School of Foreign Service

Joel S. Hellman
Dean

Joanna Lewis
Vice Dean for Undergraduate Affairs

Mitch Kaneda
Senior Associate Dean, Director of the Undergraduate Program

Kendra Billingslea
Associate Dean

Chirin Dirani
Advising Dean and Associate Director, Global Experiences

Shawna Julia
Assistant Dean

Jeanette Llorens
Assistant Dean

Anthony Pirrotti
Associate Dean

Polly Robey
Associate Dean

Annette Russell
Assistant Dean

Anna Steinhelper
Associate Dean

History and Mission

The School of Foreign Service was created in 1919, as the U.S. and the world emerged from the horrors of World War I. By creating the School of Foreign Service - five years before the United States diplomatic corps renamed itself the Foreign Service - Georgetown sought to educate students about global issues and prepare them for a life of service, whether in business, government, orin the nonprofit or NGO. This mission reflected both the University’s Jesuit heritage, with its emphasis on intercultural understanding, and its origins as an institution of the American Enlightenment, dedicated to human rights and the education of citizens.

Today, the undergraduate program of the School of Foreign Service offers over 1,400 students an interdisciplinary program built on a liberal arts education. Students begin their studies with the SFS and University core curriculum, giving them an understanding of philosophy, theology, the humanities, economics, political science, history, and other disciplines. During their sophomore year, students choose from one of nine majors, designed to allow students to further develop specialization in one area of international affairs: Culture and Politics; Global Business; International Economics; International Political Economy; International History; International Politics; Regional Studies; Science Technology and International Affairs, and the joint degree from the School of Foreign Service and McDonough School of Business, the Dikran Izmirlian Program in Business and Global Affairs (BGA).

Over the years, we have broadened the scope of our majors to bring new skill sets to solving global problems. Our major in Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA) combines coursework in the biological and physical sciences, geography, bioethics, government and policy studies recognizing the need to ground our global policy making in a deep understanding of science and technology. To continue leading on the frontiers of science and policy, our STIA major now features a space concentration, which allows students to explore the rapidly expanding role of outer space in global affairs and examine how science, technology, policy and security intersect beyond Earth.

Our unique dual degree in Business and Global Affairs with the McDonough School of Business prepares students to mobilize the power of the private sector to address global challenges. And our interdisciplinary major in Culture and Politics allows students to design their own approach to breaking traditional boundaries between the arts, narrative, performance and international affairs to deepen our cross-cultural understanding.

In addition to their academic study on campus, many SFS students engage in study abroad, independent research, service learning or internships during their time at Georgetown. Over 75% of SFS students participate in a global experience including academic study, research or work abroad. We have integrated fieldwork in countries all over the globe into our innovative Centennial Labs, allowing students not only to study global problems but to engage on the ground with those working to solve them.

Our students learn about international affairs from globally recognized scholars and high-level practitioners, combining analysis with action. In the words of current SFS Dean Joel Hellman, our location in Washington DC ensures that SFS students “get a front-row seat to history,” engaging with leaders and change makers from around the world.

Undergraduate Programs List

Graduate Programs List

Joint Undergraduate Programs List

Joint Graduate Programs List

SFS Degree Requirements and Academic Policies

The School of Foreign Service educates the next generation of discerning citizens and leaders through a globally focused core curriculum, foreign language proficiency, and the opportunity to develop subject matter expertise through a required major and optional minors, certificates, study abroad and other programs.

Consistent with Georgetown’s Jesuit identity, the SFS goal is to facilitate engaged citizens who will act with ethics and morality and apply their knowledge and insights to serve their communities and the world as students and throughout their lives.

The curriculum is governed by the SFS Curriculum Committee and is delivered and administered by the faculty and the advising deans. Each major is governed by its respective field committee.

Degree Requirements

All candidates for a Bachelor’s degree from the School of Foreign Service must:

fulfill the requirements of the University and SFS or BSBGA Core Curriculum,
fulfill the foreign language proficiency requirement as outlined herein,
fulfill the requirements of a major from the School of Foreign Service or the requirements of BSBGA,
complete additional credits through electives, or optional certificates or minors for a minimum of 120 credits,
complete at least half of the degree program (60 credits) and half the credits for a major in residence as an SFS student as outlined in the Matriculation section of the Academic Regulations, and,
attain a final cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

Core Curriculum Requirements

The BSFS Core Curriculum (“the Core”) is an interconnected set of classes required by Georgetown University and the School of Foreign Service. Core classes are drawn from a range of approaches and methods central to global understanding and rooted in liberal arts, including economics, geography, history, humanities, philosophy, political science, quantitative reasoning, science, social justice, theology and religious studies, and writing.

