OLD Master of Science in Foreign Service

Academics

The MSFS curriculum is both practical and theoretical.  Practical, because most students seek a two-year master's degree as a stepping stone to professional careers.  Theoretical, because the opportunity to think conceptually about particular problems is the "value added" that the university brings to professional training.  MSFS students take small classes designed to meet their needs, taught by a faculty devoted to their development.  During orientation students also take part in Group Dynamics Exercises.

More information on Georgetown University courses and faculty is available through explore.georgetown.edu. Portions of this site are accessible by current students only. 
 

MSFS and other Georgetown University events are forums for MSFS students to further their exposure to important foreign policy issues and engage in dialogue with practitioners.  More information about upcoming and recent events is available here.
 

Currently enrolled students may access Blackboard, which serves as the bulletin for the MSFS program.

Requirements

MSFS students are required to complete sixteen three-credit courses -- four courses in each of four semesters -- with a cumulative grade point average of B (3.0) or higher. 

These courses include:
 

• five core courses taken during the first year
   
• six courses, including one workshop, in a chosen field of concentration
   
• five electives, which may be used to expand knowledge in another field or earn one of several certificates. 
   

Students can be granted waivers, based on previous academic work and experience, from three core courses: International Trade, International Finance, and Analytical and Statistical Skills. 
 

MSFS students must pass a language proficiency examination, for which course work may or may not be required, depending upon the student's level of proficiency. 

Students pursuing the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) are required to have successfully completed at least one internship for an internationally-oriented organization in the public, private, or non-profit sectors during their course of study.

The capstone of two years at MSFS is a one-hour oral examination taken in the spring of the second year.

Sample Curriculum

First year

Fall semester

• International Trade
• International Relations: Theory and Practice
• Globalization of Intersocietal Relations
• Analytical and Statistical Skills

Spring semester

• International Finance
• Concentration Course
• Concentration Course
• Elective

Second year

Fall semester

• Workshop
• Concentration Course
• Elective
• Elective

Spring semester

• Concentration Course
• Concentration Course
• Elective
• Elective

Core Courses

The MSFS core curriculum includes four first-semester courses: International Trade, International Relations:Theory and Practice, Globalization of Intersocietal Relations and Analytical and Statistical Skills.  One course, International Finance, is taken during the second semester.  These courses lay the foundation for advanced study of specialized topics and bring together MSFS students to work and learn as a group.

Concentrations

Each student selects a concentration composed of one workshop and five other courses in one of the following fields:

• International Relations and Security 
• International Development 
• International Commerce and Business
• Self-Designed and Regional & Comparative Studies

Focus Areas

The challenges of the 21st Century do not fit into the neat boxes of traditional disciplines. They demand new paradigms and new responses that cut across academic, institutional, political, economic and social boundaries. Accordingly, the MSFS Program offers several new “Focus Areas” of courses which cut across the 3 Concentrations of International Relations and Security, International Development, and International Commerce and Business. They represent an opportunity for students to go deeper into cross-cutting areas of expertise and skills emerging in international affairs professions.

Workshops

In the fall of the second year, each student takes a 3-credit workshop.  Workshops integrate academic course-work with practical experience related to the student's concentration, using techniques such as policy briefings, risk assessments, budget analyses and simulations.  All workshops are taught by scholar-practitioners who have experience in the designated field.

Elective Courses

In addition to core courses and courses taken in their chosen concentration, MSFS students take at least five electives from among the graduate courses offered by Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.  Additional graduate courses offered by Georgetown University in the fields of law, business, public policy and other fields are open to MSFS students on a space-available basis.  Class schedules for Georgetown University classes are available at http://schedule.georgetown.edu.

Language Proficiency

Proficiency in English and one other language is a requirement for the MSFS degree.  Background in English and a second language are important criteria for admission to the program.  Native speakers of English must demonstrate proficiency in a second language of their choice.  Non-native speakers of English may choose to demonstrate proficiency in either English or another modern spoken languge other than their native language. 

Internship

Internships are an integral part of the MSFS experience and may take the form of a part-time job, a consultancy, or a volunteer position. Internships provide students with the opportunity to (1) enhance their academic coursework; (2) gain professional experience and insight into career opportunities; (3) develop contacts in their field of interest; and (4) explore the public, private, and/or non-profit sectors.

The internship requirement will have been satisfied when, upon review of the MSFS Internship Coordinator and/or Director of Academic Affairs, the student has successfully completed co-curricular activities that have given the student the opportunity to apply the theoretical material presented in formal classes to the actual practice of international affairs in his or her specific field of interest.

Final Oral Examination

Successful completion of a one-hour oral examination, conducted in English and judged by a panel of three examiners, is a graduation requirement for the MSFS Program.  The oral exam, taken in the spring of the second year, tests the student's ability to make a formal presentation on a topic of his or her choice, to analyze and discuss a wide range of subjects in the field of international affairs, and to integrate and apply knowledge to practical problems and current events.

Students in the MSFS program may pursue solely the MSFS degree, or combine the MSFS with a second dual degree.  
 

Certificates 

In addition to the regular degree requirements, MSFS students may use elective courses or clinics to complete a certificate in one of the following areas: Arab Studies; Eurasian, Russian and Eastern European Studies; International Business Diplomacy; Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies; and Asian Studies.  Certificates offer students the opportunity to explore more deeply a particular issue or area of the world and to receive recognition for their efforts.

Programs, Centers and Institutes

In addition to the MSFS Program, the School of Foreign Service is home to five other Masters degree programs, and to other programs, centers and institutes that offer courses and activities open to MSFS students.

Libraries

The Georgetown University libraries provide abundant resources for education and research in international affairs. MSFS students also have access to other Washington area libraries and collections that meet more specialized needs.

Transfer Credits

With the approval of the director of the MSFS Program, students may transfer up to three (3) credits for graduate-level course(s) completed at another institution. Credits applied to a previously completed Master's degree may not be applied toward the MSFS degree.

Minimum Grade Requirement

Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.

Grading Standard

Beginning in the fall semester of 2011, the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) instituted a grading standard for all courses carrying the “MSFS” course prefix. Prior to fall of 2011, courses taught in the Master of Science in Foreign Service were not subject to any specific grading standard.

In an effort to provide for greater consistency in grades across the MSFS curriculum and to combat grade inflation, a standard has been imposed on all MSFS courses, whereby faculty assessment of student performance will result in final course grades distributed as follows.

MSFS Grade Distribution
20% A
30% A-
30% B+
20% B and below

Whereby an (A) is Outstanding; (A-) is Excellent; (B+) is Very Good; (B) is Good; (B-) is Acceptable; and a (C) is Minimally Passing.

The Master of Science in Foreign Service is a select graduate program that consistently attracts exceptional students from around the world. Please view transcripts of students enrolled in MSFS courses with the understanding that the above standard has been established as of fall 2011.

Please click the following for a pdf notice of the grading standard.