ABOUT THE SCHOOL

ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Welcome to The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services - the School of Public Health in the nation's capital.

The GW School of Public Health and Health Services combines public health and health services, creating, with the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, a unique, comprehensive academic health center. This structure - coupled with a premier location in the heart of Washington, DC, uniquely positions the School to offer an experience unmatched by any other. Here, students can take advantage of outstanding educational, research, community service, and extracurricular opportunities, rich with cultural diversity. These experiences create a solid foundation of knowledge and practice on which a successful and rewarding career in public health and health services can be built. And, all of this provided in an exceptional city with an abundance of cultural and recreational activities to suit any taste!

This site will serve as your guide to all that the School of Public Health and Health Services has to offer and how you can make this exciting experience your own.

MISSION

THE SCHOOL

CAMPUS LIFE

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Mission Statement

The School of Public Health and Health Services is dedicated to furthering human health through education, research, and service. It values a diverse and dynamic community and encourages life-long learning. The School serves local, national, and international communities by functioning as a forum for the cross-fertilization of ideas and seeks to integrate the population, organizational, and individual perspectives into all of its endeavors.

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The School

The School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) is part of the George Washington University Medical Center, an academic health center that also includes the School of Medicine and Health Sciences; the Medical Faculty Associates physician practice; the GW Health Plan HMO; and the GW Hospital.

The SPHHS comprises five academic departments - Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology-Biostatistics, Health Services Management and Policy, International Public Health, and Prevention and Community Health. Four Research Centers - Center for Health Services Research and Policy, Center for International Health, Center for Risk Science and Public Health, and Center for Prevention Research - conduct nearly $20 million in research per year.

The School was established in July 1997, bringing together three long-standing university programs. Since its inception, the School has grown to nearly 700 students at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Committed to developing and implementing innovative programs, the School continually explores new educational options and collaborative relationships in order to provide students with the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and relevant learning experience possible.

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Campus Life

Course work is only part of the experience at GW. There are plenty of education-related opportunities outside the classroom. And, GW's ideal location in the heart of the nation's capital creates plenty of possibilities for sightseeing, enjoying cultural events, exploring, or even discovering a new favorite hobby.

Ross Hall is the center of activity for both the SPHHS and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. As a result, more than 1,500 graduate health professions students congregate in the building, sharing the library, student lounge and activity space, and cultivating friendships.

In addition, opportunities abound for students to fill their precious free time away from classes and studying. The SPHHS student associations sponsor monthly happy hours and mixers along with special educational and social events. The University also offers an abundance of social activities and clubs in which students can participate.

The hub of the campus is the Marvin Center-the campus community center, located only two blocks from Ross Hall. The Marvin Center is home to the Student Activities Center, student organization offices, the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater, a travel agency, computer store, campus bookstore, the "J Street" food court, and a newsstand with Ticketmaster. Nearby Lisner Auditorium presents plays, musicals, and major concerts.

Students interested in athletics can participate in activities like intramural sports and aerobics classes, to name a few. The Charles E. Smith Center is equipped with a swimming pool, fitness center, jogging track, and courts for basketball, volleyball, racquetball, squash, handball, badminton, and tennis (by reservation). Club sports and outdoor adventure trips are also available.

Life in Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC

GW is an intimate campus nestled in the heart of one of the most powerful cities in the world. The campus is within walking distance of the White House, The World Bank, the Department of State, the National Academy of Sciences, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, and many other governmental, historical, and cultural landmarks. The campus is subway accessible; the Foggy Bottom/GWU stop sits immediately outside Ross Hall.

Here in DC, culture is everywhere. Students have easy access to a wide variety of museums, including the Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of American History, as well as art galleries, such as the National Gallery of Art, the Hirschorn Museum, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, most of which are free. The National Theater, the Warner Theater, Arena Stage, the Shakespeare Theater, among numerous others, bring a range of shows to the city.

A diverse and exciting nightlife surrounds the campus. Two nearby neighborhoods — Georgetown, with its historic charm, and Adams Morgan, characterized by ethnic diversity and flavor — offer restaurants, shopping, entertainment, and nightspots galore.

Washington is a beautiful city for outdoor activities. The downtown and neighboring communities are filled with trails for hiking, biking, running, and inline skating. If you prefer the water, you can enjoy a paddleboat on the Tidal Basin or canoe down the Potomac River, all within easy walking distance of the campus.

Washington is uniquely situated near the mountains for hiking and skiing, the Chesapeake Bay for fishing and water sports, the beach for a relaxing getaway, and scenic Skyline Drive for camping or nature watching.

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