Students pursuing a B.S. in Business and Global Affairs (BSBGA) should refer to the BSBGA page in this bulletin for specific requirements.

Students studying at the Georgetown University in Qatar campus should refer to the Georgetown University in Qatar Bulletin for specific requirements.

For all other students pursuing the B.S. in Foreign Service degree, the combined University and SFS Core requirements and the courses that meet them are the following:

Proseminar – 3 credits

BSFS 1010: First-Year Proseminar

Maps of the Modern World – 1 credit

BSFS 1000: Maps of the Modern World

Pathways to Social Justice – 7-credits

CPSJ 1000/CPSJ 1001: Race, Power and Justice at Georgetown (1-credit)
Two courses attributed as Pathways to Social Justice (overlay requirement1) (6-credits)

¹: Overlay: the two Pathways to Social Justice courses may also fulfill other requirements (core, major, minor or certificate)

Quantitative Reasoning and Data Literacy – 3-credits

Any course with the attribute Quantitative Reasoning and Data Literacy (overlay requirement1)

¹: Overlay: The QRDL course may also fulfill another requirement (major, minor, or certificate)

Economics – 9 credits

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
ECON 1001	Econ Principles Micro	3.000
ECON 1002	Econ Principles Macro	3.000
Select one of the following:		3
ECON 2542	International Economics
ECON 2543	International Trade
ECON 2544	International Finance
Total Credits		9

Note: International Economics, International Political Economy, and Global Business majors require both ECON 2543 and ECON 2544 as requisites. ECON 2542 sections attributed as QRDL can also fulfill the QRDL requirement.

Government – 6 credits

GOVT 1400: Comparative Political Systems
GOVT 1600: International Relations

History – 9 credits

HIST 1099
One HIST course numbered between 1100-1999
Any HIST course between 1100-4900

Of these three classes, one must carry the “early” history attribute.

Humanities: Arts, Literature, Music and Media (HALM) – 3 credits

Any course that carries the HALM attribute

Philosophy – 6 credits

PHIL 1900: Political & Social Thought1
PHIL 2000-2999

¹: Internal transfer students from the College of Arts & Sciences who have completed GOVT 1800 Elements of Political Theory will follow the College’s philosophy requirement given that PHIL 1900 and GOVT 1800 have overlapping contents.

Internal transfer students from the College of Arts & Sciences who have not taken an intro philosophy course and who have not taken GOVT 1800 Elements of Political Theory will follow the SFS philosophy requirement.

Internal transfer students who have already fulfilled their previous school’s philosophy requirements but have not taken GOVT 1800 Elements of Political Theory may choose to enroll in either GOVT 1800 or PHIL 1900 to satisfy the SFS content requirement.

Internal transfer students who have only taken an intro philosophy course must take both PHIL 1900 and any course PHIL 2000-2999.

Theology and Religious Studies – 6 credits

THEO 1000: Problem of God or THEO 1100: Biblical Literature
THEO 1100 or any intermediate level theology elective with attribute “Core: Theology”

Science – 3 credits

INAF 1810 or a course with attribute “Science for All”

Writing – 3 credits

WRIT 1150: Writing and Culture Seminar
WRIT 1156: Academic Writing: Multilingual Writers (for non-native English speakers only)

Secondary Language Proficiency

The School of Foreign Service modern language requirement forms part of Georgetown University’s mission to prepare students to be reflective, engaged and informed global citizens. The goal is to prepare students for professional discussions in a modern language other than English that occur in public, private and non-profit sectors of international affairs. Thorough language study builds both professional, linguistic competency and develops cultural literacy—a goal of the SFS curriculum. To satisfy this proficiency requirement, a student must demonstrate the ability to exchange ideas at a professional level in conversation on contemporary issues involving international affairs in a modern language other than English. Students who complete this requirement early in their matriculation are strongly encouraged to continue to study, practice, and use the language to maintain and enhance competency.

