been turned down for licensure due to insufficiencies in our program’s education and training. However, the practice of psychology (licensure) is regulated at the state level. State licensing authorities, commonly referred to as “State Boards,” determine the specific educational and training requirements for licensure in their State. Licensure requires more training than our degree’s educational requirements and may vary by state. Most states have post-doctoral clinical supervision requirements, and some states have specific training requirements that may not be automatically covered in GWU’s program. For a general description of the licensing processes in clinical psychology and a state by state listing of our recent understanding of educational requirements and how GWU’s program aligns with the requirements of each state, please review our Consumer Disclosure Information report (PDF) .

The program develops students into well-rounded, confident professionals in several roles:

• Researchers and applied scientists
• Interventionists who use methods and substantive findings to inform assessment, prevention and treatment
• Professionals who consider applied problems from a lifespan developmental perspective and from multiple levels within human social ecology
• Clinical psychologists equipped with the specialized skills necessary for implementing promotion, prevention and treatment programs for diverse clients

Clinical Doctoral Student Handbook for Fall 2024 (PDF)

NIMH T32 Training Program for Select Students

The George Washington University is offering full doctoral scholarships* to prepare the next generation of community-engaged researchers to develop and lead social-structural and intersectional approaches to promote equity and improve HIV and related health outcomes. The training program is supported by 18 multi-disciplinary faculty conducting both global and domestic research on HIV, mental health, substance use, and violence.

Trainees will receive instruction and mentorship in:

• Social and structural, critical, and intersectional theory
• Community-engaged research design and methods
• Multi-level intervention development and evaluation

Trainees must apply and be accepted to the PhD program. Individuals from underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply. To learn more about TASHI, visit the website or email [email protected] .​

*Full scholarships include tuition, living expenses, and health insurance.

"Through class discussion, research and clinical experiences, I learned that the symptom is never bigger than the story. This has been a cornerstone of my work as a clinician."

Henry Prempeh PhD '13

Clinical Psychology News

Meet the Columbian Distinguished Fellows

July 14, 2021

Across disciplines and research fields, these Columbian College PhD fellows are leading scholarly studies and making real-world impacts.

Alumnus Doctor Takes Care Abroad

June 23, 2020

For more than 45 years, Dr. Bill Goldman, BA ’72, MD ’75, has brought care and kindness to his patients. After retiring from his pediatric practice, he found a new home for his passion:...

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Course Requirements

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under  Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs .

The requirements for the  Doctor of Philosophy Program .

72 credits, including 54 credits in required courses, at least 6 credits in dissertation courses, and 15 credits in dissertation or elective courses. Students also take five 0-credit courses and successfully complete a comprehensive examination.

In addition, students are required to obtain clinical training, including a minimum of two assessment practica and two therapy practica in the  Meltzer Center ’s Psychological and Community-Based Services, and to complete a one-year psychology internship training program. In almost all cases this will be an APA- approved pre-doctoral internship program.

Trachtenberg School of Public Policy & Public Administration

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The PhD in Public Policy and Administration prepares students for research, administration and teaching positions in public policy.

The flexible curriculum allows students to customize coursework to their interests while developing sophisticated research skills. Students enter the PhD program with the intention of completing specialized research in one of the approved fields of study .

With about one-quarter of each cohort's students coming from countries outside of the United States, our interdisciplinary PhD program is diverse and progressive. Many PH.D. Students enroll in the program on a part-time basis while working at think tanks, research firms, international organizations, and the federal government.

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Program Benefits

Material customized to you.

Whether you want to pursue a career in academia, advise leaders in local government or develop breakthrough research, TSPPPA will prepare you for what lies ahead. Alumni of the PhD program have pursued careers in teaching, research and analysis in government and the private sector.

Flexible Timeframe

Most TSPPPA doctoral students already have a graduate degree and significant experience in a policy-related environment. Many of our students are mid-career professionals. As such, the PhD is open to both full-time and part-time students. The program is rigorous, but many students appreciate the opportunity to study alongside other pursuits.

Subject Matter Mastery

Doctoral students at TSPPPA master the competencies needed to undertake sophisticated research in public policy and public administration. The interdisciplinary curriculum tackles subjects including politics, economics and quantitative and/or qualitative methods in policy research.

“I really appreciated being able to earn a PhD in a quality, well-respected program part time while building my career in policy research."

Theresa Anderson PhD '20

Fields of Study

Students enter the PhD program with the intention of completing specialized research in one of the approved fields of study:

This field is designed for students who desire a greater depth and breadth of knowledge about those issues surrounding taxation, public expenditure, and the management of financial resources. The field generally draws on several intellectual traditions including economics, political science, accounting and public administration. As a student who successfully completes this field of study, you will be prepared to teach a wide variety of general courses in budgeting and public finance, and you will have a solid understanding of the research questions and methodologies that have defined this field.

Field Advisors

• Dr. Joseph Cordes
• Dr. Kate Yang

Students in the Public Budgeting and Finance Policy field must complete four courses; two required core courses, and two additional courses selected in consultation with the field advisor of which one course should be a doctoral-level course in accounting, economics, finance, public policy and public administration, or political science. Courses offered in the MBA Program, and in the MA in Applied Economics may be substituted for the required doctoral-level course with advisor approval.

Public Budgeting and Finance Core

PPPA 6005: Public Budgeting, Expenditure and Revenue Analysis (or equivalent)

PPPA 6051: Governmental Budgeting

Public Budgeting and Finance Accounting, Economics or Political Science Electives

*Nonexhaustive list; other courses may be selected with advisor approval.

ACCY 8001: Seminar in Accounting Theory

ACCY 6701: Government and Nonprofit Accounting and Auditing

ECON 8363: Public Finance I (Public Goods and Expenditures)

ECON 8364: Public Finance II (Tax Incidence)

ECON 6305: Applied Macroeconomic Theory 

ECON 6323: Applied Behavioral Economics

ECON 6330: Applied Macroeconomic and Monetary Policy

ECON 8363: Public Finance I

ECON 8364: Public Finance II

FINA 8324: Topics in Empirical Finance

PHIL 6231: Economic Justice

PPPA 6016: Public and Nonprofit Program Evaluation

PPPA 6015: Benefit-Cost Analysis

PPPA 6048: Financing State and Local Government

PPPA 6052: Tax Policy

PPPA 6053: Public and Nonprofit Financial Management

PPPA 6054: Federal Budget Policy

PPPA 6055 : Contracting Out and Privatization

Comprehensive Field Examination

The field examination in Public Budgeting and Finance is administered as a take-home exam (open book, open note) over a 48-hour period. The examination consists of two parts. One part is made up of questions based on a list of general topics and readings provided by the faculty examiners which is common to all students taking the examination. These general topics will include material from PPPA 8105 and PPPA 8174 in addition to material from the field core and selected field electives. The second part is based on a list of individualized topics and readings developed by each student being examined, which is approved by the examiners. Examples of possible individual topics are fiscal decentralization/federalism; state and local tax policy; performance budgeting, public-private partnerships, and uses of the tax system for social purposes.

Education and training policies play an important role in the economic and social wellbeing of local communities, states and nations. From preschool to graduate school, improving the quality of education is a priority for policymakers worldwide. The education policy track draws on multidisciplinary tools from economics, education, philosophy, political science, psychology and sociology to train researchers and practitioners to: identify education policy problems and opportunities, develop policy alternatives, analyze their costs and benefits, influence policy decisions, plan and guide the implementation of new policies, and evaluate the impacts of education programs and policies.

• Dr. Stephanie Cellini
• Dr. Dylan Conger
• Dr. Yas Nakib

Students in the Education Policy field must complete two required core courses, plus two additional courses in methods and topics chosen in consultation with their advisor .

Education Policy Core

EDUC 8321 : Economics of Education

EDUC 8322 : Education Policy Implementation

Education Policy Topics

ECON 8341/42 : Labor Economics

ECON 8351/52: Development Economics I

ECON 8358 : Urban Economics

ECON 8363/64 : Public Finance I

EDUC 6555 : Higher Education Policy

EDUC 8320 : Politics of Education

EDUC 8323 : Policies of Education Equity

EDUC 8325 : Policy Design — Education Accountability

EDUC 8340 : Methods of Policy Analysis in Education

PPPA 6081 : Poverty & Social Policy

PPPA 6048 : Financing State & Local Government

PPPA 6049 : Urban and Regional Policy Analysis

PPPA 6054 : Issues in Federal Budgeting

PSC 8286 : U.S. Social Policy

Education Policy Methods

ECON 6291: Methods of Demographic Analysis

ECON 6300 : Mathematical Methods for Economics

ECON 8375 : Econometrics I

ECON 8379 : Applied Econometrics Lab (micro version)

PSC 8122 : Longitudinal Analysis

PSC 8124 : Multilevel Modeling

PSC 8130 : Game Theory I

PSC 8131 : Game Theory II

PPPA 6015 : Benefit-Cost Analysis

Upon completion of coursework in the field, students take a comprehensive field exam involving two parts:

• Content from the core education policy field courses
• Content from field electives that typically focus on one of the following areas (area is chosen in consultation with your advisor and will be based loosely on topics covered in your field electives):
• Early childhood education
• Elementary and secondary education
• Higher education
• Education finance
• Education inequality
• Economics of education

The Program Evaluation field is designed for Ph.D. students who wish to develop both quantitative and qualitative research skills that may be applied to analyze and assess the performance of public and nonprofit programs. As a student in this field, you will be exposed to research methods from multiple disciplines that will prepare you for program evaluation and performance auditing professions.

