Georgetown University in Qatar

Since 2005, Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) has served as a bridge between academic communities in the United States and the Gulf region of the Middle East. Based in Education City in Doha, GU-Q offers a four year undergraduate program in international affairs leading to the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) degree.

Georgetown University in Qatar students are subject to the Academic Policies and Regulations of the university and to the academic policies pertaining specifically to the BSFS degree outlined in this Undergraduate Bulletin. Policies specific to Georgetown University in Qatar are outlined below.

1. Core Curriculum Requirements
2. Major Fields of Study
3. Minors
4. Certificate Programs
5. Zones of Conflict / Zones of Peace
6. Academic Internships
7. International Negotiation and Crisis Simulation
8. Cross-Registration
9. Study Abroad in Washington, D.C.

1. Core Curriculum Requirements

All GU-Q students complete the same core curriculum requirements as students in Washington, D.C. There are, however, some slight differences in the sequencing of certain core courses at the Doha campus.

GU-Q students fulfill the core humanities and writing requirement in one of two ways:

1. Take WRIT 1145 (Fall Year 1) followed by WRIT 1165 (Spring Year 1)
2. Take WRIT 1155 (Fall Year 1) followed by any HALC course (anytime)

The humanities and writing sequence that a student pursues is based on placement during new student orientation or on advance/transfer credit.

Generally speaking, HALC courses cannot double count between the core and any other academic program.

GU-Q students must fulfill the core government requirement as follows:

1. GOVT 1400 Comparative Political Systems (Spring Year 1)
2. GOVT 1600 International Relations (Fall Year 2)

Failure to complete the core government sequence as described above will adversely affect a student’s ability to declare the IPOL major and/or register for upper-level courses in government and politics.

GU-Q students are required to take two Engaging Diversity courses, one domestic and one global. At GU-Q, domestic diversity is defined as pertaining to the Arab World and global diversity is defined as pertaining to the rest of the world.

Students are expected to complete most of the core curriculum courses during their freshman and sophomore years.

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2. Major Fields of Study

At GU-Q, students can pursue four of the majors offered in the School of Foreign Service:

1. Culture and Politics
2. International Economics
3. International History
4. International Politics

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Major in Culture and Politics

​Ten courses required for the CULP major:

• CULP 2100 Theorizing Culture and Politics, which must be taken by the end of the junior year.
• Four (4) classes tagged as CULP (must be in at least two different disciplines i.e. course prefixes)
• Five (5) classes oriented around a self-constructed theme (topical electives)

Writing in the Major

CULP students will satisfy the University’s Integrated Writing requirement through the required gateway class (CULP 2100).  Because CULP is an interdisciplinary major, however, there is no one methodology or writing genre that students must master.  Students assemble their own course sequences around individually chosen concentrations in consultation with their mentor and curricular dean.  The self-designed concentration may require a combination of discipline-specific methodologies or writing strategies housed in the SFS and the College, and students are encouraged to find additional opportunities to hone their writing skills throughout their coursework. 

Honors in Culture and Politics

To apply for CULP honors, a student must:

• Earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher, and 3.67 or higher in the CULP major, or show strong evidence of the capacity to achieve these by graduation.
• Submit a complete research proposal using either the proposal form or following the proposal guidelines.  The proposal is reviewed by, and the admission to the program is determined by, a CULP faculty Honors committee.
• Identify a Georgetown faculty mentor who has agreed to work on this project.
• Adhere to the revision and final submission dates, if invited to revise a proposal.

To graduate with CULP Honors, a student must:

• Successfully complete two semesters of work dedicated to thesis preparation.  This includes CULP 4998 (3 credits) in the fall semester of the senior year and CULP 4999 (3 credits) in the spring semester of the senior year. 
• Earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and a grade point average of 3.67 in the CULP major at graduation.
• Submit a senior thesis by early April (deadline to be announced each year) of the senior year, which is judged to be of honors quality by a faculty committee appointed for this purpose.
• Make a formal public thesis presentation in late March (specific date announced each year) of the senior year.
• A thesis paper can be judged to be of honors quality, but if other requirements are not met, the student can’t earn honors. If this is the case, the honors classes, if completed successfully, will still count toward the student’s CULP topical electives and degree program.