All undergraduate students in the School of Foreign Service are expected to enroll in a modern language class each semester, for a letter grade, until they have met the proficiency requirement. Students cannot take a language course pass/fail. Language classes occupy elective slots in the academic schedule.

There are five ways a student can fulfill the language requirement. These options are listed below.

Option 1

Graduating from a secondary school in which the language of instruction was a language other than English. Students must provide relevant documentation to their advising dean during their first semester at Georgetown. At the advising dean’s discretion, students may still be required to take a language placement test or proficiency exam during the first semester to verify whether further coursework is needed to obtain language proficiency.

Option 2

For languages offered by Georgetown, passing a proficiency exam offered by the relevant language department A “pass” on the proficiency exam is comparable to achieving, depending on the language, an Intermediate High to Advanced Mid on the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines (ACTFL) rating, or a B1/low B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference. Students should check with individual departments for language specific examination formats, criteria and testing schedules and deadlines. Proficiency exams are also offered on-site at the end of some Georgetown-approved, summer intensive language programs. Seniors who do not pass the examination in April may be able to retake the exam in May.

Option 3

For languages not offered at Georgetown, obtaining a score of Advanced Mid on the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines (ACTFL). Tests are organized by the dean’s office.

Option 4

Directly matriculating in a Georgetown-approved university whose language of instruction is not English and successfully completing one semester of full-time study in the regular coursework of degree seeking students.

Option 5

Students studying Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese are permitted to choose either the Oral Proficiency Exam (see option 2) or successful completion of two post-advanced 3000-level or higher modern language courses approved by the language department with a grade of A or A- at Georgetown University in order to meet the proficiency requirement.

Additional Language Policies

All students are expected to complete the language proficiency requirement prior to study abroad if they are nominated to an English language site or to another site in a language other than the one the student is pursuing to fulfill the requirement. Exceptions can be requested by completing the Language Proficiency Acknowledgement Waiver.

Advising

With an enrollment of about 370 students per class, the undergraduate program of the School of Foreign Service offers an intimate setting within Georgetown University. This setting makes it possible for students, faculty, and advising deans to interact with one another on a personal basis. Each student is able to build a network of professors with relevant expertise, along with a rapport with one or more advising deans to guide their undergraduate journey. The advising structure is set in motion from the first semester with each student assigned a dean and placed in a small proseminar where they have the opportunity to closely interact with a professor.

The Dean’s Office serves as the point of contact for students, for matters ranging from academic to personal. Each entering first-year or transfer student is assigned to a dean, who is available via office hours, appointments or email throughout the academic year. One of their primary responsibilities is to help students work out an academic program that will enable them to complete their studies on schedule while also pursuing interests in elective subjects. Once a major is declared, a major-based dean continues to provide support to students through graduation on a wide variety of subjects, including study abroad. The dean also directs students to members of the faculty who share their interests in one or more areas, and these introductions are among the most fruitful ways of identifying professors to serve as mentors in the major during junior and senior years. The advising deans support the students when they encounter challenges or problems.

Advising for BSBGA students is outlined on the BSBGA page of this Bulletin.

Descriptions of Courses Sponsored by the School

As noted above, the coursework for the Core and for SFS majors draws on the offerings of several different Georgetown departments as well as courses sponsored directly by the School of Foreign Service. On the University’s Course Catalog, courses sponsored by an academic department are described under the heading of that department. Courses sponsored by the SFS appear under BSFS department prefix and each of the majors (prefixes BGAF, CULP, GBUS, IECO, IHIS, IPEC, IPOL, RCST and STIA), and several of the SFS centers and programs (prefixes AFSP, ANZP, ARST, ASST, CMCU, GBUS, GEST, ISIM, JCIV, LASP, REES, STIA, and TKST).

Honors in the School of Foreign Service

Every semester academic honors are noted on full-time students’ transcripts based on their grade point average for that semester. “First Honors” is awarded to students who earn a 3.900 GPA or higher; “Second Honors” is awarded to those who earn at least a 3.700 GPA, and students who earn at least a 3.500 achieve the “Dean’s List,” provided that there are no failing grades that semester. Semester honors are recognized by a permanent notation on official transcripts.

Note: “full-time” status for the purpose of computing honors requires that a student be enrolled in at least twelve credits of coursework for which quality points are awarded. Pass/fail grades are not awarded quality points.