• Dr. Kathryn Newcomer
• Dr. Burt Barnow

Students in the Program Evaluation field must complete two required core courses, plus two additional courses in methods and topics chosen in consultation with their advisor.

Program Evaluation Core ( covered on field exam )

PPPA 6016: Public and Nonprofit Program Evaluation 

PPPA 8164: Seminar on Program Evaluation

Program Evaluation Electives (choose 2; courses approved by the field advisor may be substituted for the courses listed below)

ANTH 6331: Research Methods in Development Anthropology

DNSC 6275: Advanced Statistical Modeling and Analysis

HSML 6276: Exploratory and Multivariate Data Analysis

ECON 8375: Econometrics I

ECON 8376: Econometrics II

EDUC 8122: Qualitative Research Methods

PPPA 8023: Mixed Methods in Research Design

SOC 6232: Qualitative Methodology: Doing Field Research

STAT 6287: Modern Theory of Sample

STAT 6291: Methods of Demographic Analysis

STAT 8265: Multivariate Analysis

STAT 8266: Topics in Multivariate Analysis

STAT 8281: Advanced Time Series Analysis

STAT 8288: Surveys

This field is for Ph.D. students with a generalist’s orientation towards conducting research on complex problems in public policy and administration. Students specializing in this field may carry out research on a variety of themes such as public and nonprofit management, and issues that lie at the intersection of traditional fields such as social policy, program evaluation, public budgeting and finance, education policy, health policy, and public administration.

The purpose of completing the field coursework is two-fold:

• To develop an overarching and integrated perspective on public and nonprofit management.
• To develop theoretical knowledge and methodological competencies that will be useful in conducting scholarly research in public and nonprofit management.

Students who have not already completed a Master of Public Administration/Policy (MPA/MPP) degree, either at the George Washington University or at another university, will be expected to complete selected MPA/MPP core courses before taking more advanced coursework in this field. 

In the PNM field, the field advisors will work with you on an individual basis in identifying the appropriate coursework. Although most of your coursework will consist of public policy and administration courses, you may also include courses from other GW departments as well as courses at other universities participating in the Consortium of Washington Area Universities upon consultation with your advisor.

Although students may consult with any field advisor, we encourage PNM students to consult with the field advisor whose interests are closest to their dissertation research interests 

• Dr. Lori Brainard
• Dr. Jasmine McGiniss Johnson
• Dr. Sanjay K. Pandey

Students are required to take 4 field courses. The field has one required course and three elective courses. In addition to the listed field courses, students should follow the guidelines on choosing field courses provided below. Students are required to have an advising meeting with a field advisor to obtain approval for their choice of field courses.

The purpose of completing the field coursework is to develop competencies and knowledge that will be useful in conducting scholarly research in public and nonprofit management on dissertation and other relevant themes.

Students are required to take 4 field courses; 3 are electives and 1 is required of all students. The required course is: 

PPPA 8164: Seminar in Program Evaluation Doctoral seminar on theory and practice in public and nonprofit program evaluation. 

The choice of elective field courses should be guided by the field coursework purpose. Given the scope of Public and Nonprofit Management, both in academe and in practice, we do not offer a closed master-list for choosing field elective courses. Rather, students must abide by the following guidelines:

• Students should consult with an appropriate field advisor about field electives and communicate the agreement about field courses to all field advisors (e-mail is sufficient). If this plan gets updated, changes in the plan should be communicated as well.

The proposed list should be made of doctoral courses (review doctoral seminars offered by other fields in the doctoral program, doctoral courses offered at Washington Metropolitan Area Consortium schools/programs, as well as doctoral-level methods courses. Other departments and programs may also have relevant courses.)

If a Masters-level course is proposed, students need to propose and obtain prior approval, from the instructor of the course, for additional assignments/activities that will make it a worthwhile doctoral elective.  

Elective courses may be used to take methodologically-oriented courses that will prepare you to carry out dissertation research.  

Students may also take directed readings courses with faculty they want to request to serve as their dissertation director. Students are, of course, encouraged to consider doing directed readings with other TSPPPA faculty as well.

Purpose:  

The purpose of the field examination is to assess student preparedness to undertake dissertation research in public and nonprofit management. Students are encouraged to seek faculty guidance and feedback on ways in which the field examination can advance their dissertation interests.

Students are expected to have a deep knowledge of material covered in core courses, field courses, and academic literature relevant to students’ dissertation research interests. Further, students are expected to stay current and be conversant with the scholarly peer-reviewed literature in their field of study.

Student Responsibilities:

Students may make a request for the field examination at the beginning of either the Fall semester or the Spring semester. The field examination will not be offered during the summer session.

Before a student can request to schedule the field examination, s/he needs to have a TSPPPA faculty member tentatively agree to serve as the student’s dissertation director. The field examination will be administered by the intended dissertation director in consultation and collaboration with one of the field advisors in accordance with the format and procedures laid out in this document.

Students should share this document, outlining the purpose, coverage, student responsibilities, format, and procedures, with the intended dissertation director so that s/he is familiar with faculty role and obligations in this process. 

Students should also become familiar with and follow the specific guidelines provided under sections titled format and procedures below.

Academic integrity is central to doctoral work at GW. Any indication that any part of a student’s field examination essay is not the original work of the student will result in a failing grade with no subsequent opportunity to revise and resubmit the field examination essay.

The intended dissertation director, in consultation and collaboration with one of the PNM field advisors, will administer the field examination.  The intended dissertation director should propose a second reader (either a PNM field advisor or another Trachtenberg School faculty member) to the PNM field advisor s/he is working with. 

The field examination requirement is for the student to submit an essay to the intended dissertation director and the second reader. The field examination essay should be relevant to the field and can be any combination of a quantitative study, a qualitative study, or a literature review.  

The field examination essay should be comparable in length, style, and quality to a journal manuscript. Specific formatting requirements (i.e. length, style, structure, etc.) for the field examination essay will be determined in a discussion with the intended dissertation director and the second reader (see point 3 under procedures).

The field examination essay may be an extension of work the student has done as part of an independent study or other coursework. The field examination essay must, however, be sole-authored original work.  

The possible grades for the field examination essay are: High pass, pass, bare pass, fail.

Procedures:

The intended dissertation director, in consultation with the student and a PNM field advisor, will schedule the exam and notify the PhD director.

The intended dissertation director will identify a second reader, typically one of the field advisors. In exceptional cases, the second reader can be another TSPPPA faculty member with relevant expertise.

Within two weeks of the notification to the PhD Director (as described in step 1 above) about scheduling of the field examination, the student should prepare a field examination essay proposal and request meetings with the intended dissertation director and the second reader to obtain feedback on the proposal. This can be a joint meeting or two individual meetings at the discretion of the faculty members. The field examination essay proposal should at a minimum have the following elements, title, abstract, outline, and identify a journal to which the essay may be submitted (e.g., PAR, JPART, JPAM, ARPA, A&S, PPMR, ROPPA etc.).

Following this meeting with the intended dissertation director and the second reader, the student will have 8 weeks to complete the field examination essay and submit it to the intended dissertation director and the reader.

The intended dissertation director and the second reader will review the field examination essay and provide written feedback. The feedback may be provided in the form of either written comments on the essay or a typical journal peer-review report. 

The intended dissertation director, in consultation with the second reader, may require revisions to the field examination essay. The student will submit: i) a revised field examination essay within 4 weeks of receiving the feedback from the intended dissertation director and the second reader; and ii) a document itemizing and detailing specific steps taken in response to the feedback provided.  

The student will have only one opportunity to revise and resubmit the field examination essay before receiving a final grade.

The intended dissertation director, in consultation with the second reader, will notify the student of the final grade, copying the PhD director, and TSPPPA Assistant Director for Graduate Studies.

• Dr. Nicholas Vonortas
• Dr. Nina Kelsey
• Dr. Scott Pace

The Science and Technology Policy field focuses on the interactions among scientific development, technological change, and governmental and private-sector activities at the domestic and international levels. This field of study trains students to understand and manage issues at the intersection of science, technology, industrial strategy and structure, and government policy. The field emphasizes a comparative approach to science and technology policy, founded on the twin poles of in-depth understanding of domestic policies and continuous coverage of policy developments around the world. Faculty from the Elliott School's Institute for International Science and Technology Policy and Space Policy Institute manage and advise this field of study. As a student, you will have frequent opportunities for involvement in the activities of these institutes and for collaboration with Elliott School students who are pursuing International Science and Technology Policy MA and certificate programs. For more information, please visit the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy's  Academics  page.

Students in the Science and Technology Policy field are required to take 4 field courses — 2 are core requirements and 2 are electives.

Science and Technology Policy Core

IAFF 6141 : International Science and Technology Policy Cornerstone

IAFF 6158 : Science, Tech, and Policy Analysis OR

IAFF 6085: Seminar in Science and Technology Policy [ offered every 2-3 years ]

Science and Technology Policy Electives

Students may also propose other courses of relevance to their designated specialization. Such courses may be offered by the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (Economics, Political Science), the School of Business (Strategic Management and Public Policy, International Business), the School of Engineering (Engineering Management), and others. Proposed courses will be evaluated by the Program Director.

IAFF 6158/ECON 6255: Economics of Technological Change

IAFF 6145 : U.S. Space Policy

IAFF 6146/LAW 6548 : Space Law

IAFF 6148 : Space and National Security

IAFF 6151 : Environmental Policy

IAFF 6152 : Energy Policy

IAFF 6153 : Science, Technology & National Security

IAFF 6143 : Science and Technology Policy Analysis

IAFF 6158 : Special Topics in International Science and Technology Policy (Issues in Space Policy)

IAFF 6158 : Special Topics in International Science and Technology Policy (Space Economics)

IAFF 6158 : Special Topics in International Science and Technology Policy (Science Diplomacy)

IAFF 6158: Special Topics in International Science and Technology Policy (Artificial Intelligence and Nonproliferation)

PPPA 6006 : Policy Analysis

Upon completion of coursework in the field, students will take a comprehensive field exam. The exam is offered once or twice in an academic year, following a petition from students. The examination relies on the content of the science and technology policy field core courses (cornerstone, capstone, and seminar) and the field electives. In addition, the exam will reflect the specific courses taken by the student and their individual areas of interest. We write an exam that reflects the courses taken by the student and their individual areas of interest. Expectations for students during the examination include:

Staying current and being conversant with the scholarly peer-reviewed literature and important gray literature (i.e. literature produced by different governmental and non-governmental bodies such as relevant federal agencies, the World Bank, Brookings, Rand, EU, OECD, UN Agencies, etc.).

• Discussion should go beyond the readings covered in class.
• Mastery of course material, a demonstrated command of major concepts and literature in the field, and an ability to think beyond concepts directly covered in classes.

The format of the exam is as follows:

• Take home, open book, open notes exam.
• One on Science and Technology policy theory
• One on specific areas of interest
• Time frame – three days

Two graders read each answer and confer on a final grade. One of the two graders is related to the specific area of interest of the student.

The Social Policy field of study offers students the opportunity to study how the actions and decisions of government within the contexts of gender, ethnicity, or urban settings influence the wellbeing of individuals and of society, with a particular focus on poverty and income inequality. Most public policy discussions-local, national, or international-include explicit or implicit assumptions about gender, race and location. Scholarship across various disciplines has demonstrated the importance of studying the interconnections among gender, race, class, and other forms of social inequality. Conflicts associated with these topics affect all institutions and social interactions of every type, and frequently dominate a range of policy debates.

Drawing on interdisciplinary theories and methodologies, as a student in this field, you will gain a broad understanding of: historical trends in poverty and inequality, scholarship illuminating the causes of consequences of poverty and inequality, the current landscape of social welfare programs (defined broadly), and the politics of poverty and inequality in America. In addition, students choose an area of specialization from the following: (a) gender and social policy, (b) race, ethnicity, and public policy, or (c) urban policy.  This specialization provides a theoretical lens for examining social policy.

Students in the Social Policy field must complete one common field course, required courses in their area of specialization, and one or more additional courses selected from electives suggested for that specialization or other courses chosen with advisor approval, to equal a total of 12 credits in the field.

Social Policy Core Requirement

PPPA 8197 U.S. Social Policy

Gender and Social Policy Specialization

• Dr. Ivy Ken
• Dr. Sanjay Pandey

Along with the Social Policy field core course, students in the Gender and Social Policy specialization must complete two specialization core courses and one additional elective.

Gender and Social Policy Core

WGSS 6221: Research Issues in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies

WGSS 6240: Gender and Public Policy

Gender and Social Policy Electives

AMST/HIST/WGSS 6431: Gender, Sexuality and American Culture

ANTH 6501/WGSS 6257: Gender and Sexuality

PHIL/WGSS 6238: Feminist Ethics and Policy Implications

SOC/WGSS 6268: Race, Gender, and Class

SOC/WGSS 6271: Gender and Society

WGSS 6220: Fundamentals of Feminist Theory

WGSS 6225:  Contemporary Feminist Theory

WGSS 6230: Global Feminisms

WGSS 6241 : Gender, Law, and Politics

WGSS 6265: Women, Welfare, and Poverty

WGSS 6283: Practicum in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Comprehensive Field Exam

The Purpose of the field exam in Gender and Social Policy is for students to demonstrate proficiency in the major themes, methods, and debates in the field.  It provides an opportunity for students to confirm the breadth and depth of their knowledge and their readiness to make an original contribution to the field.

In consultation with the field advisors, each student develops 3 reading lists as follows:

• One list includes readings related to WSTU 6221: Research Issues in Women's/Gender Studies (a required field course) plus selected readings from other field courses that have influenced the student’s intellectual trajectory but do not appear on the other lists.
• The other two lists cover two substantive areas related to gender policy that best fit the student’s research interests and academic work in the field.  One of these lists could be closely related to the student's expected dissertation topic.  Both lists should include classic texts and current journal articles.  While students are encouraged to include relevant readings from field courses, they should also move beyond coursework in their selections.

The exam is a take-home, open-book, essay exam that usually takes three days to complete. The questions are based on the reading lists. Students answer a total of three essay questions. Typically, in Part A, the student is presented with two questions and must choose one to answer. In Part B, the student is presented with three or four questions and must choose two to answer.   

The student should write seven to 10 pages, double-spaced, for each essay.  The essays should draw on the reading lists and do not require the student to go beyond those lists (though other materials are allowed). 

Students may choose exam dates in consultation with the field advisors.

Race, Ethnicity and Public Policy Specialization

• Dr. Antwan Jones
• Dr. Steven Tuch

Along with the Social Policy field core course, students in the Race, Ethnicity and Public Policy specialization must complete 2 specialization core courses and one additional elective.

Race, Ethnicity and Public Policy Core

SOC 6245 : Race Relations

SOC 6248 : Race and Urban Redevelopment

Race, Ethnicity and Public Policy Electives*

AMST/HIST 3350 : U.S. Social History

HIST 3360 : African American History

LAW 6595 : Race, Racism and American Law

LAW 6596 : Law of Race and Slavery

PSC 8211 : Urban Politics

PSC 8212 : Urban Policy Problems

PSYC 8236 : Minorities and Mental Health

SOC 6250 : Urban Sociology

SOC 6252 : Special Topics (with approval)

SOC 6268 : Race, Gender, and Politics

The comprehensive exam is based on materials covered in the two required field courses and the one elective field course as well as associated scholarly literatures. An initial reading list compiled by the student is reviewed and supplemented by the field advisors. The reading list should be submitted a minimum of 3 months prior to the date of the exam. Students are also asked to provide field advisors with a list of faculty from whom they have taken their field courses so questions can be solicited from those faculty. Field advisors then compile the exam. The format of the exam is a five-day, open book take-home consisting of 3 or 4 questions, with some choice factored in. Students will be provided with the questions at noon on Wednesday and be required to submit their answers by noon the following Monday. Answers typically range from 10-15 pages per question. Two readers evaluate each question and submit a single grade for each question they grade. Field advisors then submit a single grade for the exam.

Poverty and Inequality Specialization

• Dr. Elizabeth Rigby
• Elizabeth Vaquera

Along with the Social Policy field core course, students in the Poverty and Inequality specialization must complete the specialization core course and two additional field electives.

Poverty and Inequality Core

PPPA 6081 : Poverty and Social Policy

Poverty and Inequality Electives ( choose 2 )

ECON 6330 : Applied Macroeconomics and Money

ECON 6340 : Applied Labor Economics and Public Policy

HIST 6011 : History and Public Policy

PHIL 6230 : Ethical Issues in Policy Arguments

PHIL 6231 : Economic Justice

PHIL 6238 : Feminist Ethics and Policy Implications

PHIL 6242 : Philosophy, Law and Social Policy

PPPA 6065 : Federalism and Public Policy

PPPA 6076 : Federal Government Regulation of Society

PPPA 6085 : Comparative Public Policy

PSC 8211 : State and Urban Politics

SOC/WGSS 6265 : Women, Welfare, and Poverty

SOC 6268 : Race, Gender, and Class

WGSS 6240 : Gender and Public Policy

No less than three months in advance of the desired date of the field examination, students should notify the field advisors of their intent to take the exam, as well as the relevant courses the student has taken. Exams are written take-home exams, tailored to student interest.

Urban Policy Specialization

• Dr. Leah Brooks
• Dr. Hilary Silver

Along with the Social Policy field core course, students in the Urban Policy specialization must complete two specialization core courses and one additional elective .

Urban Policy Core

Urban policy electives ( choose 2 ).

AMST 6495 : Historic Preservation — Principles & Methods I

AMST 6520 : Economics of Preservation

AMST 6525 : Politics of Historic Preservation

ECON 8341 : Labor Economics I

ECON 8342 : Labor Economics II

ECON 8357 : Regional Economics

ECON 8358 : Urban Economics 

ECON 8363 : Public Finance I

ECON 8364 : Public Finance II

GEOG 6243 : Urban Geography Seminar

GEOG 6244 : Seminar — Urban Sustainability

GEOG 6290 : Principles of Demography

PPPA 6042 : Managing State and Local Governments

PPPA 6043 : Land Use Planning, and Community Development

PPPA 6048 : Financing State and Local Government

PPPA 6051 : Governmental Budgeting

PPPA 6085 : Homelessness

PSC 8388 : Selected Topics in Comparative Politics

PSYC 8246 : Personnel Evaluation Technology

SOC 6259 : Criminology

SOC 6262 : Corrections

SOC 6263 : Race and Crime

Comprehensive Exam

No less than three months in advance of the desired date of the field examination, students should notify the field advisors of their intent to take the exam, as well as the relevant courses the student has taken. Exams are written take-home exams, tailored to student interests.

Comprehensive Exams

Students in each field of study are required to complete a comprehensive exam. See exam guidelines for each area .

PhD Course Requirements

 The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs .

The requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Program .

 *Course is covered by the core comprehensive examination.

**The social policy field has four subfields, each with specific requirements: gender and social policy, poverty and inequality, ethnicity and public policy, and urban policy.

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Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBS)

Phd programs in the ibs.

PhD programs in Cancer Biology, Genomics & Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Immunology, Neuroscience and Pharmacology & Physiology are all centered on a core curriculum. The common IBS core curriculum includes interdisciplinary cell and molecular biology and physiology courses, biostatistics, and professional skill courses in scientific writing, biomedical careers and responsible conduct. Foundation courses in each PhD program begin in the second semester, while still allowing student flexibility.  The required and elective didactic work is designed to meet the specific program's requirements and the student's needs in preparation for dissertation research. 

Students are expected to complete approximately 12 credits of course work in each semester for the first two years (or 48 hours before the qualifier and full-time dissertation research). A total of 72 credits is required for graduation.

Rotations and selection of research mentor

Research rotations are critical for students to become familiar with ongoing research projects and to choose a PhD dissertation laboratory. In addition, rotations broaden student research skills, and rotation mentors may become research collaborators and committee members.  Three, ten-week rotations are carried out in the first year, and must be performed in different laboratories. 

All  IBS PhD trainers  may serve as mentors for laboratory rotations, and only one rotation student may be in a faculty lab at a time. For students who have previous experience with an IBS trainer laboratory, only one rotation may be performed in that laboratory. By the end of the first year, it is expected that the student will have selected a program and will have identified a PhD research mentor and PhD program. 

Helpful resources for choosing a lab include  this article  from the Weizmann Institute of Science, and  this guide  from Washington Univeristy in Saint Louis.

Grant-style qualifier and dissertation research

Students complete a grant-style qualifier examination at the end of the second year. The examination is “on-topic”, allowing students to prepare a strong thesis proposal. Following successful passage, PhD candidates form a thesis advisory committee consisting of the research mentor and at least two other faculty members. 

After successful completion of the qualifier, students pursue dissertation research, with periodic thesis advisory committee meetings and reports due every semester to ensure good progress. Following satisfactory completion of the dissertation and oral defense of the dissertation research, the PhD is conferred. 

Learning Outcomes for Biomedical Science PhD

• Discipline-specific knowledge, including a review of existing literature, an understanding of current working models and the articulation of gaps in knowledge.
• Research skill development, including the design of rigorous experiments to test hypotheses, technically perform reproducible studies, critically analyze and interpret data
• Research communication skills, including the ability to write and speak effectively about science and research to a variety of audiences
• Research leadership, including the ability to form and manage teams of diverse participants to achieve project goals, self-assessment to identify interests and strengths, and agency to seek professional and career opportunities. 
• Research professionalism, including the responsible conduct of research, authorship, research with human, animal or large datasets, laboratory safety and skills as mentor and mentee. 

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PhD in Chemistry

The PhD in Chemistry program offers a small student-to-faculty ratio, close access to research and mentorship opportunities and a vibrant community of 40–50 peers.  Faculty are deeply invested in helping PhD students develop their professional portfolios, offering ample opportunities for research presentations, publications and awards.

In addition to research in their focus area of choice, many students enrich their program through consortium classes or collaborations with peers in medicine, engineering and nearby federal research laboratories — including the National Institutes of Health, Naval Research Laboratory and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

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Join us online for an information session discussing the field of chemistry and the GW Master of Science in Chemistry, Master of Science in Environmental & Green Chemistry and PhD in Chemistry programs.

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"The faculty had a profound impact on my life and opened many doors for me. … In a few short years since graduating, my career has already far exceeded the goals I set as a graduate student and I feel this is largely due to the result-based education I received at GW.” 

Keegan M. Caldwell PhD '14 Managing Member of Caldwell Intellectual Property

Doctoral students perform original research in one of five fields: analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic (materials) chemistry, organic chemistry or physical chemistry. Students begin with core courses in focus areas and quickly move on to join research groups that match their interests. Most students spend about five years in the chemistry PhD program.

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Degree Requirements

All doctoral students must complete a set of core courses, cumulative and candidacy  examinations  and a dissertation . They must also present at required seminars. For more questions, please contact the  Director of Graduate Studies .

Prior to the second semester of study, a Doctoral/Examining Committee must be formed. At least three members of the department, including the research advisor and ideally one faculty member from within the chosen division and one faculty member from another discipline.

Before the second semester of study, the advisor will report the committee members to the DGS.

The advisor should schedule the first committee meeting during the second semester of study. Thereafter the group should convene at least annually in the presence of the student. Second and subsequent meetings should focus on the dissertation progress and implement suggested changes to the course of study as needed.

Student progress will be characterized by majority vote as excellent, good or failing. Should a failing mark be given, the committee must choose one of two options: probation with further guidance or recommendation for termination from the PhD program. This evaluation, or any changes to the course of study, should be reported in a document signed by all committee members to the Graduate Affairs Committee and the student following each meeting.

Students must present at least two seminars. The first takes place prior to the start of the fifth semester. It should be 25–30 minutes long, covering either a topic from the literature or preliminary research results. The second usually takes place in the summer prior to dissertation defense. It is an hour-long seminar on the research. Students should write an abstract (about 50 words) to advertise each seminar.

Students who do not show satisfactory progress might be either placed on probation with further guidance or recommended for termination from the PhD program. The GW Chemistry Department defines satisfactory progress in the PhD program as:

• Placement exams: Incoming graduate students are expected to pass four placement exams in Analytical, Inorganic, Physical and Organic chemistries. If a student does not pass all placements exams in a second attempt by May 31 (Fall admits) or August 31 (Spring admits), they will be subject to a Graduate Affairs Committee review and may be asked to leave the program.
• Research group: The student should formally choose and be accepted into the research group of a full-time professor in our department prior to the start of the student’s 2nd semester in the program. Thereafter, the student must continuously maintain membership in a chemistry department research group. Research advisor consent is required to join a research group. A “Join/Exit Research Group” form must be signed by the student and the research advisor and submitted to the Chemistry Department Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) by the deadline to initially declare membership in a research group (or to exit/change research groups at a later date). Please note that students who fail to achieve satisfactory progress in their research programs can be removed from their research group at the discretion of the research advisor, in which case the student must join another chemistry department research group within 30 days.
• Grades: The student should achieve an average grade of “B” (3.0) or higher in all core courses taken by the end of the student’s second semester in the program and continuously maintain that cumulative average each term thereafter.
• 30-min seminar: The student should present a 30-minute seminar to the department prior to the candidacy exam, typically before the start of their fifth semester.
• Cumulative Exams: The student should accumulate 10 points in 7 exams or 12 points in 10 exams prior to the end of the sixth semester in the program.
• Candidacy Exam: Students should complete the candidacy exam prior to the end of the sixth semester in the program. The examination committee should be composed of the members of the student’s doctoral committee: the research advisor and two other faculty members. A research summary document no longer than 10 pages plus references and figures (Times font, 12pt, 1.5 spaced, 1” margins) should be submitted to the examination committee at least one week before the date of the exam.
• Teaching duties: The student should satisfactorily carry out GA duties as determined by the chair-person and/or laboratory supervisors/instructors.
• Chemistry seminars: The student should show regular attendance to chemistry seminars (80% or higher per semester) and participate in other departmental activities, such as the annual retreat, poster sessions, and other duties required by the research advisor. Students are encouraged to regularly check their progress in the program on DegreeMap. Reasonable exceptions to the above may be considered by the DGS in consultation with Graduate Affairs Committee.

