Department of Government

The Department's graduate program in International Relations covers the field in both breadth and depth. In particular, the Department is a national leader in International Relations Theory with numerous faculty working on the conceptual, regional and functional dimensions of the field. It has award winning faculty in International Security (Andrew Bennett, Victor Cha, David Edelstein, Roy Godson, Charles Kupchan, Robert Lieber, and Elizabeth A. Stanley); International Political Economy (including Carol Lancaster, Kathleen McNamara, George Shambaugh); International Law, International Organizations, and Ethics, (Daniel Nexon, Leslie Vinjamuri, Anthony Arend and Christopher Joyner, co-directors of the Institute of International Law and Politics, and Lise Howard, director of the Conflict Resolution Program). The department is equally strong in American Foreign Policy, and the U.S. Foreign Policy Process, drawing on many of the faculty noted above.

 The Department of Government has longstanding reputation for theoretical and methodological pluralism. Our faculty use and teach a variety of theoretical perspectives including realism, constructivism, liberalism, and legal positivism. They also use a variety of qualitative, quantitative, and legal research methodologies in their research, and students in International Relations receive a strong foundation in these methods. Students interested in pursuing advanced work in formal modeling and game theory have access to these courses offered in our Department of Economics.

 Many of the faculty are jointly appointed with the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (SFS), which in addition to its joint programs with the Department has other prominent faculty in international relations, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former National Security Advisor Anthony Lake, several U.S. Ambassadors to the United Nations (Donald McHenry, in addition to Albright), and several top State Department officials and negotiators (Chester Crocker and Dean Robert Gallucci). A number of other SFS faculty (Michael E. Brown, Daniel Byman, Elizabeth A. Stanley) specialize in areas of the discipline that are important in international relations.

The Department of Government also offers joint M.A./Ph.D. programs with the Graduate Public Policy Institute, Security Studies, German and European Studies, Latin American Studies, Eurasian-Russian-East European Studies, Arab Studies, and the Georgetown University Law School. In addition, it also offers Master's degree in International Law and Government. Taking into account the Department, the School of Foreign Service, the Graduate Public Policy Program, and the Law School, Georgetown has an exceptionally distinguished, diverse, and large group of faculty in international relations, with an unusual blend of theoretical interests and practical policy experience.

Please see the Graduate Handbook for more details about our doctoral program, including requirements, courses, and faculty. Admissions information can be found here. Should any specific questions about the program remain, you may contact the Field Chair or or our Graduate Program Officer. 

Click here for information about the Georgetown University International Theory and Research Seminar (GUITARS)