Upon graduation, final academic honors are determined by the cumulative GPA. For information on Latin Honors, please see the Undergraduate Bulletin section on Studying, Grades and Credit.

Honors in the Majors

Students who meet the criteria to graduate with honors in the major receive an honors citation on their final transcript. They are also recognized at the annual Tropaia awards ceremony during commencement weekend.

The Peter F. Krogh Honors Seminar

Named for the Dean Emeritus of the School of Foreign Service, this seminar offers 15 highly qualified students the opportunity to work closely with a senior member of the faculty. The Krogh seminar always addresses a theme of central importance in international affairs. Participation in the Krogh seminar is by application. Students who successfully complete the seminar receive the Peter F. Krogh medal at the annual Tropaia awards ceremony during graduation weekend.

National Honor Societies

Students in the School of Foreign Service are eligible for election to Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Sigma Nu (Jesuit National Honor Society), Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics National Honor Society), Pi Sigma Alpha (National Honor Society in Political Science), Phi Alpha Theta (International Honor Society in History), Pi Delta Phi (National French Honor Society), Sigma Delta Pi (National Spanish Honor Society), Phi Lambda Beta (Portuguese National Honor Society), and Dobro Slovo (National Slavic Honor Society).

For detailed information on each of the honor societies open to School of Foreign Service students, please see the section Honors and Awards in this bulletin. The foreign language honor societies are listed under “Awards of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics.”

Fellowships, Scholarships, and Prizes

Students from the School of Foreign Service are very successful competitors for a variety of post-graduate fellowships and scholarships, including the DAAD, Fulbright, Luce, Marshall, Mellon, Rhodes, and Truman. For more information, please refer to the Center for Research and Fellowships.

The School of Foreign Service offers undergraduates a wide range of fellowships and programs for research and study. Undergraduates may pursue scholarships toward internships, travel for academic research, study abroad opportunities, economic conferences, and more.

Tutorials

Tutorials offer students special opportunities to study subjects that are not part of the regular curriculum. Usually, tutorials involve one student and one faculty member, although occasionally a group of two or three students will band together to pursue a subject of common interest. Normally, tutorials are given by full-time faculty members to full-time students in good academic standing. Tutorials represent a teaching overload for professors, so students cannot expect that faculty members will necessarily agree to offer tutorials at their convenience. Tutorials should represent an intellectual commitment and workload similar to that required of a normal three-credit course. As a rule, students take no more than two tutorials in the course of their undergraduate careers, although special arrangements in place of honors in some SFS majors might fall outside this guideline.

Students in the School of Foreign Service interested in setting up a tutorial must meet five conditions: 1) the subject of the tutorial is not available as a regular University course; 2) there is an intellectually compelling reason for studying this subject as part of the undergraduate degree; 3) a faculty member with the appropriate expertise is available and willing to offer the tutorial; 4) the Department Chair and the director of the undergraduate program approve the request; 5) the appropriate paperwork is submitted to the students advising dean in a timely fashion (note: forms to request approval for tutorials are available online). Any tutorial that is approved as a substitute for a Core or major requirement must be taken for a quality grade (A through D). Tutorials that are taken for elective credit may be taken for a quality grade or on a pass/fail basis. Credits for tutorials cost the same as regular course credits. All the academic regulations governing the regular curriculum are applicable to tutorials. Tutorials come in two varieties, reading courses and research tutorials:

Reading courses usually focus on mastering the scholarly literature on a particular subject. For example, a reading course on the origins of the French Revolution might focus on the major historiographical interpretations of the Revolution as well as on critiques of this literature. The backbone of any reading tutorial is a substantial reading list put together with the help of the supervising professor. The tutorial would meet weekly or biweekly and stress discussion of the readings for that period. A variety of written assignments could be an appropriate means of assessment, including, for example, bibliographical essays, critical reviews, or analyses of one or more problems raised by the literature.
Research tutorials focus on the collection and analysis of primary materials in the form of a major research paper. In framing a project, guidance should be sought from the professor. The most typical flaw in undergraduate research projects is overestimating the amount of material that one can reasonably digest in a single semester or choosing a subject on which necessary data is unavailable. Research tutorials meet weekly or as the pace of the project demands. The final papers vary in length according to the subject, but a 25-page minimum would be typical for the social sciences.

