Internal Transfer Students

Welcome to the Milken Institute School of Public Health here at the George Washington University (GWSPH)!

This page is designed as a resource for internal transfer students--students transferring into GWSPH from another GW undergraduate school. Here you will find information on the transfer process, GW and GWSPH-specific policies, and resources to support a smooth transition. This guide is based on the SPH Undergraduate Student Handbook, the University Bulletin, and current Program Guides. Always defer to these resources for the most up-to-date information.

For information on transferring from another university into GWSPH, please see our External Transfer Student page.

Internal Transfer Process

Internal Transfer Request

To internally transfer to GWSPH, please review and follow the Internal Transfer Request policies.

Eligibility: Students transferring into GWSPH must have an institutional GPA of 2.5 or higher. (Students who do not yet have an institutional GPA must wait until the end of their first semester to transfer.)

Blackout Periods: Internal transfer requests will not be processed:

First full week of November through the last full week of November
Third week of March through the third week of April

Requests submitted during these times will be processed on the first business day following the blackout period.

Declaring A Major

All internal transfer students enter GWSPH as Undeclared.

To declare a major, students must first complete a Four-Year Plan and review it with their academic advisor. Once the plan is approved, the advisor will provide next steps to officially declare the major.

IMPORTANT: Students who have not declared a major before registration opens may lose priority access to required PUBH or EXNS courses. Delaying major declaration can also create scheduling challenges. To stay on track, internal transfer students should meet with their advisor and begin the declaration process as soon as their transfer is finalized.

Four-Year Plans

All GWSPH students are expected to create a Four-Year Plan, which maps out the sequence of courses and requirements they will complete on their path to graduation. This plan helps students visualize their academic progression, stay on track with vital prerequisites, and make informed decisions about course scheduling.

Why it matters: Planning early sets students up for success and ensures they can meet all core, prerequisite, GPAC, and (if applicable) concentration requirements on time.
Getting started: We recommend using our Four-Year Plan Template, which includes links to program guides, automated formulas, and sample progressions for each major.
Next steps: Once complete, students should schedule an appointment with an advisor to review their plan. Advisors will provide feedback, suggest edits, and assist the student with declaring their major once the plan is approved.

Schedule Appointment

Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors whenever making adjustments to their Four-Year Plan. It is solely the responsibility of each student to check in with their advisor(s) when there has been a change in their study plans, and to confirm with they're advisor(s) that they remain on-track for their graduation timeline.

Degree Requirements

Overview

To earn a bachelor’s degree from GW's Milken Institute School of Public Health, students must:

Fulfill the University Writing and General Education (GPAC) requirements.
Earn a C- or higher all core requirements and prerequisites of at least one declared major, as outlined in the University Bulletin and their Program Guide.
Complete a minimum of 120 credits towards their undergraduate degree.
Satisfy the institutional residency requirement of at least 60 credits completed at GW.
SPH General Requirements (Non-Academic) as outlined in the University Bulletin and their Program Guide.

Writing in the Disciplines

UW 1020 University Writing (4 credits) | Prerequisite for Writing in the Discipline (WID) courses.
At least two (2) WID courses totaling a minimum of 6 credits. A course is indicated as a WID if it has a W in the course number (e.g., EXNS 3111W, PUBH 3135W).

For more information, visit the Writing in the Disciplines website.

General Education (GPAC)

All GW undergraduates must complete Tier One of the University's General Education Curriculum (GPAC). GPAC courses are designed to help students build critical thinking, communication, and reasoning skills across disciplines that they will use in their studies, careers, and beyond.

In addition to the aforementioned Writing requirements, students must satisfy the following requirements with courses from the GPAC Course List as part of their general education:

Quantitative Reasoning: 1 course in mathematics or statistics
Scientific Reasoning: 1 course in natural and/or physical laboratory sciences
Critical Thinking in the Social Sciences: 2 courses
Critical Thinking in the Humanities: 1 course
Oral Communication: 1 approved course with an oral communication component
- BS Public Health students must select an Oral Communication course from the pre-approved list in their Program Guide (see Appendix B).

Additional Notes

Courses taken for GPAC may also count toward program prerequisites or major requirements, as long as they are included on the approved GPAC course list.
Students in the BS Exercise Science and BS Nutrition programs have multiple GPAC requirements are built into their core curriculum. Refer to the relevant Program Guide or your DegreeMAP for more information.
Pre-matriculation transfer credits may fulfill GPAC requirements. However, once you have matriculated to GW, all remaining GPAC courses must be taken in residence at GW.

Undergraduate Majors

There are four undergraduate majors at the School of Public Health, each with its own unique major-specific requirements.