For more details, please see the Honors in the Major Policy (new window) for Georgetown University in Qatar SFS students.

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Major in International Economics

​​​​Eight courses total are required for the IECO major, with three additional courses (ECON 2543, ECON 2544 and MATH 1350) required for entry to the major. Either ECON 2543 or 2544 can also satisfy the third core curriculum economics course.

Courses required for entry to IECO major

• MATH-1350 Calculus I (Year 2)
• ECON-2543 International Trade (Year 2)
• ECON-2544 International Finance (Year 2)

IECO Major Courses (4 courses)

• ECON 2101 Intermediate Microeconomics (Year 3)
• ECON 2102 Intermediate Macroeconomics (Year 3)
• ECON 2110 Economics Statistics (Year 3)
• ECON 3001 Introduction to Econometrics (Year 3)

Applied Courses (3 courses)

• Three courses from the IECO applied course list. At least 1 course (3 credits) must be in an approved 4000-level ECON course carrying the IECO applied course attribute.

Senior Seminar (1 course)

• IECO-4970 Research Project Design or a 4000-level IECO seminar course that has a term paper requirement. (Year 4)

Honors in the Major

The honors program allows the student to examine a significant scholarly issue in detail and to focus his or her time and attention on an important issue in which he or she is deeply interested. Honors theses are original works of thought and research, not merely summaries of the work and ideas of others.

By writing an honors thesis, the student gets a sense of how much he or she enjoys the kind of original research done in graduate school. The student also demonstrates that he or she can independently design and carry out a long-term research project – a skill that both employers and graduate and professional schools find very attractive.

To apply for IECO honors:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.5, and Major GPA of 3.67, or strong evidence of the capacity to achieve these.
• Letter of Intent by other posted deadline in the student’s junior year.

To graduate with IECO honors:

• Earn A or A- in both ECON-2101 Intermediate Microeconomics and ECON-2102 Intermediate Macroeconomics.
• Enroll in IECO 4970 Research Project Design in the fall semester of the senior year.
• Enroll in and pass IECO-4970 in the fall semester and IECO-4980 in the spring semester of the fourth year and submit a senior thesis on an approved topic which is judged to be of honors quality by the economics faculty. The thesis should be in the range of 50-80 pages. The student should speak with his or her thesis advisor to determine the appropriate paper length. The student will give a formal presentation attended by all IECO faculty in residence during the spring semester in which the thesis is completed.
• Earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and a grade point average of 3.67 in the major by the date of graduation.

For more details, please see the Honors in the Major Policy (new window) for Georgetown University in Qatar SFS students.

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Major in International History

Eight courses total required for the IHIS major:

• HIST-3105 Global History (Year 3)
• Four IHIS Electives
• Three courses toward self-designed concentration

At least 2, but no more than 3, of the courses applied to the IHIS major must be non-history courses, and at least 1 of these non-history courses must be in the concentration.

Writing in the Major

The major in International History (IHIS) in the School of Foreign Service is rooted in the history of diplomacy and international relations, but it goes beyond the study of the formal relationships between states—the traditional subject matter of diplomatic history—to address themes in comparative, trans-regional and global history. Interdisciplinary in focus, the major draws on ideas and methodologies from subjects as varied as anthropology, philosophy, sociology, political science, religious studies, and literature. It is grounded in history, a discipline which places special emphasis on the development of critical thinking, textual analysis, argumentation, and writing skills.

A. Writing in the Discipline of History

The study of history and writing are inseparable. As a form of knowledge based on the interpretation of fragmentary records that survive from the past, all historians use the written word to posit an argument and defend it with evidence. Because historical sources reveal only part of the whole story, no single historical work can ever be fully comprehensive or definitive. As a result, historians continually debate the varying interpretations that emerge between different schools of thought. Ultimately, the quality of historical writing is determined by the successful collection, organization, and presentation of evidence in support of a coherent and convincing thesis.

