Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service

Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders for Tomorrow’s Global Order

As the first school of international affairs established in the United States, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (SFS) is an important player in helping define the study and practice of international affairs. “We feel a particular responsibility to be thinking about tomorrow’s understanding of international affairs because we helped define the last century,” says Joel Hellman, dean of SFS.

The school’s location in Washington, DC, is uniquely positioned to bring together graduate students, researchers, and an unparalleled alumni network to address current challenges and embrace future opportunities to serve the world. In addition, SFS has an innovative, forward-looking curriculum that enables students to focus on new problems affecting the global order.

“Building on the success of our multidisciplinary approach, which has helped foster cultural empathy and understanding of global issues for over a century, we’ve introduced several unique aspects to the Georgetown SFS curriculum,” Hellman explains.

The school’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology is a policy research organization looking at the security implications of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and biotechnology.

There are also two new degree programs that explore critical issues shaping international affairs: the Master of Arts in International Migration and Refugees and the Master of Science in Environment and International Affairs, jointly offered with Georgetown’s Earth Commons Institute. They’re among the school’s 13 thematic, regional, and joint degree programs, as well as executive degrees for mid-career professionals.

To reflect changing global dynamics and voices from the Global South, SFS has locations in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Doha, Qatar. According to Hellman, “We want to expose the next generation to the ways others see global problems to influence their thinking on building alliances and coalitions.”

Hellman also adds that it’s a great time for graduate study despite the changing environment and uncertainty: “There will be incredible opportunities for people who are well prepared, especially those with new thinking.”

The SFS Career Center is already preparing students to land a job and know how to pivot to new sectors while maintaining their commitment to purpose. It’s the connecting point for engaging with the school’s diverse and influential alumni network. Students can take advantage of incredible opportunities and events for learning, mentorship, and networking as they become part of an extraordinary community of SFS graduates shaping the new global order.

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Immersive Policy Courses with Experiential Learning

Bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world practice, immersive policy courses are taught by an experienced practitioner in the field who has implemented policy ideas. They allow graduate students to collaborate on practical solutions for development problems.

At Georgetown SFS Asia Pacific, students can take the “Mining, Minerals, and Management” course, which offers a 360-degree look at the economic, technological, political, social, and environmental issues surrounding mining and critical minerals development. Students visit mines, processing sites, and activists in Indonesia.

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Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service
sfs.georgetown.edu/admissions/graduate-programs
[email protected]
202-687-9267