All graduate students must display competency in scientific writing. Periodically, student’s research reports, examinations, papers for classes, seminar abstract and other material will be reviewed for writing competency. In the event of inadequate performance, a student may be required to take a course in scientific writing.

Visit the GW Writing Center

PhD Students in the Lab

Sylwia Stopka

Sylwia Stopka (PhD ’17) of the  Vertes group  was the driving force behind an exciting project to develop new tools for the study of biological nitrogen fixation. In fall of 2017, the Chemistry Department received funding from the National Science Foundation as part of an interdisciplinary team formed with two other universities. The project explored plant-microbe interactions in biological nitrogen fixation using analytical tools developed in the Vertes laboratory. Combining a dual-channel microscope, capable of bright field and fluorescence imaging, with a laser ablation electrospray ionization system for the mass spectrometric analysis of single plant cells offered new insight into the biochemistry of self-fertilizing plants such as soybean.

Course Requirements 

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under  Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs .

The requirements for the  Doctor of Philosophy Program

Pre-matriculation requirements

All entering students in graduate chemistry programs are required to take the American Chemical Society Graduate Level Placement Examinations, given by the Department of Chemistry, prior to matriculation. The four placement examinations (in the disciplines of analytical, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry) are designed to cover the subject matter in the disciplines generally taught in undergraduate programs preparatory for graduate work in chemistry, and the results are used by the department to advise the individual student in planning a program of courses appropriate to the student’s background. All graduate students are required to participate in the seminar and colloquium programs. Upon consultation with course instructors, specific course prerequisites may be waived.

PhD program of study

Students develop a program of study in consultation with their doctoral committee, subject to the approval of the department’s Graduate Affairs Committee. The program of study must include coursework in a minimum of five graduate-level courses; at least three of these courses must be core courses as defined in the department’s Guide for Graduate Students and at least three must be offered by the Department of Chemistry. These course requirements cannot be fulfilled by achievement on placement exams. At least two graduate-level courses must be taken outside the student's subdiscipline and in at least two other subdisciplines/discipline. Equivalent courses offered by another university may be substituted at the discretion of the Graduate Affairs Committee.

General examination

Students must successfully complete the program's general examination, which consists of three parts: a 30-minute seminar, cumulative examinations, and a candidacy examination. To pass the general examination, students must present a 30-minute seminar covering topics from the literature and preliminary research results, prior to the start of their fifth semester in the program. They must also successfully complete their cumulative examinations and candidacy examination no later than the end of their sixth semester in the program.

Students also must present a 60-minute seminar on their research prior to the dissertation defense.

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Ph.D. in Business with a Management and Strategy Area of Focus

Please note: This degree program is designed as a joint program between Management and Strategic Management & Public Policy, so the coursework consists of core courses as well as courses that are specific to one of those two fields.

Learn about the program's curriculum and comprehensive examination requirement.

Learn More About the Program & Curriculum

Admission and Financial Aid

Learn about admissions and the costs of pursuing a Ph.D. in management and strategy, and explore a variety of resources available to help finance your degree.

Learn More About Admission and Financial Aid

An overview of the research activities of our students and faculty.

Learn More About Program Research

The objective of the Management and Strategic Management & Public Policy doctoral program is to prepare students for research-oriented academic positions. The program is built on a strong foundation that consists of a critical mass of research-oriented faculty and a strong research climate. The program is cross-disciplinary by building on the faculty and research in both management and strategy. Students receive a foundation in both management and strategic management and public policy with the ability to focus on developing a research competence in a chosen field of study.

Students must meet all the general requirements of the doctoral program of the School of Business (see the Ph.D. Handbook), and meet any additional requirements of the student’s field of study.

Learn more about the Management/Strategic Management & Public Policy doctoral program at the GW School of Business from this open house on December 9, 2021.

Meet Our Doctoral Students

Lauryn Burnett

Doctoral Student of Management

Amando Cope

Ursula Martin

Urusha Thapa

Doctoral Student of Strategic Management and Public Policy

Doctoral Program Graduates and Career Placement

View the dissertation title, dissertation committee members, and current job titles of each graduate below their name.

Soolim Park (Ph.D. 2024)

• Natural Disasters and Firms’ Climate Change Mitigation (Jorge E. Rivera, Chair; Jorge Walter, Herman Aguinis, Jennifer Oetzel, Brendan Hurley)
• Assistant Professor, NEOMA Business School
• Google Scholar Profile
• Personal website

Hannah Kremer (Ph.D. 2022)

• Sharing Without Caring: How Self-Concealment Influences Idea Creativity at Work (Margaret Ormiston, Chair; Herman Aguinis, Jack Goncalo, Katina Sawyer)
• DEI Lead, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Joowon Lee (Ph.D. 2022)

• Examining the Effects of CEO Big Five Personality Traits on Technological Innovation: Evidence from S&P 500 Firms (James R. Bailey, Chair; George T. Solomon, D. Christopher Kayes, Joonmahn Lee)
• Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Kerrigan Unter (Ph.D. 2022)

• California Wineries and Climate Change: Extreme Weather Events, Resource-Supply Adaptation, and Wine Quality (Jorge Rivera, Chair; Magali Delmas; Martina Linnenluecke; Michael Mann; Jorge Walter)
• Postdoctoral research fellow for the Institute for Economy and the Environment at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
• Google Scholar profile

Isabel Villamor (Ph.D. 2022)

• How Virtual Work Changes Implicit Leadership Theories: Consequences for Leaders’ Evaluation (N. Sharon Hill, Chair; Herman Aguinis, Margaret Ormiston, Lynn R. Offermann)
• Assistant Professor, IESE Business School

Nawaf Alabduljader (Ph.D. 2018)

• New Venture Team Personality and New Venture Success (George T. Solomon, Chair; Herman Aguinis, D. Christopher Kayes, Charles H. Matthews)
• Assistant Professor, Kuwait University

Ravi Ramani (Ph.D. 2018)

• Invigorated and Checked-In or Depleted and Checked-Out? A Person-Centric Examination of the Effects of Voice on Employee Burnout and Turnover Intention (Herman Aguinis, Chair; James R. Bailey, Jorge Walter, N. Andrew Cohen)
• Assistant Professor, Morgan State University

Viviane Clement (Ph.D. 2017)

• From Adaptation to Transformation: A Resilience Perspective on Organizational Responses to Ecological Adversity (Jorge Rivera, Chair; Tima Bansal; Michael Mann; James Wade; Jorge Walter)
• Senior Policy Analyst, World Bank

Young Hun Ji (Ph.D. 2017)

• Understanding the Gender Performance Gap Among Star Performers in STEM Fields (Herman Aguinis, Chair; N. Andrew Cohen, N. Sharon Hill, James B. Wade)
• Senior Data Scientist, Aiven

Lili Yan (Ph.D. 2016)

• Corruption in a Multinational Context: Two Essays (Robert J. Weiner, Co-Chair; Timothy L. Fort, Co-Chair; Jennifer J. Griffin; Steven R. Salbu; Eun-Hee Kim)
• Assistant Professor of Business Ethics, St. Mary’s College

Yoona Youm (Ph.D. 2016)

• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Business Groups: An Examination of Korean Business Groups, Chaebols, and the Initiation of CSR Programs (Jennifer J. Griffin, Chair; Susan L. Kulp; Vanessa Perry; Anupama Phene)
• Assistant Professor, Loyola University-Chicago

Kevin May (Ph.D. 2015)

• Entrepreneurial Founder Team Composition and Its Influence on Firm Performance: A Social Capital Perspective (George T. Solomon, Chair; Erik K. Winslow, N. Andrew Cohen, Vanessa G. Perry, Shivraj Kanungo)
• Assistant Professor of Practice, The Catholic University of America; Co-Founder, GenB, Inc.

