Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Office of Undergraduate Admissions

Undergraduate Schools and Majors

Applicants to Georgetown apply to only one of our six undergraduate schools or two joint degree programs, which will serve as their academic home upon matriculation. Each program has a specific essay prompt, which allows students to detail their interest in Georgetown and area(s) of academic focus. You can also explore all of the majors and minors offered at Georgetown through our Areas of Study search tool.

Once at Georgetown, undergraduate students will engage in coursework, both required and elected, inside and outside of their chosen undergraduate school. Fundamental to Georgetown’s identity as a student-centered research university rooted in the Jesuit tradition is the Georgetown Core Curriculum. The Georgetown Core is a two-tiered program. The first tier—the shared core—is shared by undergraduates across all six schools. The second tier of the requirement—the school-specific core—is designed by each of the undergraduate schools to further their specific missions and traditions while also embodying the shared learning goals of the University. Both the shared and school-specific cores change over time, balancing the traditional ethos of a liberal arts education with the shifting needs of our students in a dynamic world. Ultimately, a Georgetown education—the cores, majors and minors, and electives—will lead students to incorporate Georgetown’s Core Curriculum Learning Goals as life-long habits.

College of Arts & Sciences

Applicants to the Georgetown College of Arts & Sciences can choose an intended major from the following areas: 

Students who identify interests in humanities or social science majors will formally select those majors during their sophomore year, after a few semesters of academic exploration. These students will enter the College in a pre-major status, and will be advised by College deans through their first semesters and through the process of selecting their major.

  • American Musical Cultures
  • American Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Art
  • Art History
  • Black Studies
  • Disability Studies
  • Economics
  • English
  • Global Medieval Studies
  • Government
  • History
  • International Business, Language, and Culture (Joint degree with the McDonough School of Business)
  • Justice and Peace Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Philosophy
  • Political Economy
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Theater and Performance Studies
  • Theology and Religious Studies
  • Women’s and Gender Studies

Literatures, Cultures, and Language Studies (LCL) is a unique liberal arts program within the College with a special commitment to the study of literatures, cultures, and languages other than English. Majors in the LCL can be combined with any other majors and minors available to College students. Students admitted to LCL majors are expected to remain committed to the program or major for at least their first undergraduate year. Students, then, officially select their program or major during sophomore year.

  • Arabic
  • Chinese
  • Classics
  • East Asian Languages and Culture
  • French and Francophone Studies
  • German
  • Global and Comparative Literature
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Spanish and Portuguese Studies

Students who wish to pursue a major in the sciences have specific course sequencing and advising that begins in their first year and thus, a major needs to be selected at the time of the admissions application. Students who are admitted to a program or major in the sciences are expected to remain committed to the program or major for at least their first undergraduate year. Students, then, officially select their program or major during sophomore year.

  • Biochemistry
  • Biological Physics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Science, Ethics, and Society
  • Mathematics
  • Physics

The College of Arts & Sciences offers two joint degree programs. Students in these joint programs must reside at the Hilltop Campus in Georgetown for two years and must reside at the Capitol Campus for two years. Students who are admitted to one of these joint degree programs are expected to remain committed to the joint degree program for at least their first undergraduate year.

Berkley School of Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a traditional four-year program. A highly regarded faculty provides students with a grounding in clinical skills; knowledge in the biological, physical, and social sciences; and nursing theory. 

School of Health

The School of Health offers a Bachelor of Science degree in three areas of study. 

Walsh School of Foreign Service

The Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) program offers an interdisciplinary liberal arts core curriculum grounded in eight majors. Most students will declare a major during sophomore year. However, applicants are encouraged to indicate a tentative choice of study. 

The School of Foreign Service offers one joint degree program with the McDonough School of Business. This program features hands-on experience in Washington, D.C., and around the world; dedicated resources at both schools; and a diverse cohort of students and alumni passionate about solving pressing global issues. 

  • Business and Global Affairs: Students must apply to enter the BGA program at the end of their first year. 

McDonough School of Business

The McDonough School of Business offers the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) degree with seven areas of study (listed below). Applicants are not required to indicate an academic interest during their application. 

Most students will declare a major during sophomore year, and all students have the opportunity to double major. 

The McDonough School of Business offers two joint degrees with other Georgetown schools. In these programs, students enjoy the chance to supplement a robust business foundation with the study of either language or public policy.

  • Business and Global Affairs is a major offered through a joint degree program with the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Students must apply to enter the BGA program at the end of their first year and are unable to double major.
  • International Business, Language, and Culture is a major offered through a joint degree program with the College of Arts & Sciences. Students must apply to enter the IBLC program at the end of their first year and are unable to double major. 

McCourt School of Public Policy

The McCourt School of Public Policy and the College of Arts & Sciences offer a joint AB in Public Policy degree. 

Please note that students in the Public Policy joint degree program must reside at the Hilltop Campus in Georgetown for two years and must reside at the Capitol Campus in downtown Washington, DC for two years. 

Environment and Sustainability Joint Degree Program

The Earth Commons Institute and the College of Arts & Sciences jointly offer a BS in Environment and Sustainability. Please note that students in the Environment and Sustainability joint degree program must reside at the Hilltop Campus in Georgetown for two years and must reside at the Capitol Campus in downtown Washington, DC for two years.