Current Student Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the main campus located?

The Foggy Bottom campus is located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Downtown Washington DC, just four blocks away from The White House. The Science and Engineering Hall (SEH) is located at 800 22nd Street NW, Washington DC, 20052.

Explore GW

What does SEAS stand for?

SEAS stands for School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Where is the SEAS Graduate Advising and Student Services office located?

The SEAS advising office is located on the second floor of the Science and Engineering Hall (SEH). The SEH is located on 800 22nd St NW on the Foggy Bottom Campus. The suite number is 2900. If you are walking up the stairs, you should turn right and then walk past the elevators to the left. Check-in at the front desk and someone will assist you.

How do I contact my academic department?

You can email your academic department using the email addresses below:

Department of Biomedical Engineering	biomedgwu [dot] edu
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering	ceegwu [dot] edu
Department of Computer Science	csgwu [dot] edu
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering	ecegwu [dot] edu
Department of Engineering Management & Systems Engineering	emsegradgwu [dot] edu
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering	maegwu [dot] edu
Data Analytics Program	emsegradgwu [dot] edu

Are there any student organizations or clubs I can join?

You can find information on university student organizations through GW Engage.

How do I get an on-campus job?

All students are eligible to apply for on-campus student employment through the Student Employment Talent Management System. Positions are competitive and applications should be submitted with the same care as you might take with a full-time job application. Please work with SEAS Career Services to update your resume/CV, cover letter, and get interview tips.

How do I get a research or teaching assistantship?

Generally, assistantships are managed by the academic departments. Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) are limited and usually offered in year 2 for courses students took in year 1. Most are prioritized for PhD students due to their longer tenure (4-5 years) and need for teaching experience. The best way to improve chances of obtaining this type of position is to excel in coursework and directly discuss your interest with faculty teaching courses with GTAs.

Graduate Research Assistantship (GRAs) positions depend on faculty research funding and are arranged on a case-by-case basis. The best way to find these opportunities is to research faculty labs that align with your interests and then email faculty to inquire about openings.

How do I make an appointment with my Graduate Professional Advisor?

You can make an appointment with your professional advisor online using this link HERE. Please make sure you are scheduling your appointment with the appropriate advisor for you by using the chart provided on the website. Students in the MS or PhD program are able to schedule virtual or in-person advising appointments between the hours of 10am-5pm. If you have any difficulty finding a time on the calendar that works with your schedule, please email your advisor at seasgradgwu [dot] edu (seasgrad[at]gwu[dot]edu) to see if you can find a convenient time to meet.

How do I make an appointment with my faculty advisor?

You should email the department or your faculty advisor directly to make an appointment or review the posted office hours on the website to stop by their office.

What are the different types of advisors?

All SEAS graduate students at GW have a Graduate Professional Advisor and a Faculty Advisor. Some students might have an additional advisor as well, depending on your situation.

Different types of advisors:

• Graduate Professional Advisor: Helps you navigate program requirements, DegreeMAP, policies, procedures, and campus resources. They also assist with orientation, graduation, and various workshops throughout the year.
• Faculty Advisor: Experts in their chosen field who help you with course selection, approve course substitutions, and advise on program requirements.
• ISO Advisor: For international students, the International Services Office (ISO) Advisor helps you to navigate visa requirements, provide programming for international students, advise on the CPT/OPT process, etc.
• Research Advisor:  Doctoral students or MS students who pursue the thesis option will have a research advisor that supervises your research, helps with the dissertation paper, and assists in the thesis defense. This person may or may not be the same as your Faculty Advisor.

For more information on the information on the differences between the Graduate Professional Advisor and the Faculty Advisor can be found HERE

Can I take courses off campus or online?

If you were admitted to the main campus program at GWU, you should take the majority of your courses on campus. Some students may be able to take select online courses in consultation with your Faculty Advisor. International students on an F-1 visa are required to take the majority of their classes on campus to maintain their visa status. All international students should consult with the ISO prior to registering for an online course.

What time of day are courses offered for graduate students?

Graduate courses are generally offered at various times of the day Monday through Friday. Different sections of the same course may be offered on different days/times. Courses generally meet one day each week for up to 3 hours (unless it includes a lab). Please consult the schedule of classes for specific days and times that courses are offered.

How do I pay my tuition bill?

