Leadership

A student speaking at a podium in front of other students and adults.

Effective leadership is essential in order to make a meaningful impact. GW has a long history of preparing leaders to influence change in nonprofit, government, local community, and corporate settings.

Our Pre-College courses help high school students learn the principles of effective leadership by leveraging the resources of Washington, D.C. and the expert faculty at GW. Students will have opportunities to see successful leadership exemplified firsthand, and will leave our program ready to make a difference in their own communities.

On-campus and online courses are available for credit, while our noncredit offerings focus on experiential learning environments, connecting students with relevant institutions and experts in their respective fields.

All course offerings are subject to cancellation.

One-Week Summer Exposure (noncredit)

One-Week Summer Exposure

Social Justice and Activism

Non-credit bearing academic class icon Noncredit

One-week course icon One-week program

Calendar Icon July 14—19, 2019

Washington, D.C. is the heart of the legislative processes and social movements that influence structural, cultural and ideological change. This course introduces students to questions, opportunities and roadblocks faced by civic and global leaders while aiming to expand their leadership capacity teaching them to translate their values and ideas into action. Students explore topics such as grass root organization activism works by looking at Washington DC and how activism in DC and elsewhere has shaped social change.

Social Justice Students on tour of the US Capitol Building

Cybersecurity: Exploring Risks and Unlocking Solutions

Non-credit bearing academic class icon Noncredit

One-week course icon One-week program

Calendar Icon July 14—19, 2019

In the age of technology, the question stands: how secure are our systems? In this course, students will tackle that question through a highly technical, hands-on curriculum to learn the ins and outs of cyber challenges. Students will be able to merge research with current techniques and tools relating to cybersecurity.

Student and Course Assistant looking over a computer

Introduction to Digital Marketing

Non-credit bearing academic class icon Noncredit

One-week course icon One-week program

Calendar Icon July 14—19, 2019

How does a company sell a product or create their brand? In this course, students will grapple with the social, cultural, and psychological factors that influence consumer behaviors. Through acquiring skills of market research, students will analyze models of buyer behavior and consumption patterns to desire their own marketing project.

Digital marketing students at the computer lab

Two-Week Summer Immersion (noncredit)

Bioethics: Medical and Health Ethics

Noncredit

The number "2" Two-week program

calendar icon June 30— July 12, 2019

Is it ethical to clone a person solely to harvest their organs for the purpose of organ donations? This course explores legal, ethical, and policy issues that arise in the biomedical arena, addressing controversial and challenging questions such as, the definitions of life and death, the nature of personal identity, the requirements of justice, and the boundaries of liberty.

Students with lecturer learning about facial deformities

Hospitality Management

Noncredit

The number "2" Two-week program

calendar icon June 30— July 12, 2019

In a global market, tourism continues to serve as a major market economy. Students in Tourism and Hospitality management engage with the trends of the tourism and hospitality industry. Students will learn the basic principles of planning and managing tourism resources and introduce themselves to the financial monitoring of hospitality and leisure services.

Political Communication

Noncredit

Two-week program

July 14—26, 2019

Washington, D.C. allows students to study the interplay of media, public affairs and politics. In this course, students will critically investigate and explore the role media plays in civic and political life. They will also focus on understanding communication, news production, media law, history and ethics through analytical, critical thinking and leadership skills that allow our students access to how to use media and new information technology to create and deliver the right information to the right audience at the right time.

Young female student participating in a mock trial

Psychology: Cognition, Social, and Research Methods

College Intensive (credit)

Caminos al Futuro

Three credits

the number three Three-week program

June 30—July 19, 2019

Scholarship Opportunity

Caminos al Futuro is a fully funded, selective pre-college and residential summer program for rising seniors in U.S. high schools in academic leadership development. Caminos al Futuro seeks to cultivate leadership potential and scholarship in students who desire to shape issues impacting Hispanic and Latino communities.

Photo of Caminos students in front of the US Capitol building

INSPIRE Program

Three credits

the number three Three-week program

June 30—July 19, 2019

Scholarship Opportunity

The INSPIRE program is a full scholarship open to Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian rising junior and senior high school students who want to learn about intergovernmental relations between tribal governments and the federal government.

INSPIRE students in front of the Supreme Court building

PSTD 1010: Introduction to Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution

Three credits

the number six Six-week program

calendar icon July 1—August 10, 2018

Major thinkers and themes in the field of peace studies and conflict resolution. Focus on philosophical and religious foundations of peace and justice movements in the twentieth century. Examination of peace and conflict through an interdisciplinary lens and on personal, local and international levels.

PSYC 1001: General Psychology

Three credits

the number six Six-week program

calendar icon July 1—August 10, 2018

Computer graphic Online course: May 21—June 30, 2018

Fundamental principles underlying human behavior.

HSSJ 2160: Role of NGOs in International Humanitarian Assistance

Three credits

the number six Six-week program

calendar icon Online Course: July 2—August 11, 2018

The increasing role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as providers of service and care for vulnerable individuals and communities in need, development of NGOs, the place they hold in international interventions and the types of services they provide.

PHIL 2131: Ethics: Theory & Application

Three credits

the number six Six-week program

computer graphic Online course

calendar icon July 2—August 11, 2018

Examination of leading ethical theories (e.g., utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics) and methodology in ethics. Engagement with contemporary problems.

PHIL 2132W: Social & Political Philosophy

Three credits

the number six Six-week program

computer graphic Online course

calendar icon July 2—August 11, 2018

Philosophical theories about how economic, political, legal and cultural institutions should be arranged. Topics include the meaning and significance of liberty, the legitimate functions of government, the nature of rights, the moral significance of social inequality and the meaning of democracy.