Please note: the material addressed in both reading courses and research tutorials should be defined in a way that allows you to finish all work for the tutorial by the end of the semester. Incompletes are not routinely granted for tutorials.

Study Abroad

The School of Foreign Service (SFS) strongly believes that a period of study in another country can contribute an invaluable intercultural dimension and language-learning opportunity for the educational preparation of all who aspire to work in international careers. Students are, therefore, encouraged to develop appropriate plans for international study in conjunction with their educational program at the School. In most cases during a semester or academic year study abroad, students must be fully enrolled in a recognized university and study in the native language with students of the host country. Such direct matriculation puts a premium on post-advanced knowledge of the appropriate language and is most feasible in countries in which French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (or English) are the languages of instruction. Modified options are available in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian-speaking parts of the world. These programs combine a heavy emphasis on language acquisition with a limited selection of coursework in English, often with a regional focus. The Office of Global Education has developed a range of study abroad programs that meet other needs, including intensive language study and directed field research.

One of the most important issues to address in terms of study abroad is how the coursework taken abroad will or will not contribute to one’s progress towards the BSFS degree, especially the requirements for the major. This is a subject for careful planning and consultation with the curricular dean responsible for coordination of the major. The deans bear final responsibility for crediting coursework taken abroad towards degree requirements.

Participants must be full-time students while overseas. A full course load is considered to be the same as that of a regular full-time degree candidate at the host university, as defined in the course load and grading policy developed for each program by the Office of Global Education. Students must arrive on-site for the designated start date of the program, including orientation. Recreational travel must not interfere with regularly scheduled classes. Students may not request early or alternative examinations to facilitate departure before the end of the program. All course assignments and examinations must be completed by the time of departure from the country at the end of the semester.
The Code of Student Conduct applies to students while overseas.
Participants are expected to comply with the laws of the country where they are studying and those of the countries in which they travel. Students are also subject to all academic and disciplinary regulations of the host university. While overseas, students should conduct themselves as guests, keeping in mind that they are subject to all the laws of the country while not necessarily enjoying the same privileges as nationals. Georgetown University students are expected to remain observers of political activities rather than participants. Becoming a political activist may endanger one’s safety or that of one’s peers in the program and will almost certainly jeopardize the program itself.
Students are expected to complete their language proficiency requirement before being approved for study abroad in a language other than the proficiency target language (including sites where English is the language of instruction) unless they have submitted the language proficiency acknowledgement waiver form. Study abroad is ordinarily pursued in the junior year; applications to study abroad in the spring of sophomore year or fall of the senior year may be considered.
For a complete overview of the study abroad application process, please see the Global Education section of this Bulletin or visit studyabroad.georgetown.edu.

Academic Policies and Procedures

The School of Foreign Service operates within the parameters of the general academic policies shared by all undergraduate schools of the University which are outlined in the Bulletin under “Academic Regulations.”

All students are required to know and comply with University academic regulations. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with these regulations, and no student can claim that unfamiliarity with these regulations warrants an exception to them.

SFS students studying at the Doha, Qatar campus must refer to the GU-Qatar specific academic policies. GU-Qatar policies supersede the main campus SFS policies on the Qatar campus.

Regulations particular to the School of Foreign Service include, but are not limited to, the following:

Students must complete a minimum of six semesters of university study, four of which must be full-time and in residence in the School of Foreign Service. A minimum of 60 credits must be completed in residence. Semesters are defined as fall and spring semesters (not summer). Study abroad at GU-Qatar and Villa le Balze count toward the residency requirement.
Students are required to complete at least half of the coursework for an SFS major in residence. Transfer credit for courses (including study abroad courses and non-GU summer courses) in excess of half of a major will be counted as free electives toward the degree.
Undergraduate students are expected to be full-time (a minimum of 12 academic credits). Seniors who have met all residency requirements may be part-time in the final semester. Students requesting to go part-time prior to the final semester must petition the Academic Standards committee for permission to do so.
Courses that fulfill requirements for core curriculum, major, minor, certificate or fellows programs must be taken for a letter grade. Language courses must also be taken for a letter grade.
Audited courses do not count toward the undergraduate degree. GU-Q students are not allowed to audit GU-Q courses.
With the exception of summer school courses listed in the usual departments of the undergraduate schools, SFS students may not enroll in courses offered through the School of Continuing Studies for its various degrees, certificates, and special programs.
All students are required to maintain continuous enrollment in a foreign language course each semester until or unless they have fulfilled the foreign language proficiency requirement.
Students who meet the foreign language oral proficiency requirement with their native language must confirm the completion of this requirement by the end of their first academic year.
All students are expected to complete the Foreign Language Proficiency requirement prior to overseas study if they plan to study at an English language site or a site at which the language of instruction is other than the one they are pursuing to fulfill the oral proficiency requirement. Students seeking an exception to this rule must complete the Language Requirement Acknowledgement form as part of their study abroad application via the Office of Global Education.
Matriculated students may transfer credit from courses taken at other universities during the summer term. No more than 12 academic credits may be transferred from summer classes completed outside of Georgetown. Prior approval for such courses must be obtained from the SFS Undergraduate Program.
Students on a leave of absence may not transfer credit for courses taken elsewhere during their leave without prior written approval from the SFS Academic Standards Committee. Typically, students should not expect permission to transfer credits taken while on a leave of absence.
Students on leave from the University must apply for readmission and submit all materials by November 1st for consideration for the spring semester; April 1st for the summer sessions; and June 30th for the fall semester.
To be guaranteed campus housing, student on leave must apply for readmission and submit all required materials no later than November 1st for consideration for the spring semester; April 1st for the summer sessions; and May 31st for the fall semester. Students who miss that deadline will be added to a housing waitlist but will not be guaranteed University housing.
Personal leaves of absence are limited to two calendar years. After two years, students will be automatically withdrawn from the University. Students who wish to return after two years must reapply for admission through the SFS Undergraduate Program.
Students who have more than one outstanding incomplete course at the end of add/drop must receive permission from their advising dean to continue in a full course load (12-credits or more) in the subsequent term. Students with more than one outstanding incomplete course may be directed to take a leave of absence or enroll in a partial schedule (11-credits or less).
Students must declare their intended major between the end of add/drop in the fall semester of second year and fall registration in the spring semester of second year or be subject to academic sanctions.
All seniors are required to complete a Senior Review during their penultimate semester to obtain confirmation of final degree requirements and to apply for their degree. Failure to apply for the degree by the designated deadline may necessitate the postponement of graduation.
Students are limited on what courses can double count with requirements. Here are the rules.
A request to waive any of these requirements must be made in writing to the SFS Committee on Academic Standards through the student’s advising dean.

Academic Performance and Review

At the conclusion of each semester, the Committee on Academic Standards (Standards Committee) convenes to review the academic records of all undergraduates in the School of Foreign Service. The Standards Committee is comprised of the BSFS Associate and Assistant Deans. The Standards Committee meets in closed session and the Committee’s decisions are communicated to students in writing.

Academic infractions that require action by the Standards Committee include:

Low cumulative and/or semester grade point averages
Unsatisfactory grades
Failures (including Maps of the Modern World)
Failure to enroll in required classes or make progress toward the degree
Failure to enroll in a foreign language if the proficiency requirement is not completed
Patterns of course withdrawals
Unauthorized incomplete courses (which are treated as failing grades)
Failure to complete a minimum of twelve academic credits in a semester.

Academic Sanctions

The Standards Committee has the authority to impose sanctions on students whose academic performance is deemed deficient. Sanctions reflect the nature of the academic deficiencies they aim to address.

Probation

Students who fail a course, earn a semester or cumulative GPA below 2.00, or who fail to earn a minimum of twelve credits are automatically placed on probation. While on probation, students are expected to complete at least twelve credit hours and earn a semester GPA of 2.00 (during fall or spring). Students on probation may not request “incomplete” grades until they are removed from probation. Probation cannot be cleared via summer courses.

Suspension

Students may be suspended for one or more semesters for unsatisfactory academic performance or for failing to meet the terms of academic probation. The length of the suspension is determined by the Standards Committee. The committee may also impose requirements for readmission to SFS. Students who are suspended may not transfer credits to Georgetown earned elsewhere during the suspension period. Academic suspensions are noted on the transcript. While suspended, students must adhere to the University’s Code of Conduct that outlines permissible and non-permissible access to campus and campus resources for suspended students.