Exercise Science - BS

Health Data Science - BS

Nutrition - BS

Public Health - BS

Credit & Residency Requirements

Students must complete at least 120 credits towards their undergraduate degree in order to qualify for degree conferral.

At least 60 credits must be completed in-residence at GW. This is important to remember if you've previously transferred in a significant number of credits from a previous school, and/or plan to transfer additional courses later on.

As of Fall 2025, courses taken through Consortium and approved Study Abroad programs will count towards a student's institutional credit total. Policies are subject to change in future terms and any adjustments will be reflected in the University Bulletin.

SPH General Requirements (Non-Academic)

CITI Training

Complete the Social & Behavioral Research module. (Instructions: CITI Training Info)
Submit your completion certificate (with GWID) to gwsphrecordsgwu [dot] edu (gwsphrecords[at]gwu[dot]edu).

Academic Integrity Quiz

Should be completed within the first two weeks of your first semester at GWSPH.
For first-year students, this is completed in PUBH 1010. Internal and external transfer students should complete it on their own.
To get started or read more about the Academic Integrity Quiz requirement, click here.

Professional Enhancement

Complete at least 8 hours of approved public health-related webinars, lectures, seminars, or events prior to graduation.
Submit the Professional Enhancement Form once all hours are completed.
Opportunities are regularly shared on the Undergraduate Milken Student Resources page on Blackboard, as well as various other GWSPH channels.

The CITI Training and Academic Integrity Quiz are fairly quick activities and should be completed as soon as possible. Professional Enhancement hours are best completed gradually. Attend events that interest you throughout your time at GW to build toward the 8 hours!

Student Resources

Academic Advising

All students are assigned to an advising team based on their last name. For more information on our our advising model, appointment scheduling, and the other support resources available to you at GWSPH, please click here.

Not sure if you're ready to transfer? No problem! We're happy to connect with you before you make a decision to talk about how our programs might work for you.

Program Guides

Program Guides are binding documents that reflect the necessary components of your new intended degree plan. Students are committed to the program guide for the Academic Year in which they formally declare their major.

Some key policies to highlight across all the program guides are:

Students must earn a C- or higher for all core courses and prerequisite requirements. Core prerequisites must be completed PRIOR to the major core requirement.
- If a student does not earn a C- or higher in a course prerequisite, they MUST retake the prerequisite and earn a C- or above in order to proceed in the course sequence. There are no exceptions to the policy.
- Concurrent enrollment in a core course and its prerequisite is strictly prohibited.
- (Example: If a Public Health student earns a D+ in ECON 1011, they cannot proceed with PUBH 3130. In order to take PUBH 3130, they must either (1) retake ECON 1011 to earn a C- or higher; or (2) take another prerequisite option to earn a C- or higher.)
All major core requirements must be completed at GW.
Students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 to earn their degree.
If a student has already taken a course they believe to be equivalent to one of their core requirements, they can discuss petitioning past coursework with their advisor.
How major-related coursework can double-count towards another major or minor is limited and varies by program. Refer to your Program Guide for more information.

It is the student’s responsibility to research and understand the requirements for their degree, to communicate with their advisor(s) when they have any questions or make changes to their plan, and to ensure they will complete each degree requirement (including course prerequisites and non-academic requirements) in a viable sequence by their intended graduation date.

Milken Undergraduate Blackboard Resource Page

Once a student's transfer is finalized, they will be added to the Milken Undergraduate Blackboard Student Resources page. This is your go-to hub for helpful resources and support throughout your time at GWSPH. Located in the Organizations tab within Blackboard, this page is a living resource is regularly updated and includes:

Professional Enhancement requirements & tracking
CITI Training instructions
Information about the Academic Integrity Quiz
Course prerequisites and planning tools
Advising FAQs and policy guidance
Blank forms and form submission portals
Important announcements from the Undergraduate Advising Office

Check back often, as new information is added regularly to help you stay on track and informed. You’re automatically added to this page as a GWSPH major. If you’re having trouble accessing the page, contact sphundergradgwu [dot] edu (sphundergrad[at]gwu[dot]edu).

T.E.A.M. Milken

T.E.A.M. Milken (Transition, Engagement, Academics, and Mentorship) is the umbrella for all undergraduate support and programming at GWSPH.

From New Student Orientation and academic advising to student success initiatives and our signature Mentor Program, T.E.A.M. Milken is here to help you succeed personally, academically, and professionally. No matter your major, you’re part of the T.E.A.M. - and our goal is to make sure you have the tools, connections, and support to thrive at GW and beyond.

No matter where you are in your GWSPH journey, you're a valued member of the T.E.A.M.