Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service

With a Front-Row Seat, Students Prepare for Fulfilling International Careers

Much like other fields, international affairs has its stars. So, while Bruce Hoffman may not be a household name, in national-security circles he’s a luminary. Author of Inside Terrorism, Hoffman is a former chief officer at the RAND Corporation and congressionally appointed member of a post-9/11 evaluation team. “He’s a great scholar who applies his knowledge worldwide,” says Daniel Byman, a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service (SFS) and director of its Security Studies Program (SSP), where Hoffman teaches.

This academic-practitioner combination is, Byman adds, a hallmark of SFS and one reason it was ranked No. 1 for its master’s degree programs in Foreign Policy magazine in 2024. The annual rankings are based on a survey of 1,500 international relations faculty, policymakers, and think tank staff.

“Being located in Washington, DC, we have access to intellectual leaders, in government, nonprofits, and business, who want to teach the next generation,” Byman says. “This gives students access to their incredible knowledge and connections.”

SFS graduates 450 students each year across 11 thematic and regionally focused programs. While many competitors “are quite good,” Byman says, “they’re broader international affairs programs. We go deeper, with more offerings on individual subjects.”

The Asian Studies Program, for example, hosts an annual US-China Conference, where participants are “leading journalists and voices from the region,” Byman says. SFS students also learn to navigate the complex job market of the nation’s capital. “Like that there are 18 intelligence agencies, not just the CIA,” he adds. “And that the World Bank engages in international affairs in numerous ways that most students elsewhere aren’t focused on.”

SFS students also have access to exceptional internship and job opportunities, thanks to a well-connected faculty and alumni network, which includes world leaders offering career and program advice. “For example, they’ve told me, ‘We could use people with more data skills. That’s where we’re hiring,’” Byman says. Accordingly, students tap Georgetown’s Massive Data Institute, which contains large data studies on security, environmental policies, migration flows, and other topics. Its Center for Security and Emerging Technology also offers multiple research opportunities, focusing on fast-moving tech, especially AI.

The endgame is to ensure students are well prepared. In 2023, 97 percent of SFS graduates either found employment or continued their education, and top job destinations include US government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, private firms, and foreign governments. “We train people who want to engage with the world,” Byman says. “In Washington, they have a front-row seat, and our students will be able to understand how the world is changing better than anyone.”

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Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service
https://sfs.georgetown.edu/admissions/graduate-programs
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