Juan Roeschmann (Ph.D. 2015)

• Is Environmental Certification Associated with Price Premiums? The Case of Costa Rica Hotel and Community Certification Programs (Jorge Rivera, Chair; Eun-Hee Kim; Donald Hawkins; Jorge Walter; Robert Savickas)
• Consultant and Partner, RG Group

Smita Trivedi (Ph.D. 2014)

• Creating Livelihoods: Indian Women Entrepreneur Networks in the Context of Poverty (Timothy L. Fort, Co-Chair; Jennifer J. Griffin, Co-Chair; Stuart L. Hart; Vanessa G. Perry; Shaista E. Khilji; Alex V. Krasnikov)
• Associate Professor, San Francisco State University

Jeewhan Yoon (Ph.D. 2014)

• Team Learning and Financial Performance: The Effects of Psychological Safety and Team Supervisor Support (D. Christopher Kayes, Chair; Patrick P. McHugh, George T. Solomon, N. Sharon Hill, Lynn R. Offermann)
• Professor, Korea University

Vivianna Fang He (Ph.D. 2013)

• Learning from Failure: The Making of Entrepreneurial Leaders (George T. Solomon, Chair; James R. Bailey, Shyam Giridharadas, D. Christopher Kayes, Sheetal Singh)
• Associate Professor, University of St. Gallen

Patricia Kanashiro (Ph.D. 2013)

• Corporate Environmental Strategy: Institutional and Governance Perspectives (Jorge Rivera, Chair; Mark Starik; Rafael Lucea; Timothy Fort; Martha Carter)
• Associate Professor, Loyola University Maryland

Jae Hyeung Kang (Ph.D. 2012)

• CEOs' Transformational Leadership and Managers' Innovative Behavior: The Investigation of Intervening Effects in an Entrepreneurial Context (George T. Solomon, Chair; Erik K. Winslow, Sheetal Singh, D. Christopher Kayes, Ayman E. Tarabishy)
• Associate Professor, Oakland University

Crystal Han-Huei Tsay (Ph.D. 2012)

• Understanding Students' Adaptation to Graduate School: An Integration of Social Support Theory and Social Learning Theory (D. Christopher Kayes, Chair; Erik K. Winslow, N. Sharon Hill, George T. Solomon, Shyam Giridharadas)
• Deputy Head of the Executive Business Centre and Associate Professor, University of Greenwich

Charles Koerber (Ph.D. 2011)

• Lending to Low- and Moderate-Income Borrowers: The Impact of Lender Board Composition, Stakeholder Outreach, and Regulatory Environment (Jennifer J. Griffin, Chair; Timothy Fort; Vanessa G. Perry; J. Howard Beales, III; Ernie Englander)

Junghyun Lee (Ph.D. 2011)

• The Effects of Leadership Behavior on Workplace Harassment, Employee Outcomes, and Organizational Effectiveness in Small Businesses (Jaclyn M. Jensen, Chair; George T. Solomon, Tjai M. Nielsen, M. Susan Taylor, Lynn R. Offermann)
• Associate Professor, University of Michigan-Dearborn

J. Mark Phillips (Ph.D. 2011)

• The Entrepreneurial Esquire: Entrepreneurial Climate as a Mediator Between Transformational Leadership and Performance in Law Firms (Erik K. Winslow, Chair; George T. Solomon, James R. Bailey, Ayman E. Tarabishy, N. Sharon Hill)
• Associate Professor, Belmont University

Peter Tashman (Ph.D. 2011)

• Corporate Climate Change Adaptation, Vulnerability and Environmental Performance in the United States Ski Resort Industry (Jorge Rivera, Chair; Mark Starik; Tim Fort; Eun-Hee Kim; Jennifer Spencer)
• Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts-Lowell

David A. Tomczyk (Ph.D. 2010)

• The Relationship Between Long-Term Video Game Playing and Individuals' Entrepreneurial Traits and Intent: An Exploratory Study (George T. Solomon, Chair; Erik K. Winslow, John M. Artz, N. Sharon Hill, Ayman E. Tarabishy)
• Associate Professor, Quinnipiac University

Michelle Westermann-Behaylo (Ph.D. 2010)

• The relationship between corporate ethical climate and stakeholder management (Timothy L. Fort, Chair; Jorge Rivera; Shawn L. Berman)
• Faculty, University of Amsterdam

Timothy S. Clark (Ph.D. 2009)

• Strategic orientation toward sustainability: The role of investor relations officers (Mark Starik, Chair; Timothy Fort; Vanessa G. Perry)
• Associate Professor, Northern Arizona University (Retired)

George Hrivnak (Ph.D. 2009)

• Extending a model of leader-member exchange development: Individual and dyadic effects of personality, similarity and liking (Tjai M. Nielsen, Chair; James R. Bailey, Lynn R. Offermann)
• Associate Professor of Management and Associate Dean - Learning & Teaching, Bond University (Australia)

Kristin M. Lamoureux (Ph.D. 2009)

• Success factors of cross-sector volunteer tourism partnerships involving U.S. federal land agencies (Donald E. Hawkins, Chair; Larry Yu; Jorge Rivera)
• Director of the MSBA-HTM Graduate program and Collegiate Professor, Virginia Tech University

Lu Zhang (Ph.D. 2008)

• Corporate social responsibility, applicants' ethical predispositions, and organizational attraction: A person-organization fit perspective (Mary A. Gowan, Chair; Timothy Fort, Jaclyn M. Jensen, Patrick P. McHugh, Cynthia Kay Stevens)
• Associate Professor, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (South Korea)

Elizabeth Alexander (Ph.D. 2007)

• The effects of institutional environment upon innovation and performance: Collaborative external knowledge strategies in the cellular telephone industry (Jennifer Spencer, Chair; Hildy Teegan; Ernie Englander; Bing-Sheng Teng; Paul Almeida)
• Reader in International Management, Head of Leadership, Work & Organisation Subject Group, Newcastle University

Jie Jiao (Ph.D. 2007)

• International acquisition strategies of Chinese firms: A multi -theoretic examination (Bing-Sheng Teng, Chair; Jiawen Yang; Ernie Englander; Lee Burke; Jennifer Spencer)
• Professor, Tsinghua University

Gary A. Bojes (Ph.D. 2006)

• Orchestrating strategy implementation: A grounded theory approach to environmental management in strategies focused on the Chesapeake Bay (Mark Starik, Chair; James Thurman; Richard Donnelly; Pradeep Rau)
• Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Thomas A. Hemphill (Ph.D. 2005)

• Cooperative strategy and technology standards-setting: A study of United States wireless telecommunications industry standards development (James Thurman, Chair; Robert Rycroft; Joel Cook; Ernie Englander; Nicholas Vonortas)
• David M French Professor and Professor of Management, The University of Michigan-Flint

Pramila Rao (Ph.D. 2005)

• Executive staffing practices in United States of America-Mexico business joint ventures (Paul M. Swiercz, Chair; John F. Lobuts Jr., Donna Lind Infeld, Hildy J. Teegen, Mary A. Gowan, Jennifer W. Spencer)
• Associate Professor of Human Resource Management, Marymount University

Kalpana Seethepalli (Ph.D. 2005)

• Risk, structure and performance: An analysis of private investor strategies in emerging economy electricity markets (Hildy Teegan, Chair; Jennifer Spencer; Mark Starik; Bing-Sheng Teng; Jonathan Doh)
• ESG Director, Deutsche Bank

Gurneeta Vasudeva (Singh) (Ph. D. 2005)

• How national institutions influence firms' knowledge -building alliance strategies: A longitudinal study of fuel cell technology development (Jennifer Spencer, Co-Chair; Hildy Teegan, Co-Chair; Nicholas Vonortas; Ernie Englander; Paul Almeida)
• Associate Professor, University of Minnesota

Souha Riad Ezzedeen (Ph.D. 2003)

• Rethinking Work-life Balance: Development and Validation of the Cognitive Intrusion of Work Scale (Paul M. Swiercz, Chair; William C. Adams, John F. Lobuts Jr., E. Gustave Marits, Gordon E. Dehler, John L. Glascock)
• Associate Professor, York University (Canada)

Stephen McGuire (Ph.D. 2003)

• Entrepreneurial organizational culture: Construct definition and instrument development and validation (Patrick P. McHugh, Chair; John F. Lobuts Jr., E. Gustave Marits, Richard G. Donnelly, Theorore H. Rosen, William R. Baber)
• Professor of Management, California State University at Los Angeles

James D. Oldson (Ph.D. 2003)

• A comparative analysis of the predictive strengths of an assessment center and a 360-degree evaluation process to forecast managerial performance in entry-level managers (Mark Starik, Chair; Kathryn Newcomer; Marilyn Liebrenz-Himes; Larry Williams; Charles Toftoy)

Jeffrey L. Cummings (Ph.D. 2002)