At its core, historical writing depends on judgment: the thoughtful selection of good research questions and the identification and interpretation of historical sources. Historians use two types of evidence: primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are documents or other records created at the time of the events under analysis; they come directly from the participants themselves. Secondary sources are the findings of writers who were not direct participants in a historical episode but those who have subsequently investigated primary evidence of it. Works of scholarship are the most common secondary sources students of history will encounter. In certain situations, a secondary source can become a primary one.

Sources, whether primary or secondary, do not answer historical questions themselves. Students of history must sift with a critical eye through the information provided in their sources and then rely on their own judgment to construct a historical argument grounded in evidence. In order to determine the reliability of their sources, historians read documents closely and place them in historical context. They ask critical questions to determine who wrote the document, when and where it was created, and for what purpose. The capacity to determine what matters—to think critically about what evidence to include and what to exclude and how to frame one’s analysis—is one of the core skills students of history acquire through writing.

Writing in history takes many forms. Some history papers are organized as narratives that tell stories of people and events in the past; others are more analytical and organized as an essay. Most historical writing incorporates both narrative and analysis. Some papers deal with historiography, that is, how different historians or schools of thought have approached the history of a particular subject. Other papers deal directly with history, analyzing not simply what happened but why and how it happened. Whatever the format, history students must begin with a thesis statement and the evidence bolstering their argument must always be divulged using a responsible and consistent citation style.

B. Integrated Writing in the IHIS Major

As they move through the SFS Core Curriculum and meet the requirements towards their major, IHIS students repeatedly encounter and practice various forms of historical writing. Students of history are typically asked to write many kinds of papers, including document analyses, book reviews, response papers, bibliographic surveys, historiographical essays, research or exhibit proposals, or research papers. They might also be asked to develop a digital history project, which would involve writing text to accompany any digital maps or images.

All SFS students, including IHIS majors, take history courses as part of the Core Curriculum.  These courses introduce students to writing in the discipline of history through the careful reading and discussion of primary sources and writing assignments that require engagement with the past based on evidence-based analysis and interpretation.  In HIST courses in the 1100-2999 range, students continue to work on primary sources, but they will more frequently encounter differing interpretations of modern scholars. They will become more fully cognizant of the wide variety of sources available for historical analysis, and they will experiment with different types of written assignments that further hone their ability to select and interpret reliable evidence, to contextualize that evidence, and to build and support analytical arguments in written form.

IHIS majors complete a total of eight courses, the majority of which are taught by historians. All IHIS majors are required to take HIST 3105, Global Perspectives on International History, which is a reading and writing-intensive gateway colloquium. In addition, they take four courses selected from an approved IHIS list, including at least one of which must be a seminar (numbered from HIST 3000-4999). They also select three courses, including at least one non-History course, as part of a thematic, regional, or periodic concentration within the major. At least 2, but no more than 3, of the courses applied to the major must come from outside the History Department.

All IHIS majors take at least two courses numbered HIST 3000+ but most take more than that. These discussion-based seminars require more substantial reading (in both primary and secondary sources) and more complex and substantial writing assignments, including those that require historical research and extensive use of the library. Many IHIS majors go on to complete the year-long Senior Honors Seminar, in which they research and write a significant and original historical thesis under the mentorship of the Seminar director and individual faculty members. In the Honors Seminar, students routinely review and comment on each other’s drafts. This feedback, combined with that provided by faculty, allows students to continually develop and revise their writing across the academic year.

HIST 3105 Global Perspectives on International History fulfills the Integrated Writing requirement in the IHIS major.

Honors in the Major

The honors program allows the student to examine a significant scholarly issue in detail and to focus his or her time and attention on an important issue in which he or she is deeply interested. Honors theses are original works of thought and research, not merely summaries of the work and ideas of others.

To apply for IHIS honors, as student must:

• Have a GPA of 3.5, or strong evidence of the capacity to achieve it
• Submit a thesis proposal to the IHIS faculty chairperson or curricular dean by the stated deadline.

To earn IHIS honors, a student must:

• Complete the IHIS Honors Seminar in the senior year
• Submit a final written thesis that is approved by the IHIS faculty. Honors theses are ordinarily 50-80 pages long; however, students should work with their thesis advisor to determine a suitable length
• Give a formal, public presentation of his or her research in the spring semester in which the thesis is completed. The entire Georgetown community is invited to this event
• Earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and a grade point average of 3.67 in the major by the date of graduation.

