Grace Thompson
Washington, DC, is home to the US federal government and 20 colleges and universities. Four universities in the district are featured in the QS World University Rankings® 2018: Georgetown University, George Washington University, American University, and Howard University. In this politically charged city, three universities are maintained by the US government, and law and politics students can take advantage of the close proximity to the seat of power.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of universities | 20 |
| Oldest university | Georgetown University |
| Largest public university | University of the District of Columbia |
| Largest by enrollment | George Washington University |
| Universities with satellite programs | Arizona State, Brown, New York, and Pepperdine |
| Special-focus institutions | Gallaudet University |
| US Government-maintained universities | 3, including the National Intelligence University |
| Law schools | 6 accredited by the American Bar Association |
| Medical schools | 3 |
| Research institutions | Washington Hospital Center |
| Top universities | Georgetown University, George Washington University, American University, and Howard University |
| Student population | Georgetown University: 17,800+; George Washington University: 26,000+; American University: 12,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Georgetown University
Washington, DC, is home to 20 colleges and universities. One of the most notable is Georgetown University, the oldest institution in the city, founded in 1789. It is the oldest Jesuit and Catholic university in the US.
Georgetown has a long and rich history. It was established through the efforts of John Carroll, the first head of the Catholic Church in the United States. Carroll began meetings of local clergy in 1783 near Annapolis, and in 1789, he finalised the purchase of the property in Georgetown, where Dahlgren Quadrangle was later built. Georgetown received its congressional charter from President James Madison on March 1, 1815, becoming the first federal university to be granted this right. The university began conferring bachelor's degrees two years later.
The American Civil War greatly impacted Georgetown University, with a significant number of students and alumni enlisting in the conflict and university buildings being commandeered by the Union Army. Despite this turbulent time, Georgetown has produced many notable alumni, including 32 Rhodes Scholars, 46 Marshall Scholars, 33 Truman Scholars, 565 Fulbright Scholars, and at least 10 living billionaires. The university has also educated 26 US governors, 2 US Supreme Court justices, 2 US presidents, and 116 members of the United States Congress, including 26 senators. Georgetown has educated more US diplomats than any other university, including at least 92 ambassadors.
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George Washington University
The university's main campus is now in the Foggy Bottom neighbourhood of Washington, DC, having moved there in 1912. George Washington University is the largest university by enrolment in Washington, DC. It is also home to the oldest law school in the District of Columbia and the 11th-oldest medical school in the nation, which was the first established in the nation's capital. The Elliott School of International Affairs was formalized in 1898, and the university was a major centre for theoretical physics in the 1930s and 1940s, with cosmologist George Gamow producing the Big Bang theory during this time.
The oldest unit of the university is the Columbian College, founded in 1821. The college was renamed Columbian University in 1873 and moved to an urban location downtown. In 1904, it was renamed George Washington University following an agreement with the George Washington Memorial Association. The memorial association donated funds to construct the Lisner Auditorium in honour of George Washington.
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American University
The university has a rich history, established in the District of Columbia by an Act of Congress in 1892 due to the efforts of Methodist bishop John Fletcher Hurst. Hurst envisioned an institution dedicated to training future public servants and selected the university's site in the rural periphery of Washington, D.C. After a period focused on securing financial support, the university officially began instruction in October 1914 with 28 students. During World War II, the campus played a role in hosting the U.S. Navy Bomb Disposal School and a WAVE barracks. In recognition of its contribution to the wartime efforts, the Victory ship SS American Victory was named in its honour.
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Howard University
The university offers a wide range of programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in over 120 areas of study, ranging from the humanities to scientific disciplines. Notable alumni include Dr. Patricia Bath, an ophthalmologist, inventor, researcher, and humanitarian who was the first woman ophthalmologist appointed to the faculty of the University of California; Beth Brown, an astrophysicist and educator who became the first Black woman to obtain a doctorate in astronomy from the University of Michigan; and Elijah E. Cummings, a lawyer, orator, and advocate for the working class, who became the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tempore.
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The Institute of World Politics
The IWP campus consists of two buildings: the Marlatt Mansion and Bently Hall, both of which contain classrooms and administrative offices. Both buildings are designated as contributing properties to the Sixteenth Street Historic District. The Institute holds the private library of former CIA Director William Casey and the American Security Council Foundation Library.
The IWP offers eight master's degrees and 18 graduate certificates with a curriculum that includes statecraft, history, American political philosophy, the Western moral tradition, economics, and moral leadership. The faculty are experts from the national security and international relations fields, scholar-practitioners with both academic credentials and high-level experience. The student body includes recent graduates and mid-career professionals, with approximately 65% of students pursuing careers in national security, foreign policy, or intelligence, and about 35% already working in those fields and seeking additional credentials.
The IWP is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt educational institution, relying on private charitable donations and tuition. From 1991 to 2005, it maintained an affiliation with Boston University, but this ended in 2006 when the IWP attained independent accreditation.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 20 colleges and universities in Washington, DC. Here are some of the top universities:
- Georgetown University
- George Washington University
- American University
- Howard University
The oldest institution in Washington, DC, is Georgetown University, founded in 1789. It is also the oldest Jesuit and Catholic university in the US.
The largest public institution in Washington, DC, is the University of the District of Columbia. The largest by enrollment is George Washington University.
Three universities in Washington, DC, are maintained by the US Government, including the National Intelligence University. Gallaudet University is a unique institution that teaches classes in both English and American Sign Language (ASL).