Dismissal

Students may be dismissed from the university because of unsatisfactory academic performance. In cases of dismissal, students are permanently separated from Georgetown. Dismissed students may not register for or attend classes, attempt to complete a Georgetown degree, live in a residence hall, or participate in any activities reserved for students in good standing at Georgetown. Academic dismissal is noted on the transcript.

The Standards Committee reserves the right to impose other sanctions as necessary.

Appeals

Students who are suspended or dismissed may appeal the decision of the Standards Committee by petitioning the School of Foreign Service Appeals Board.

The SFS Appeals Board consists of two members of the Faculty and the Director of the Undergraduate Program, or his/her designate, who serves as Chair. No member of the Faculty may sit on the Appeals Board if he/she has at any time graded the student who is appealing.

The Appeals Board is an educational hearing board, not a court of law. A student may appeal a decision only on one of the following grounds:

1. The the existence of new information, unavailable at the time of the original grade review, that could reasonably have affected the sanction imposed by the Standards Committee; or

2. Significant and material errors in the procedures followed by the Standards Committee or in its application of academic policy.

The Appeals Committee first determines whether the appeal establishes sufficient grounds to warrant an appeal hearing. If it determines that the appeal does not meet satisfy either of the grounds set forth above, the original decision of the Standards Committee will be sustained.

If an appeal hearing is granted, the student is expected to appear in person to present their case and any relevant information in support of the appeal.

The Appeals Board deliberates in closed session. The Board may recommend upholding the Standards Committee’s initial decision or it may recommend a mitigation of the decision. The Appeals Board may not recommend a more severe judgment. The Board’s decision is final and is not subject to further appeal. The final decision of the Appeals Board is communicated to the student in writing.

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business and Global Affairs should consult the BSBGA page of this bulletin for information on the academic standards of that program.

Majors, Certificates/Minors and Accelerated Degree programs

All majors build on The Core and allow students to specialize in an approach to the study of international affairs, an area of international affairs, or a region.

Each of the eight BSFS majors and the joint degree from the Walsh School of Foreign Service and McDonough School of Business, the Dikran Izmirlian Program in Business and Global Affairs (BGA), is designed around 24-36 credits of required and elective classes. Some majors have additional pre- or co-requisites. The nine majors are:

Business and Global Affairs
Culture and Politics
Global Business
International Economics
International History
International Political Economy
International Politics
Regional and Comparative Studies
Science, Technology and International Affairs

All BSFS students are enrolled as an “International Affairs” major until they declare formally into one of the above majors.

Fields of Study

Culture and Politics
Global Business
International Economics
International History
International Political Economy
International Politics
Regional and Comparative Studies
Science, Technology, and International Affairs
B.S. in Business and Global Affairs

A Note on Modifications to the Majors

It is possible for students who wish to pursue a modified version of one of the eight major fields to petition for permission to do so. Usually the modifications involve substituting one or two courses for those included on the current course lists. Students should consult their advising dean for details on this process of “major substitution.” The faculty chair of the appropriate field committee must endorse the modifications.

Independent Majors

There are rare cases in which a student has received permission to pursue an independent major that does not fall under the jurisdiction of one of the eight major field committees. Such cases require a detailed description of the plan of study and approval by at least two faculty members and the Director of the Undergraduate Program before they may be considered by the Standards Committee, which makes the final decision on the proposal.

Electives, Certificates or Minors for a Minimum of 120 Credits

Graduating from the SFS requires a minimum of 120 credits. A typical student needs to earn 73-85 credits to meet the Core (53 credits) and major (24-36 credits) requirements, leaving 35-47 credit hours for electives, minors and certificates. However, the majority of students use some of those elective credits to take classes needed to develop second language proficiency. Students are able to meet some core requirements through Advanced Placement or other coursework done outside of Georgetown, allowing additional flexibility.

Students can earn up to two minors, two certificates or one minor and one certificate.

Certificates typically require 18 credit hours including a significant project. Some certificates also have specific language requirements. The 10 certificates currently offered by SFS are:

Certificate in African Studies
Certificate in Arab Studies
Certificate in Asian Studies
Certificate in Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Studies
Certificate in Diplomatic Studies
Certificate in Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies
Certificate in European Studies
Certificate in International Business Diplomacy
Certificate in Journalism and Digital Media
Certificate in South Asian Studies

Fellows Programs offer students an opportunity to further engage with faculty or conduct research:

Of special note: Up to 6 credits (typically two courses) may double-count for both a certificate and a major.

