About
Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) is a premier school of international affairs
Our rigorous education is grounded in theory and practice inspired by the Jesuit value of service to the world.
The School of Foreign Service, the oldest school of international affairs in the United States, was founded in 1919 in response to the changing post-war global order. Our purpose is to educate future leaders who will make the world safer and more equitable, prosperous and peaceful. SFS prepares students for careers of global impact both in the public or private sector.
Message from the Dean
As both a political scientist and practitioner, Dean Joel Hellman brings a unique and valuable perspective to the School of Foreign Service from his work on issues of governance, conflict and the political economy of development around the world.
Studying at the School of Foreign Service
The School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions in international affairs. Our comprehensive range of degrees are led by faculty who are scholars in political science, economics, history, and cultural studies, as well as practitioners with backgrounds in business, government and the nonprofit sector.
Undergraduate degrees
Design the curriculum that equips you to have impact in the world. Choose from eight majors ranging from business to policy and from science to performance, or a joint degree.
Graduate programs
Our13 master’s degrees provide knowledge of the international system and the necessary skills to thrive in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Community in diversity
Building on the Jesuit foundation of community in diversity, we engage across our SFS community to help formulate and implement concrete measures to enhance the range of perspectives in our curriculum, programming and community. We seek to foster an inclusive climate across SFS to ensure that students, staff and faculty from a wide range of backgrounds and viewpoints achieve their full potential and impact at our school.
Prominent alumni
Today, SFS alumni are leaders in the public and private sectors and continue to embody the dedication to service in their fields. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (SFS’68); Denis McDonough (MSFS’96), chief of staff to President Barack Obama; and Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) (SFS’09) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) (MSFS’93) are among the many who have dedicated their lives to public service. King Felipe VI of Spain (MSFS’95), as well as former Japanese Foreign Minister Kono Taro (SFS’86), have made their impacts on an international level. With over 75 U.S. ambassadors over the last century, our alumni have established remarkable diplomacy and international affairs legacies.
In journalism, alumni such as Mark Landler (SFS’87), Lulu Garcia-Navarro (SFS’94) and Lawrence Delevingne (SFS’05) constantly seek to reveal the truth. In the private sector our alumni are leaders, Brian Newman (SFS’90) as the CFO for CVS Health, Katrina O’Connell (SFS’90), CFO for The Gap, and Justin Smith (SFS’91), CEO of Semafor, are just some examples. From government and politics to humanitarian work, our SFS alumni continue to embody the dedication to service worldwide.
Our faculty
Our faculty are experts in their fields and passionate mentors dedicated to fostering a collaborative, intellectually rigorous environment. With deep ties to international institutions, governments and global research networks, they bring real-world insights into the classroom, offering a unique blend of academic theory and practical experience. Whether you are engaging in cutting-edge research, tackling complex global challenges, or exploring new interdisciplinary perspectives, the faculty at SFS are here to guide, inspire and support your academic journey.
Research initiatives
Research is integral to your academic journey. We provide many opportunities to engage deeply with pressing diplomatic, economic and international issues through fellowships, mentorship programs, or hands-on projects. Our initiatives allow you to collaborate with distinguished faculty, practitioners, and peers while honing the skills necessary for independent scholarly research and impactful real-world solutions.
Latest news
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SFS welcomes General Timothy Haugh to Security Studies Program
Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service welcomes retired Air Force General Timothy D. Haugh to the school as a Distinguished Fellow in Residence within the Security Studies Program (SSP). Gen. Haugh…
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SFS Graduate Orientation 2025
Welcome to Georgetown, new SFS graduate students! On August 20, students from 10 of our graduate programs came together for orientation. In a plenary session in Gaston Hall, they heard…
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Priscila Putzulu (LAS’26) spends her summer engaging energy, justice and community at Casa Pueblo
In the mountains of Puerto Rico, Priscila Putzulu (CAS’25, LAS’26), a graduate student in SFS’s Master of Arts in Latin American Studies program, spent her summer at Casa Pueblo, a…
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Summer 2025 Practicum Roundup: M.A. International Migration & Refugees
This summer, the inaugural cohort of the Master of Arts in International Migration and Refugees program completed their summer practicum, a required 8 to 10-week internship with a refugee or…
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The future of foreign aid: doing less with less
Jeremy Konyndyk (MSFS’03) urges the humanitarian sector to use this drastic funding shortage to do with less by focusing on localization, rethinking the humanitarian financial architecture and mustering the political…