Developing Professional Adaptability in a Changing World
The George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs
Navigating an Unpredictable World Requires Education Rooted in Practice
In today’s rapidly changing world, international affairs professionals must be equipped to navigate uncertainty and complexity like never before. The graduate programs at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs answer this call with an interdisciplinary education that emphasizes experiential learning throughout its curriculum.
The Elliott School’s Global Capstone Program and Short-Term Abroad Programs (STAP), for example, provide an opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world situations. In the 2024-25 academic year, the 130 STAP students traveled to 21 countries with 15 faculty members to meet with 20 governmental stakeholders involved with climate change, state-society relations, and gender and security. In the Global Capstone Program, students completed 51 projects for 34 clients, including the US Department of State, International Monetary Fund, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, on topics such as cybercrime, human rights, renewable energy, and migration.
“These programs allow students to engage directly with real-world policy challenges in diverse geographic and thematic contexts,” says Renata Avelar Giannini, assistant dean of executive education and special initiatives and associate professor of the practice of international affairs at the Elliott School. “The breadth of topics and caliber of clients underscore the program’s value in cultivating students’ research, analysis, and problem-solving abilities.”
“At the Elliott School, we are preparing students to lead with creativity, cultural intelligence, and practical expertise in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world.” –Renata Avelar Giannini, Assistant Dean of Executive Education and Special Initiatives and Associate Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University
In addition to in-person training, the Elliott School uses online education as a transformative platform. It allows learners, regardless of geography or personal circumstance, to participate in the university’s intellectual and civic life.
“Online education has long been underestimated,” Giannini says. “It’s not just a Zoom call or pre-recorded video; every online course is created and run by committed professionals mapping learning outcomes and curating resources to ensure students are fully immersed in the content.”
The school offers hybrid and fully online programs. The Master of International Policy and Practice degree is an online program for working professionals who have another advanced degree or seven or more years of full-time work experience. The content has three pillars: leadership, data analysis, and strategic policy design. The MA in Security Policy Studies has two tracks: a fully remote option with a concentration in US national security and a hybrid option that allows students to take online and in-person courses with concentrations in US national security, transnational security, conflict resolution, and science and technology.
Professional Credentials Grow Practical Skills
The Elliott School also offers microcredentials to working professionals who want to shift career paths or enhance their competitiveness in their current field without committing to a full degree. “Microcredentials are short, practice-oriented credentials allowing learners to focus on one topic to build targeted, in-demand skills,” says Giannini. Available topics include data analysis, leadership in international affairs, and US foreign policy. They are delivered in online, in-person, and hybrid formats to meet the needs of a global audience.
The George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs
elliott.gwu.edu
[email protected]
202-994-7050
Contents
- Developing Professional Adaptability in a Changing World
- Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service
- University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs
- Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
- The Fletcher School at Tufts University
- Rice University, School of Social Sciences
- Penn State University, School of International Affairs
- Augusta University, Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
- Virginia Tech, School of Public and International Affairs
- American University, School of International Service
- Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs
- The University of Texas at Austin, Clements Center for National Security
- George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs
- University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy