Department of Government

The Department of Government is an open, dynamic, and publicly engaged community of scholars, students, and professional staff. We believe in the ideal of scholarship for its own sake but are also deeply committed to the role of cutting-edge research in informing politics and public life

The department has a strong tradition in the major subfields of political science: American politics, political theory, international relations, comparative politics, and political economy. Our Ph.D. program trains new generations of scholars to tackle some of the most pressing conundrums in political and social life. They go on to become academics in the world’s leading colleges and universities as well as to positions of influence in government and global affairs. Our four master’s degrees offer challenging, policy-oriented programs focused on such issues as democracy, conflict, development, and U.S. politics at the federal, state, and local levels. Through jointly appointed faculty and shared programming, the department has strong links to Georgetown’s other major units concerned with politics and policy: the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, the McCourt School of Public Policy, and the Georgetown Law Center.

Our position in Washington, DC—an international city, the national capital, and a vibrant urban metropolis with its own cultures and histories—offers our students an unrivaled opportunity to engage directly in political life. Whether attending a Supreme Court session, interning at the World Bank, reading under the dome of the Library of Congress, or working to counter poverty in a DC neighborhood, our students have the opportunity to build a life that values both intellectual exploration and deep engagement with the world.