• Knowledge transfer across R&D units: An empirical investigation of the factors affecting successful knowledge transfer across intra- and inter-organizational units (James Thurman, Chair; Richard Donnelly; Ernie Englander; Bing-Sheng Teng; Nancy Dixon)
• Professor, Loyola University Maryland

Mark A. Heuer (Ph.D. 2001)

• Firm-stakeholder connectedness in the deregulating electric utility business: Exchange relationships in a network context (Mark Starik, Chair; Pradeep Rau; Ernie Englander; Bing-Sheng Teng; Sharon Levin)
• Associate Professor, Susquehanna University (Retired)

Jonathan P. Doh (Ph.D. 2001)

• Private investment, entrepreneurial entry, and partner collaboration in emerging markets telecommunications: The impact of country, industry, and firm-level factors (Hildy Teegan, Chair; Mark Starik; Aseem Prakash; Jennifer Spencer; Sidney Weintraub)
• Associate Dean of Research and Global Engagement; Herbert G. Rammrath Endowed Chair in International Business; Co-Faculty Director, The Elenore and Robert F. Moran Sr. Center for Global Leadership; Professor, Management & Operations, Villanova University

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"GW’s location in the heart of D.C. provides immeasurable opportunities. During my time at GW, I’ve been exposed to countless events and experiences for learning outside the classroom. Whether it was attending the World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s Annual Fall and Spring Meetings, meeting Bill Nye the Science Guy at a conference at GW on Humans Orbiting Mars, or getting asked to be an extra on an episode of NCIS filmed outside the White House, my #onlyatGW moments have been nothing short of remarkable."

Nora Hassan Elliott School of International Affairs

M.A., International Development Studies

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Apply for Admission

Online Doctor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

We are now accepting applications for the cohort beginning in January 2025.

The application deadline is November 1, 2024

Program Description

The online Doctor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning is a research-based doctoral program. The program is designed to provide graduates with a solid understanding of the latest AI&ML techniques, as well as hands-on experience in applying these techniques to real-world problems. Graduates of this program are equipped to lead AI&ML projects and teams in a wide range of industries, including healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. Having developed advanced research skills, graduates are also well-prepared for academic research and teaching roles.

The degree requires completion of eight graduate-level courses (listed below) and a minimum of 24 credit hours of Praxis Research (SEAS 8588). During the research phase, the student writes and defends a research praxis on a topic related to AI&ML. The topic is selected by the student and approved by the research advising committee.

SEAS 6414 Python Application for Data Analytics:  Introduction to Python programming tailored for Data Analytics. This course covers Python’s applications in automating data cleaning, feature engineering, outlier detection, implementing machine learning algorithms, conducting text mining, and performing time series analysis. (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8500 Fundamentals of AI-Enabled Systems:  Operational decomposition for AI solutions, engineering data for algorithm development, and deployment strategies. Systems perspective in designing AI systems. Full-lifecycle of creating AI-enabled systems. Ethics and biases in AI systems (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8505 Applied Machine Intelligence and Reinforcement Learning:  Theory and practice of machine learning leveraging open-source tools, algorithms and techniques. Topics include intelligent model training, support vector machines, deep learning, transformer methods, GANs, and reinforcement learning (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8510 Analytical Methods for Machine Learning:  Mathematical tools for building machine learning algorithms: linear algebra, analytical geometry, matrix decompositions, optimization, probability and statistics (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8515 Data Engineering for AI:  Developing Python scripts to automate data pipelines, data ingestion, data processing, and data warehousing. Machine learning applications with Python including text mining and time series analysis (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8520 Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing:  Fundamentals of deep learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Techniques for designing modern deep learning networks using Keras and TensorFlow. NLP topics include sentiment analysis, bag of words, TFIDF, and Large Language Models (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8525 Computer Vision and Generative AI: Explore AI's visual realm. Learn image processing object detection, and models in generative adversarial networks and neural networks. Master tools for creating AI applications in art, design, ethical considerations, and societal impacts of generative AI technology (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8599 Praxis Development for AI & Machine Learning:  Overview of research methods. Aims and purpose of the praxis. Development of praxis research strategies, formulation, and defense of a praxis proposal (3 credit hours)

SEAS 8588 Praxis Research for D.Eng. in AI & Machine Learning:  Research leading to the degree of Doctor of Engineering in AI and Machine Learning (24 Credit Hours)  

Classroom courses last 10 weeks each and meet on Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM—12:10 PM and afternoons from 1:00—4:10 PM (all times Eastern). All classes meet live online through synchronous distance learning technologies (Zoom). All classes are recorded and available for viewing within two hours of the lecture. This program is taught in a cohort format in which students take all courses in lockstep. Courses cannot be taken out of sequence, live attendance at all class meetings is expected, and students must remain continuously enrolled. Leaves of absence are permitted only in the case of a medical or family emergency, or deployment to active military duty.  Please see below for the dates of our upcoming cohort.

No classes on  Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends 

To proceed to the research phase, students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.2 in the eight classroom courses, and no grade below B-. Students are then registered for a minimum of 24 credit hours of SEAS 8588 Praxis Research: 3 ch in Fall 2025 (Session 2), 9 ch in Spring 2026, 3 ch in Summer 2026, and 9 ch in Fall 2026. Throughout the research phase, students develop the praxis under the guidance of a designated faculty advisor. Faculty research advisors are assigned by the program office and meet individually with students every two weeks.

Sample research areas are listed below:

•    Developing algorithms and methods that can explain how AI systems reach their decisions or predictions, making them more transparent and trustworthy •    Investigating how reinforcement learning can improve robotic performance and control, particularly in complex environments •    Examining how to ensure that AI systems are fair and unbiased in their decision-making, particularly in areas such as hiring, lending, and criminal justice •    Developing more advanced natural language processing models and algorithms that can understand and interpret human language more accurately and effectively •    Investigating how to apply transfer learning techniques to improve the performance of AI systems in new and different domains, with less data and less training time 

Tuition is $1,750 per credit hour for the 2024-2025 year and is billed at the beginning of each semester for the courses registered during that semester. A non-refundable tuition deposit of $995, which is applied to tuition due the first semester, is required when the applicant accepts the offer of admission.

Admissions Process

• Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, applied science, business, computer science, or a related field from accredited institutions.
• A minimum graduate-level GPA of 3.2
• Capacity for original scholarship.
• TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores are required of all applicants who are not citizens of countries where English is the official language.  Check our  International Students Page  to learn about the SEAS English language requirements and exemption policy. Test scores may not be more than two years old.

Note: GRE and GMAT scores are not required

Please note that our doctoral programs are highly selective; meeting minimum admissions requirements does not guarantee admission.  

• Attach up-to-date Resume 
• Attach Statement of Purpose – In an essay of 250 words or less, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study at The George Washington University. Describe your academic objectives, research interests, and career plans. Discuss your qualifications including collegiate, professional, and community activities, and any other substantial accomplishments not mentioned.
• Online Engineering Programs The George Washington University 170 Newport Center Drive Suite 260 Newport Beach, CA 92660

Normally, all transcripts must be received before an admission decision is rendered for the Doctor of Engineering program. 

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Department of Computer Science

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The Ph.D. in Computer Science aims to build the next generation of scholars in computer science research. At GW, doctoral students can expect to work closely with a faculty advisor in their chosen research area to create a curriculum plan and guidance for the doctoral dissertation. Students have the opportunities to teach introductory-level courses to undergraduates, present conference papers, and work with faculty on research grant applications.

With its unique location of Washington, D.C., GW maintains access and connections to one of the highest concentrations of tech companies in the country, as well as research-granting federal institutes, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NASA , National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Naval Research Laboratory . 

For Prospective Students:

Admissions requirements.

• If an applicant has obtained a master’s degree, a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (on a scale of 4.0) is required.
• If an applicant has only obtained a bachelor’s degree, the minimum grade point average must be a 3.3 (on a scale of 4.0).
• Completion of two math courses beyond pre-calculus.
• Strong academic background that includes courses in structured programming language, discrete structures and data structures.
• Successful submission of online application form, exam scores and other documents as outlined in the admissions requirements .

Faculty Advisor & Research Area

We strongly recommend that prospective doctoral students determine a faculty member in the department with whom they would like to work, as well as the research area of interest.

Top research areas of the department:

• Algorithms and theory
• Computer architecture, networks, parallel and distributed computing
• Computer security and information assurance
• Database and information retrieval systems
• Machine intelligence and cognition
• Multimedia, animation, graphics and user interface
• Software engineering and systems

Download Faculty & Research Factsheet (PDF)

For Current Students: 

The general requirements are stated under School of Engineering, Doctoral Program Regulations . 

Program Requirements

Relevant Forms

• Preliminary examination form
• Proposal defense report form
• Final examination approval form
• Dissertation completion form
• Additional forms and resources from SEAS

PhD Course Guidelines:

PhD students must work with their advisors to develop a program of study that meets the following requirements.