For more details, please see the Honors in the Major Policy (new window) for Georgetown University in Qatar SFS students.

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Major in International Politics

Nine courses total required for the IPOL major:

• IPOL 2170 Scope and Methods for Political Science (Spring of Year 2)
• IPOL 3270 Quantitative Methods (Year 3)
• 1 course from the Comparative Politics concentration 
• 1 course from the International Relations concentration 
• 5 courses that have been approved for the IPOL major program 

Writing in the Major

International Politics is an interdisciplinary major that explores the processes between actors in the international system. There are currently two core requirements in this major – Scope and Methods for Political Science (IPOL 2170 ) and Quantitative Methods for International Politics (IPOL 3270). The student must also take 7 other courses that have been approved for the IPOL major program. These courses come under the headings of Political Theory, International Relations and Comparative Politics.

The IPOL major’s interdisciplinary nature does not lend itself to a narrow set of guidelines, and there is a recognition that no one means of written assessment or writing style should be required across IPOL approved courses. Some will require several shorter papers in the form of book reviews, responses, course papers or assessed quizzes. Others require longer final papers or written examinations. Others again require a combination of both. All tend to combine written assessments with other demonstrations of learning and development including, but not limited to, graded oral presentations.

That said, IPOL is a writing-intensive major and student needs to be able to absorb, analyze and disseminate information on a wide range of issues and topics in written form. There are some commonalities in terms of this writing requirement across IPOL approved courses.  All IPOL courses have the goal of building on the core concepts and theories provided to students in Introduction to International Relations (GOVT 1600) and Comparative Political Systems (GOVT 1400). Inherent in this is the objective of further developing the student’s foundational writing skills to reach a level that is commensurate with the analytic tradition and which provides those planning to progress to graduate study with the necessary writing skills to succeed at that level.

Quantitative Methods, for example, trains students how to use statistical tools, analysis, and inference in writing with the expectation that these skills will be applied where relevant in the writing requirements in other IPOL courses.  There is also a commitment that writing in the Major will develop:

• The skills necessary to conduct research and use citation styles correctly.
• An awareness of the centrality of structure and clarity in scholarly writing.
• An ability to offer argument-driven analysis that examines critically arguments and counter-arguments.
• An ability to apply the relevant theoretical literature and historiographical debates.

Honors in the Major

The honors program allows the student to examine a significant scholarly issue in detail and to focus his or her time and attention on an important issue in which he or she is deeply interested. Honors theses are original works of thought and research, not merely summaries of the work and ideas of others. 

By writing an honors thesis, the student gets a sense of how much he or she enjoys the kind of original research done in graduate school. The student also demonstrates that he or she can independently design and carry out a long-term research project – a skill that both employers and graduate and professional schools find very attractive.

To apply for IPOL honors:

• Cumulative GPA of 3.5 and Major GPA of 3.67, or strong evidence of the capacity to achieve these.
• By the stipulated deadline in the student’s junior year, submit a thesis proposal to IPOL field advisor.

To earn IPOL honors:

• Complete both Honors seminars (Research and Thesis) in the senior year.
• Final written thesis must gain the approval of a faculty committee, which usually includes the seminar instructor, the curricular dean, and the IPOL field advisor. The thesis should be in the range of 50-80 pages. The student should speak with his or her thesis advisor to determine a paper length. The student will give a formal presentation attended by all IPOL faculty in residence during the spring semester in which the thesis is completed.
• Earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and a grade point average of 3.67 in the major by the date of graduation.

For more details, please see the Honors in the Major Policy (new window) for Georgetown University in Qatar SFS students.

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3. Minors

GU-Q students may complete any combination of three programs to include: 1 major and 2 minors; 1 major, 1 certificate, and 1 minor; 1 major and 2 certificates. GU-Q students may not double major.

Minors Available to GU-Q Students

The following minors are available to students at GU-Q:

• Arabic
• Indian Ocean Studies
• Africana Studies
• Pursuing other minors

Arabic Minor at GU-Q

The requirements for the Arabic minor at GU-Q differ from those of main campus.  GU-Q students are required to complete seven courses and to demonstrate proficiency in Arabic.