You can only pay your tuition bill AFTER you register for classes. Once you are successfully registered you should be able to view your eBill online by going to the student accounts website and clicking the “Student Access to Student Account eBill” button. If you received a GW scholarship, assistantship, or fellowship, please make sure that it is reflected on your eBill prior to paying your tuition.

How long do I have to drop a course without being charged?

On-campus courses dropped prior to the start of the semester (before the first day of classes) will have 100% of the tuition charges canceled. Courses dropped beginning the first day of classes are subject to the university refund schedule which can be found HERE.  Adding and dropping courses are managed by the Office of the Registrar.

What is the waitlist for a course? How do I get on the waitlist? What determines who will get into the course from the waitlist?

Some departments will open up a waitlist for a certain course if it gets closed or full too quickly. This means that instead of trying to sign up for the closed course, students who are interested can sign up for the waitlist instead. These students will then be admitted to the course on a first come, first served basis if others drop out of the course. The waitlist is not a guarantee that you will get a seat in the course. For more detailed information, please consult the Office of the Registrar’s website HERE.

I want to register for a course but GWeb states that I can’t due to prerequisites - what should I do?

Students should reach out to their academic department in order to get accurate information regarding the policies and procedures to see if it is possible to  override a course prerequisite.

What is EAP? Why do I have to take EAP?

EAP stands for English for Academic Purposes. The EAP program is intended to prepare students to meet academic expectations for written communication at the university level. Information about who may be required to take EAP is available HERE.

What does it mean when I have a “Condition” in my admissions letter?

When your admissions letter has a “Condition” this means that you have been admitted to your program under the expectation that you complete the condition. For example, some students have an admission condition to complete introductory courses in their program in their first semester and/or complete EAP in their first semester. Admissions conditions are considered a requirement for your program. Failure to complete the admissions condition in the time required can lead to termination from the program.

What is an Area of Focus? Do I need one?

An area of focus (AoF) is not an “official” concentration, rather an unofficial specialization within your MS program. Not all SEAS programs have an area of focus. If you do have an area of focus, you should follow the course guidelines laid out by the GW bulletin for the academic year that you were admitted. Some courses may be required under certain areas of focus. Please note that the area of focus will not be displayed on your official GW diploma.

What is colloquium? Do I need to register for it?

Colloquium is a seminar based requirement for certain academic departments. See the university bulletin for required academic departments. Colloquium events attended should be documented on a colloquium attendance form and signed by your faculty advisor. This form should be submitted to your department and graduate professional advisor before you graduate at the end of your program. You do not need to register for the colloquium. Any questions about the colloquium events should be directed to your academic department.

Where do I find the Schedule of Classes?

The schedule of classes is located HERE.. The schedule is typically updated 2-4 weeks prior to the start of the registration period for a given semester.

What does “R” mean on the Schedule of Classes?

At GWU the letter “R” in regards to the Schedule of Classes stands for Thursday.

How do I change my faculty advisor or area of focus?

If you are interested in changing your faculty advisor or area of focus, you must inform the graduate advising office via seasgradgwu [dot] edu (seasgrad[at]gwu[dot]edu) and  they will provide you with the appropriate form.

If you want to change your area of focus, you may be assigned a new faculty advisor whose research interests align more closely with your new focus.

Can I take courses outside of my academic department or outside of GW?

Most students are allowed to take up to 2 courses outside of their academic department pending approval from their faculty advisor. Please consult with your graduate professional advisor and faculty advisor prior to registering for courses.

If you want to take a course outside of GW, you must take the course through the consortium program. More details for that program can be found HERE.

What is the difference between a Reduced Course Load (RCL) and a Full-Time Certification (FTC)?

A Reduced Course Load (RCL) is for international MS students in their final semester who need to take less than 9 credits in order to fulfill their program requirements. This status certifies that the student can be considered less than full-time without penalty.

A Full-Time Certification (FTC) is for MS thesis students or PhD students who are actively engaged in research either in their final semester for MS thesis students or for PhD students completing either dissertation research or continuous research. This status certifies that a student is actively engaged as a full-time student even if they are taking less than 9 credits. This status grants students eligibility for certain benefits such as U-PASS.

What is DegreeMAP?

DegreeMAP is an online advising and degree auditing system which will display the requirements for the student’s program of study and apply the student’s individual academic history to those requirements. DegreeMAP can include in-progress courses to show how currently-enrolled classes will apply to requirements. Additional questions regarding degreeMAP can be answered through the DegreeMAP Guide.

