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Columbian College of Arts and Sciences

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The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (known as Columbian College or CCAS) is the college of liberal arts and sciences of the George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. CCAS is the largest school at George Washington University, with around 5,000 undergraduate students and 2,500 graduate students, and 42 academic departments, representing a significant portion of the University's instructional, scholarly and research activity.

Columbian College
of Arts & Sciences
MottoDeus Nobis Fiducia
(In God Our Trust)
TypePrivate
Established1821
Parent institution
George Washington University
DeanPaul J. Wahlbeck
Academic staff
1,007
Undergraduates4,933
Postgraduates1,763
861
Address
801 22nd St. NW
,
Washington, D.C., U.S.
,
Washington, D.C., U.S.
CampusFoggy Bottom, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Websitecolumbian.gwu.edu

The college is known for its numerous prominent alumni, particularly in the fields of government, economic development, and public policy, including notable living figures, such as Anwar Gargash (current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates), sitting U.S. Senator Mark Warner, Vincent C. Gray (former Mayor of the District of Columbia) and Daniel Weiss (CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art). Historical alumni include First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Ralph Asher Alpher, "father of the Big Bang theory".

History

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Luther Rice Hall
 
University Yard and George Washington, a statue by Jean-Antoine Houdon

The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences is the original college of George Washington University and one of the oldest colleges in the United States. It was created as a Baptist institution by Reverend Luther Rice, and officially founded as the Columbian College on February 9, 1821 by an act of Congress signed by President James Monroe.[1] Originally, the college consisted of two departments: the Theological Department and Classical Department, with individual professors covering other subjects such as mathematics and anatomy.

The college's first class graduated in 1824, where the president presented each of the three graduates with their degree in the presence of the Marquis de Lafayette and college president William Staughton.[1]

The college conferred its first Master of Arts degree in 1831. It was one of the first institutions in the United States to award a doctorate, awarding a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1888. However, the graduate program was not formally established until 1905.[2]

With the dawn of the Civil War in 1861, the majority of the students left the college to fight for the Confederacy, and the campus buildings were used as a hospital and barracks. In 1873 the college becomes Columbian University and in 1904 the George Washington University was established by an Act of Congress, with Columbian College and its Graduate School being integrated in the Department of Arts and Sciences.

In 1962, Columbian College changed its name to the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.[3]

Facilities

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The College contains many research centers and institutes, including the Biostatistics Center. Its main facilities are located at George Washington University's Foggy Bottom campus.

Organization and administration

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The college is managed by a team of administrative staff currently led by Interim Dean Paul Wahlbeck and Vice Dean Eric Arnesen.[4][5]

The leadership is also supported by the National Council for Arts and Sciences, which is composed of national and international alumni and others associated to the college, and serves a volunteer advisory board. Other affiliated advisory councils are the Corcoran Strategic Advisory Council, the National Council for Media and Public Affairs and the Trachtenberg School Advisory Board.[6]

Academics

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A commencement medal worn by graduates of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences at George Washington University
 
The Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, located across The Ellipse from the White House

The Columbian College houses 42 academic departments and programs. CCAS is also host to three distinct schools:[7]

It offers a total of 61 undergraduate minors, 58 undergraduate major, 51 master's degrees and 33 combined degree program's (bachelor's and master's).[8][9] The College offers degrees in the main fields Arts & Design, Clinical Programs, Humanities, Mathematics & Statistical Analysis, Natural & Forensic Sciences, Policy & Public Affairs and Social & Behavioral Sciences.[10]

The college also offers different engaged learning programs, an extensive on- and offline summer school program, 16 graduate certificates and more than 30 doctoral degrees.[11][12][13]

The college has an international network of partnering universities and schools. For students there are currently more than 300 study and exchange programs in 50 countries available.[14]

Graduates to the College are awarded a commencement medal depicting the College's seal that is worn during the commencement ceremony. The original seal was designed by James Peale when the Columbian College was founded in 1821. The seal originally depicted a biblical lion laying down with a lamb under an open book with Greek text that translated to "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." The design of the seal was changed in 1873, and completely replaced by George Washington University in 1905. The College still uses the seal today but with the Greek text omitted.[15]

Rankings

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Columbian College rankings
World rankings
ARWU[16] – Political science 17th
QS[17] – Political science 22nd
U.S. rankings
Intelligent – Crime Scene Investigation 6th
U.S. News & World – History 59th
U.S. News & World – Economics 63rd

In the 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities, Columbian ranks in the top 76–100 schools of social sciences in the world.[18]

In 2019, Intelligent ranked the College's Department of Forensic Science as 6th in The Best Master's in Crime Scene Investigation Degree Programs from an assessment of 443 education programs compared from 159 colleges and universities.[19]

Research

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The College is home to 28 research centers and institutes with an average annual research expenditure of $18.6 million.[20][21] Research is supported by internal funding and external grants from institutions like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.[22]

It also offers different undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral student research fellowships and programs.[23]

Notable people

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Main article: List of Columbian College of Arts and Sciences people

Notes

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  1. ^ a b "A Brief History of GW". Retrieved 2014-07-31.
  2. ^ "Academic Degrees". Retrieved 2009-06-20.
  3. ^ "About Columbian College | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  4. ^ "Who We Are | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  5. ^ "Meet the Dean | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  6. ^ "National Council for Arts & Sciences | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  7. ^ "What We Do | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  8. ^ "Undergraduate Applicants | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  9. ^ "Special Interdisciplinary Major | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  10. ^ "Departments and Programs | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  11. ^ "Engaged Learning Opportunities | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  12. ^ "Graduate Certificates | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  13. ^ "Doctoral Degrees | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-27.
  14. ^ "Approved Program Options | Office for Study Abroad | The George Washington University". studyabroad.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
  15. ^ "2021 Commencement Celebration Booklet | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University" (PDF). columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-11.
  16. ^ "ARWU – Political sciences". Archived from the original on 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  17. ^ QS World University Rankings – Politics
  18. ^ "ARWU – Global Social Sciences Rankings". Archived from the original on 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  19. ^ Intelligent- Masters in Crime Scene Investigation Degree Program Rankings
  20. ^ "Research & Discovery | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
  21. ^ "Centers & Institutes | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
  22. ^ "Faculty Research | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
  23. ^ "Student Research | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University". columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
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38°53′59.7″N 77°2′53.4″W / 38.899917°N 77.048167°W / 38.899917; -77.048167

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