Students may elect to pursue both a minor and a certificate, along with their other graduation requirements, as long as they can complete the requirements for all in time for graduation. To declare the minor, review the Arabic minor requirements, ensure that you can complete the requirements for the minor in time for graduation, then complete the Arabic Minor Declaration Form.

If you have any questions about the minor requirements and your graduation, please consult the relevant advising dean.

Arabic Minor Course Requirements

GU-Q students will have different trajectories through the minor depending upon their performance on the GU-Q Arabic placement exam:

• Example 1: If a student places in introductory Arabic I (either heritage or non-heritage), then the seven courses required for the Arabic minor will consist of the six sequential semesters of Arabic instructional coursework plus one post-advanced Arabic course and Arabic language proficiency.
• Example 2: If a student places at the post-advanced level in Arabic, then the seven classes required for the Arabic minor will consist of one post-advanced Arabic class and six other Arabic courses. These can include some combination of other post-advanced Arabic courses, or Arabic skills classes, with no more than one course in English about Arabic language and/or culture and Arabic language proficiency.
• Example 3: If a student places in intermediate or advanced Arabic language classes (either heritage or non-heritage), then the seven classes required for the Arabic minor will consist of all Arabic instruction courses through Advanced Arabic II, one post-advanced Arabic course, and then some combination of other post-advanced Arabic courses, or Arabic skills classes, with no more than one course in English about Arabic language and/or culture and Arabic language proficiency.

Arabic Minor Advanced, Transfer Credit, and Study Abroad

No more than three courses from outside of Georgetown (advanced credit, transfer credit, summer, and study abroad) can count toward the minor. If a student has two classes of advanced credit, a year of study abroad, and one transfer class, only three of those five classes can apply to the Arabic minor. Below are the limits for each:

• A student can bring in up to two advanced credit classes to count toward the minor.
• A student can bring in up to one study abroad class to the minor if away for a semester, or up to two classes to the minor if away for the academic year.
• A student can transfer in up to one class toward the minor. Georgetown summer programs that carry Georgetown course prefixes and numbers (excluding study abroad, as noted above) do not count against transfer limits.

Georgetown credit for advanced and transfer language credit is pending language placement. If a student took a year of Introductory Arabic, but then subsequently places into the first year of Introductory Arabic at GU-Q, the student does not receive transfer credit for that year of Arabic taken elsewhere.

Indian Ocean Studies

The undergraduate minor at GU-Q seeks to bring our students into the exciting new field of Indian Ocean studies, training them to think afresh in transregional terms about key social and political questions of identity, belonging, hybridity, and globalization today.

Given the interdisciplinary nature of the Indian Ocean as an object of scholarly study, students
pursuing a minor ought to demonstrate both depth and breadth of knowledge in the field. The proposed minor will consist of three components:

1. An introductory course, CULP 2270: Introduction to the Indian Ocean World (also attributed as
   IPOL and IHIS electives)
2. Three courses to build regional expertise in African Studies or Asian Studies
3. Two electives on transregional connections in the Indian Ocean.

All students will be expected to take an interdisciplinary introductory course to the minor. This course will dwell on the interconnections and circularities that define Indian Ocean worlds.

Regional expertise, built via three or more courses, is essential to appreciate transregional connections from particular vantage points. We use “Asia” and “Africa” as broadly heuristic categories that draw on the expertise of our faculty who, nonetheless, seek to transcend the conventional confines of area studies scholarship. Such regional specialization is critical for students to develop depth of knowledge in a chosen region even as they examine the constitution of those regions in a critical decolonial vein.

Africana Studies

Africana Studies is the analytical study of African peoples and their cultures both within the African continent and in global contexts. Although centered in African contexts, Africana studies includes African diasporic studies, whether in an American, European, or Asian context, as a welcome reminder that debates surrounding African identity have often been argued in minority settings. Furthermore, Africana studies includes North Africa alongside the study of sub-Saharan Africa and the African diaspora as questions of race, religion, ethnicity, and language often need re-theorizing when centered in the rich diversity of the African continent.

The requirements of the Africana Studies minor are:

1) One course attributed as a core course in the Africana Studies minor

2) Five courses attributed as elective courses in the African Studies minor (can include the core courses). One of these courses must be taken at NU-Q.

3) In addition to the required courses, all students must complete a capstone portfolio project. This asks students to collate their past work in the field of Africana Studies, and to reflect on their progress in the field and on questions in which they are particularly interested. This is followed by an exit interview conducted by the Africana Faculty Committee prior to graduation.

Pursuing Other Minors

On occasion students have pursued minors available to SFS students on the DC campus. Please be aware that many of these DC minors cannot be completed by GU-Q students as they require foundational courses not offered at GU-Q. Priority enrollment in any course is reserved for students completing their core and major requirements. Please note, GU-Q students may not pursue any main campus certificates. If you are interested in pursuing a DC minor, please speak with the relevant advising dean.

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4. Certificate Programs

Certificate programs mark secondary levels of concentration within the bachelor’s degree. They are strictly optional and are awarded only in conjunction with the undergraduate degree. Certificate programs should be viewed as a means for focusing interests and structuring elective coursework. Interested students should discuss the certificate and its role within the general bachelor’s program with the relevant advising dean

GU-Q students may complete any combination of three programs to include: 1 major and 2 minors; 1 major, 1 certificate, and 1 minor; 1 major and 2 certificates. GU-Q students may not double major.

Certificates available to GU-Q Students:

• Certificate in American Studies (CAST)
• Certificate in Arab and Regional Studies (CARS)
• Certificate in Media and Politics (CMAP)
• Certificate in Energy Studies (CES)

GU-Q students may not pursue main campus certificates.

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5. Zones of Conflict / Zones of Peace

Zones of Conflict / Zones of Peace (ZCZP) is a 3-credit experiential learning course offered at Georgetown University in Qatar.  This award-winning program offers students a deep dive into a given ethnic, political, religious, or social conflict with a faculty expert who then leads students on a trip to that conflict zone with the goal of gaining a better understanding of the root causes of the conflict and the difficult process of reconciliation.  On these trips, students visit significant sites in the conflict region and meet with politicians, journalists, activists, community organizers, and other change-makers vital to understanding the conflict.  Past destinations have included: Jordan, Israel/Palestine, Rwanda, Germany/Poland, Cyprus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, the United States, Oman/Tanzania, Japan, China, and the Basque region.

Each ZCZP class is limited to between 15 and 18 students who are selected through a competitive application process that takes place each fall semester before registration begins.

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6. Academic Internships

Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar is pleased to partner with organizations in Doha to provide academic internship programs for our students. These internships greatly enhance Georgetown’s commitment to applied and experiential learning. These experiences provide students with additional context for their classroom learning, and thus a deeper understanding of key academic concepts. It also helps them develop important professional skills and explore ways in which they can meaningfully apply their academic skills after leaving Georgetown.

Only degree-seeking students studying at GU-Q are eligible. Students apply to work at one of the partner organizations for the fall or spring semester. Students work 10-15 hours per week at a partner organization doing substantive work under the guidance of a mentor at the organization. In addition, students will be registered for INAF 3951 International Affairs Internship for one credit, graded on a pass/fail basis. As part of this course, students complete 10.5 total hours of Georgetown classroom instruction over the semester, which is designed to complement the internship and connect academic skills to applied practice. Students who complete the work and course requirements earn one academic credit that counts toward the Georgetown degree and a notation on the official Georgetown transcript.

The aims behind these internships and the one-credit course components are to:

• Provide professional mentorship and oversight of the internship experience,
• Connect the experiential learning process (internship) to the curriculum while giving students substantive professional experience, and
• Provide a student space for structured reflection and narrative development, which they can use to more critically focus their studies and professional goals.

Students must carefully review the detailed GPA and language requirements by each organization:

• Preference is given to juniors and seniors, but sophomores may be considered.
• A strong academic background, excellent writing and research skills.
• Students must be in good academic standing.