How do I access DegreeMAP?

DegreeMAP is accessed through the GWeb Information System.

Students: Student Records & Registration → Student Records Information Menu → DegreeMAP

What does “Fallthrough” mean on my DegreeMAP?

The Fallthrough Courses section holds all courses that a student has taken that might be applied to the program requirements with permission from the Faculty Advisor.. Courses can wind up in Fallthrough as a result of being transfer credit, taken from a department outside of the student’s home department, not matching the way a requirement is coded, or a variety of other scenarios. Courses that are in Fallthrough might be eligible to be applied to a requirement in select circumstances.. Please reach out to seasgradgwu [dot] edu (seasgrad[at]gwu[dot]edu) for questions about this process.

When should I register for dissertation research?

In general, PhD students complete their academic coursework prior to beginning Dissertation Research. However, this can vary by department, so students should check in with their faculty advisor before registering.

What does it mean to be a direct-entry student?

A direct-entry PhD student is a student who has entered into the PhD program directly from their undergraduate degree (BS/BA). Direct-entry students do not have a Masters degree, and generally have to take significantly more credits to complete their program than students who already obtained a MS degree. Direct-entry students will not receive an MS degree as part of the program and only receive the PhD degree upon completion of their program.

How many credits can I transfer from a previous institution? What are the requirements?

Please refer to the GW Bulletin for the policy regarding transfer credit.

What forms do I need to graduate from my PhD?

If you believe you are ready to graduate from your PhD program, please review the PhD checklist and timeline and submit the necessary documents to your department.

How do I declare myself as an MS Thesis Student?

If you decide you want to be a Thesis Student, we recommend you schedule a meeting with your faculty advisor to discuss what this entails. Once your faculty advisor approves of you becoming a thesis student, you should register for thesis research in sequence (6998) in the upcoming semester, and (6999) in the following semester. We generally do not recommend any first semester students take thesis research. Please review the GW Bulletin or more information and contact your graduate professional advisor for the appropriate forms.

If I am an MS Thesis student, do I take fewer coursework credits?

Please review the GW Bulletin and check in with your academic department to determine how many credits you will have to take for the thesis option.

What courses should I take as an MS Thesis Student?

You should take Thesis Research 1 (6998) and 2 (6999) in consecutive semesters. For example, an MAE student would register for MAE 6998 in their third semester, and MAE 6999 in their final semester. 

What is the difference between MS Thesis Research and general research?

In MS Thesis Research you are conducting an independent research project. You come up with the material, information, and experiment all on your own with the support of your thesis research advisor. MS Thesis Research requires students to write a thesis dissertation and defend it to a defense committee. For general research, you may be working with a faculty member on their current research on a semester by semester basis. General research can be taken as an elective course. General research requirements may differ by academic department.

If I am an MS Thesis Student, how closely will I be working with my research professor?

This is dependent upon the department, but Thesis Research is generally an independent research project that you should be conducting on your own with the support and supervision of your research advisor.

What do I need to do to make sure I get awarded my degree?

First, you must apply to graduate. For both PhD and MS students, you must successfully complete all your coursework and program requirements, and receive a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Discuss any issues with your professional advisor.

How do I apply for graduation?

All SEAS graduate students should apply for graduation via the online graduation application HERE. If you miss the deadline for applying to graduate online, you must complete the Late Paper Application and submit it to the advising office. Visit the Registrar for more information. 

When should I apply for graduation?

Please review the detailed application deadlines by semester by visiting the website HERE. Students must apply to graduate the semester that they are completing the program.

For any additional questions, please review the graduation FAQs HERE

I applied for graduation, now what?

Once you apply for graduation, graduation services will process your application and update this onto your GWEb to show that you have applied to graduate. Your DegreeMAP will also show the status of your graduation application at the top of the page. Once all final grades have been submitted in your final semester, the graduate advising office will review your application.

If you applied to graduate, and your DegreeMAP is not at 98%, please email seasgradgwu [dot] edu.

What is the difference between graduation and commencement?

Graduation is the process whereby your program requirements have been completed and your degree is awarded. Graduation processing happens every semester (spring, summer, or fall) depending on what your final semester is. You will receive your diploma 6-10 weeks following your graduation.

Commencement is the once a year celebration for all graduates of that year where there is a special ceremony to celebrate your success. Commencement only happens in the spring semester once a year.