• For direct Ph.D. degree students: 54 credit hours (minimum of 42 credit hours of course work available for graduate credit and minimum of 12 credit hours of dissertation research credits (CSCI 8999)) are required. Additionally, a student should continue to enroll in Continuing Research - Doctoral (SEAS 0940) until their dissertation is completed.
• For post-Master’s Ph.D. students: 18 credit hours of course work available for graduate credit and 12 credit hours of dissertation research credits (CSCI 8999) are required. Additionally, a student should continue to enroll in Continuing Research - Doctoral  (SEAS 0940) until their dissertation is completed. 
• A maximum of 15 credits outside of the department for direct Ph.D. students; a maximum of 9 credits outside of the department for post-Master’s Ph.D. students.
• Algorithms and theory;
• Software and systems
• See details in the Preliminary Examination section below. 

Preliminary Examination

Failure of full-time students to pass the preliminary examination by the end of the fourth semester will lead to dismissal from the program.

Students who register for 6 credits or fewer in three consecutive semesters are part-time. Part-time students are required to pass the preliminary examination within their first three years, or 30 credits, of enrollment in the PhD program. Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the program.

To demonstrate competency, students may take one course in each of the following areas:

• Algorithms and theory: CSCI 6212 Design and Analysis of Algorithms or CSCI 6311 Theory of Computation
• Software and systems: CSCI 6221 Advanced Software Paradigms, or CSCI 6431 Computer Networks, or CSCI 6461 Computer System Architecture

Competency is demonstrated in one of two ways:

• By completing the course with a minimum grade of A-; or,
• By taking only the written, in-class examinations in the course. With this option, students must pass all exams given during a semester, earning a minimum grade of A- in each. 

Students who prove, via their official transcript, that they earned the requisite grades as part of their master’s degree may apply that result to the preliminary exam requirement. 

Students must submit a Preliminary Examination Form to the Department of Computer Science after completing the requirements for the preliminary exam. 

Publication Requirements

Students must have at least one peer-reviewed conference or journal paper accepted for publication at the time of the dissertation defense.

As a guideline, students are expected to have at least two or three conference or journal papers accepted for publication by the time of their dissertation defense, and the material from those papers should be the core of the dissertation.

Dissertation

Dissertation advisor and co-advisor(s).

Every PhD dissertation must be supervised by a faculty advisor who must be (1) a regular full-time faculty member of GW with a primary or secondary appointment in the CS Department, or (2) a research faculty member of the CS Department. Besides the dissertation advisor, a PhD student may have one or more co-advisor(s), who may be full-time or part-time faculty at GW, or professionals from outside the university. Co-advisors are expected to hold a terminal degree.

Forming a dissertation committee

• The dissertation committee must consist of at least three members, including the major advisor. Additional advisor(s) and co-advisors are optional and additional to the three members.
• The committee must have a presiding chair who is a regular full-time faculty member whose primary appointment is in the Department of Computer Science. The committee chair may not be the student's research advisor or co-advisor.
• Faculty with secondary appointments in the Department of Computer Science are not considered regular full-time faculty members in the Department.
• At least one member of the committee must be an external reviewer. The external reviewer must hold a doctoral degree. They may not be a research advisor or co-advisor of the student. They should have a primary appointment in another GW department or outside the University.
• The dissertation committee must be approved by the Chair of the Department of Computer Science.
• The committee membership is normally the same for the dissertation proposal examination and the dissertation defense. However, the membership may change with the approval of the advisor and department chair.

Dissertation proposal defense

• The defense may not take place before the student has passed the preliminary examination.
• The student’s advisor must approve the scheduling of the dissertation proposal defense.
• The student submits a written proposal, in the style of a dissertation, to the members of the dissertation committee. The proposal should contain preliminary results.
• The dissertation committee evaluates the proposal and conduct an oral examination of the student. The committee conveys its recommendation of pass/fail to the Department of Computer Science.
• A proposal defense report should be filed.  

Dissertation defense

• The dissertation defense may not be scheduled before the student has passed the dissertation proposal defense.
• The student’s advisor must approve the scheduling of the dissertation defense.
• The student submits a written dissertation to the members of the dissertation committee, normally two or more weeks in advance of the defense. The writing should follow the dissertation writing guidelines .
• The committee evaluates the dissertation and conducts an oral examination of the student. The committee conveys its recommendation to pass or fail to the Department of Computer Science.
• The final examination approval form and the dissertation completion form should be filed.

University Graduation and Scholarship Requirements

Students are responsible for knowing the University’s graduation and scholarships requirements. Consult the University Regulations section of this Bulletin. Students should consult the department for additional information and requirements.

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Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering

Program overview.

The Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering provides rising scholars and researchers to expand the field of electrical engineering through refined exploration into communications, power and energy, and micro- and nano-electronics areas.

Students work directly with a faculty advisor to formulate their research focus, write and publish their dissertation, as well as participate actively in professional and research-focused conferences in the field of electrical engineering, such as IEEE.

Top research areas of the department:

• Communications and networks
• Electrical power and energy
• Electronics, photonics and MEMS (VLSI systems and microelectronics)
• Signal and image processing, systems and controls

Faculty Advisor & Research Area

We strongly recommended that prospective doctoral students determine a faculty member in the department with whom they would like to work and a research area of interest. 

Download Faculty & Research Factsheet (PDF)

Please visit the  GW Bulletin  to see a description of the program requirements.

Program Entry

The department offers a Fall, Spring, or Summer semester program entry for its Ph.D. program. To apply for Summer semester entry for the Ph.D. program, the deadline is March 1. (By faculty advisor invitation only)

Admissions Requirements

• If applicant has obtained a master’s, a minimum grade point average of 3.4 (on a scale of 4.0) is required.
• If applicant has only obtained a bachelor’s, the minimum grade point average must be a 3.3 (on a scale of 4.0).

Successful submission of online application form, exam scores and other documents as outlined in the  admissions requirements .

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PhD in Statistics

The STEM-designated PhD in Statistics program provides advanced training in topics including probability, linear models, time series analysis, Bayesian statistics, inference, reliability, statistics in law and regulatory policy and much more.

Nearly all GW statistics PhD graduates have secured job placements in the statistics or data science industry, with employers  including Amazon, Facebook and Capital One. During the program, PhD students work closely with faculty on original research in their area of interest. 

The degree provides training in theory and applications and is suitable for both full-time and part-time students. Most graduate courses are offered in the early evening to accommodate student schedules. 

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Graduate Program Advisors

Application Requirements

Prospective PhD students typically have earned a master’s degree in statistics or a related discipline. Students need a strong background in mathematics, including courses in advanced calculus, linear algebra and mathematical statistics.

Complete Application Requirements

"GW encouraged me to tap into expertise from within as well as outside the university while researching my dissertation topic. I learned about the value of collaboration throughout my doctoral studies. Collaboration is so important in science, and it’s been instrumental in our success at Emmes."

Anne Lindblad PhD ’90 President, The Emmes Company

Students in their first semester of the PhD in Statistics program must meet with the program director  prior to signing up for classes. Students should continue to seek advice from the advisor throughout the program, particularly when determining whether any previous coursework can be applied toward their degree.

General Examinations

The general examination consists of two parts: a qualifying examination and an examination to determine the student's readiness to carry out the proposed dissertation research.

Each PhD candidate is required to take and pass the PhD qualifying exam. The written exam is given at the beginning of the fall semester each year. It consists of two papers:

• Inference: STAT 6202 and 8263
• Probability: STAT 6201 and 8257

The written exam is required for the first attempt. If a student cannot pass it, then there are two options for the second attempt.

• Option #1 for the second attempt : after approximately a year, the student will retake the written exam (see above for exam description).
• Option #2 for the second attempt : within approximately half a year, based on the scope of the written exam (see above for exam description), the student must demonstrate satisfactory improvements through (open-book, take-home) problem solving and an oral exam (with questions and answers).

No more than two attempts are permitted.

After passing the qualifying examination, the candidate should select a dissertation advisor. In consultation with the advisor, the candidate should pass a readiness examination, usually consisting of a research proposal and an oral examination. A committee of at least two professors should administer the readiness examination.

Dissertation

Students are required to complete a written dissertation that should be defended before an examination committee of at least four examiners. The dissertation should contain original scholarly research and must comply with all other GW rules and regulations. For more guidance on dissertation process, review the CCAS PhD Student Handbook . For formatting and submission guidelines, visit the Electronic Theses and Dissertations Submission website .

Past Theses

Course Requirements 

The program requires 72 credit hours, of which at least 48 must be from coursework and at least 12 must be from dissertation research. Up to 24 credit hours may be transferred from a prior master’s degree (contrary to general GW doctoral program requirements , which allow up to 30 transfer credit hours).