Minors typically require 18 credit hours of coursework. More than 50 minors are currently available to School of Foreign Service students on topics including languages, sciences, preforming arts, and many more.

Of special note:

Students may double-count up to 6 credits (typically 2 classes) from the SFS-specific core requirements other than the Freshman Proseminar towards any minor.
There can be no double counting of courses between or among programs (major and minor, minor and certificate, minor and minor, or certificate and certificate), except in cases of 21 credit (7-course) certificates or minors that explicitly allow for double counting. Here (new window) are the full double-counting rules.
For transfer credit within a minor (e.g. AP, study abroad, or non-GU credit), please consult the Bulletin. In general, a student may count no more than 9 credits (typically 3 courses) from outside Georgetown towards the minor and generally only 3 credits (typically 1 course) from study abroad.
Oral proficiency courses in Spanish and French do not count towards a minor.

Please consult the department, center or programs Director of Undergraduate Studies with any questions about minors.
For SFS students pursuing an Economics, Government, History, or Science minor, the following notes apply:

Economics Minor

At most 6 credits (typically two courses) can be double-counted between the SFS Economics Core and the Economics minor, i.e. students who take ECON 1001 and ECON 1002 (or fulfill either or both by AP or other credits) will double-count these with the Minor and will not be able to double-count ECON 2542/ECON 2543/ECON 2544. Students who take ECON 1003 will double-count it with the minor and additionally double-count one course among ECON 2542/ECON 2543/ECON 2544. No courses may double-count between a major and a minor. Students who take a statistics courses to fulfill a major requirement will be required to take another additional economics elective for the minor.

Government Minor

SFS students who choose to minor in Government are strongly encouraged to take GOVT courses rooted in Political Science subfields and topics that SFS major courses do not cover. Students will be able to double count University Core requirement Political and Social Thought (PHIL 1900), and SFS Core requirements International Relations (GOVT 1600) and Comparative Political Systems (GOVT 1400).

History Minor

The History Minor consists of six classes (18 credits). At least three credits (one course) must be numbered 3000 or above and no more than six credits (two courses) may be transferred from another institution. Two of the three SFS Core Requirements can count towards the Minor.

Science Minors

For Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA) majors, the science fundamentals requirement can be co-requisite with the major and may be used to meet minor requirements. Courses cannot count for both the major and minor. Any other science courses taken as part of the minor cannot be applied to the major. The Environment Science track cannot use those courses as co-requisites with the ENST minor.

SFS Minors

Other undergraduate minors open to SFS students can be found here.

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Programs

The School of Foreign Service and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences sponsor several accelerated bachelor’s/master’s programs for those qualified students who plan to continue their professional education in international affairs at the graduate level and desire to complete the two degrees in approximately five years. Students with appropriate undergraduate coursework may count graduate level courses toward the undergraduate degree. Some of the graduate programs may permit appropriate courses beyond those required for the undergraduate degree to be applied toward the master’s degree within limits set by policy and with explicit approval of the particular master’s program, the BSFS Program, and the Graduate School.

Third year students in the School of Foreign Service who have maintained an average 3.500 or better GPA are eligible to apply to one of the below multidisciplinary master’s degree programs within the university:

Master of Arts in Arab Studies
Master of Arts in Asian Studies
Master of Arts in Communication, Culture, and Technology
Master of Arts in Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies
Master of Arts in German and European Studies
Master of Arts in Global, International, and Comparative History
Master of Arts in Latin American Studies
Master of Arts in Security Studies
Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics
Master of Science in Foreign Service
Master of Science in Global Infectious Disease

Admission to the accelerated degree programs is highly competitive. Applicants must satisfy all application procedures as outlined by the Graduate Admissions Office. Successful applicants matriculate fully into the graduate program in the fourth year and graduate with the Bachelor’s Degree upon completion of all undergraduate degree requirements. Please see the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Bulletin for information and requirements of the master’s programs. Applicants must contact their advising dean in the Undergraduate Program Office prior to submitting an application to the Accelerated Programs.

2026-2027 Edition

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