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7. International Negotiation and Crisis Simulation

The International Negotiation Simulation Exercise in conjunction with Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (ISD) and SFS-Qatar, trains students at campuses in Washington, D.C. and Doha in negotiations, decision-making and crisis management. This one-day simulation offers students the hands-on opportunity to practice diplomacy through complex international negotiations and real time crisis decision making activities. The simulation exercises are hypothetical situations based on a current international problem, and participants gain experience in high-level diplomatic negotiations between key players. Students are assigned to teams and special guests and faculty mentors lead the exercise. Participants carefully read a background paper and scenario, and then absorb short “confidential” negotiating instructions. The learning objectives are to understand different perspectives, motivations and challenges in grappling with foreign policy issues.

IPOL 3939 International Negotiation Lab (1 credit)

Students have the option to earn academic credit in this program, which is structured over a 1 week period, by completing all mandatory modules and academic components connected to the negotiation lab and the one-day simulation. This experiential learning simulation is usually offered in the fall semester. The class is graded pass / fail and appears on the Georgetown transcript.

IPOL 3939 International Negotiation Lab Learning Goals:

• To learn the theory behind negotiation both historically and currently and to successfully engage in the practice of negotiation.
• To gain in-depth and practical knowledge on a particular and current crisis and its underlying political dynamics.
• To learn to write short policy briefs based on the results of the simulation.
• To provide students, through targeted readings and assignments, the tools necessary to engage in negotiation in the future.
• To engage with other students in collaborative learning.

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8. Cross-Registration

Generally starting with the 4th semester, Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) students may enroll in classes at other Education City Partner Universities pending space available in the class, and the approval of an academic advisor and the Associate Registrar for GU-Q. Students may not take more than one consortium class in a semester and may not take more than four such courses over the period of their degree.

GU-Q students may not cross-register if:

• they are in the first year of studies;
• they have taken the same or a similar class previously;
• they are requesting a class which is the same as/similar to one offered at Georgetown;
• they are requesting a class that is not deemed equivalent to a Georgetown three-credit class.

Applying for a cross-registration class

• Complete the Education City Cross-registration form. This is the only form that will be accepted, and must be completed online and printed off for appropriate signatures. Old/handwritten forms will not be accepted. In addition, you must submit a copy of your passport with the registration request form. Forms will not be accepted if they are incomplete in any way.
• Registration at the university in which you plan to enroll is on a first-come, first-served basis. Once your form has been processed by the Associate Registrar for GU-Q, you will then need to take the form to the host university to be registered for the course.
• The host university will advise you if your application is successful.
• Once your cross-registration course enrollment is confirmed by the host university, you must submit the course information to the Associate Registrar for GU-Q to have the courses added to your academic record.

Reminder: By enrolling at another university in Education City, you are agreeing to follow their university rules and policies, which includes attending classes even if GU-Q is closed. Not all universities follow the same academic calendar and you must adhere to the requirements of the host university.

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9. Study Abroad for GU-Q Students

Students who study away from their home campus are exposed to new ideas and perspectives, as well as to peoples, cultures, and values that are different from their own. Given GU-Q’s curricular focus on international affairs, we believe that such experiences are a valuable component of the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree.

In the 3rd year, GU-Q students are eligible to apply through a competitive process for the programs offered by the Office of Global Education. Please note that some forms of Qatar-based financial aid cannot be used on these programs. Students should check with their financial aid advisor before making your application to any of these external sites.

GU-Q students can also apply through a competitive process for a limited number of slots to study on the Georgetown University campus in Washington, D.C. for one semester in their 3rd year. Most Qatar-based financial aid can be applied to one semester of study on the DC campus; students should check with their financial aid advisors early in the process. Courses taken on main campus are applicable to a student’s BSFS degree and the grades earned factor into a student’s cumulative GPA. Information about the application process will be sent to eligible students. The application form is here.

GU-Q students may also apply to study in Washington, DC in the summer. This option is open to all students who have completed their first year at GU-Q. Most forms of Qatar-based financial aid will not routinely cover summer study on main campus; students should check with their financial aid advisors before applying. Courses taken on main campus are applicable to a student’s degree and the grades earned factor into a student’s cumulative GPA. Information about how to register for main campus summer courses will be sent to all students early in the spring semester each year. The clearance form needed to apply to summer study in DC is here.

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