Science, Health, and Medicine

The Science, Health & Medicine (SHM) cohort of the Women’s Leadership Program is designed for first-year students who are interested in medicine, public health, engineering, and/or any of the natural sciences. The SHM cohort combines an in-depth study of scientific applications, the humanities, and leadership.

The courses satisfy the requirements for majors in the Columbian College of Arts and Science, pre-medical requirements, and general curriculum requirements for students in other schools. Successful students will graduate from the program to join the ranks of other scientists who have made significant contributions in the field.

The program combines challenging academics with a residential structure that encourages students to work together to achieve their learning goals. Students live together in Somers Hall on the Mount Vernon Campus.

Academic Program

The academic program for SHM students consists of three components:

two semester introduction to biological concepts and their applications
one semester of University Writing 1020
two semester evening symposia series

The GW undergraduate tuition rate applies to students taking 12-18 credit hours per semester.

Courses and Credits

Fall Semester

Introductory Biology: Cells & Molecules: In the SHM biology class, students investigate biological principles using active learning strategies. The focus is on understanding the underlying concepts along with critical thinking and problem solving. In the fall (BISC 1111), the focus is on biochemistry and cellular biology.
University Writing Course: UW 1020 provides comprehensive writing and research instruction and is required for all undergraduate students. The WLP offers a variety of topics taught by the program’s University Writing faculty. This course is not cohort-specific and students may be placed in any of the sections offered.
Symposium: The weekly symposia are designed to supplement the academic component of the program with a wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities, many of which are exclusive to members of WLP. The symposia fall into two main categories: women’s leadership and discipline-specific exploration. The discipline-specific events are geared towards the specific interests of students in the SHM program. The symposia include visits by speakers who work in different areas of science and medicine, as well as frequent opportunities to explore the resources of the Washington, DC metro area. This course does not fulfill an academic requirement, but counts towards the students’ overall earned credit hours.

Spring Semester

Introductory Biology: Biology of Organisms: In the spring (BISC 1112W), the SHM biology course shifts to evolution and animal biology. This course also includes a research component and grants credit for Writing in the Discipline (WID).
Symposium: The weekly symposia are designed to supplement the academic component of the program with a wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities, many of which are exclusive to members of WLP. The symposia fall into two main categories: women’s leadership and discipline-specific exploration. The discipline-specific events are geared towards the specific interests of students in the SHM program. The symposia include visits by women who work in different areas of science and medicine, as well as frequent opportunities to explore the resources of the Washington, DC metro area. This course does not fulfill an academic requirement, but counts towards the students’ overall earned credit hours.