Georgetown University School of Foreign Service

What Georgetown University School of Foreign Service does

Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS), founded in 1919, is the oldest school of international affairs in the United States and operates as an academic unit within the private Jesuit Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The school delivers undergraduate degrees across eight concentrations (International Politics, Culture and Politics, Global Business, International Economics, International History, International Political Economy, Regional Studies, and Science, Technology and International Affairs), 13 master's-level programs including the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) and the Master of Arts in Security Studies, executive education, certificate programs, and joint degrees such as the BGA (Business and Global Affairs) program. Curriculum is delivered via a single physical campus at 37th & O Streets NW in Washington, D.C., augmented by study-abroad, internship, and field-research experiences (e.g., Rwanda via the Akazi Kanoze 2 partnership with the MasterCard Foundation).

The school's core technology stack is non-proprietary and consists of standard academic/administrative systems rather than a commercial technology platform; its intellectual capital is concentrated in faculty scholar-practitioners such as Andrew Imbrie (Gracias Chair in Security and Emerging Technology), Shantayanan Devarajan (former World Bank Senior Economist), and other concentration chairs, plus centers like the Center for Security Studies and links to Georgetown's Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). Revenue mechanics are textbook non-profit higher-education: recurring tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate programs (with several full-tuition MSFS scholarship tracks — Futures, African Student, McHenry, Hinrich Global Trade Leader, and Fr. Ben Nebres, S.J.), executive education, certificate programs, and a parallel donations/alumni-giving stream via the school's "Give" program that funds scholarships and research. Customer segments are prospective undergraduate and graduate students (primary), alumni (career services and continuing engagement), and employers/government agencies/NGOs that recruit SFS graduates through on-campus recruiting and career treks.

Distribution is dominantly direct (in-person DC instruction) supplemented by virtual tours, admissions events, and career-services-mediated employer relationships; the go-to-market is event-driven around admissions cycles, campus visits, the diplomatic ball, and commencement, with content marketing across social (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads) and earned media such as the 2024 Foreign Policy Magazine #1 ranking. The school's competitive position is anchored by brand prestige, an alumni network of 29,000+ across 120+ countries including a U.S. President, a reigning monarch, 75+ U.S. ambassadors, and senior executives at firms like Gap, CVS Health, and Deloitte, plus 92% SFS Class-of-2024 placement and 96% GSFS alumni employment/continuing-education rates.

Name

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service

Legal name

Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

Website

https://sfs.georgetown.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Georgetown's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is the oldest U.S. school of international affairs, offering undergraduate concentrations, 13 master's programs, and executive education in Washington, D.C. for students pursuing careers in diplomacy, security, development, business, and global policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education — International Affairs

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities (EDAHABAD)

Keywords

• International affairs education
• Graduate degree programs
• Security studies
• Foreign service training
• Global policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and fees: SFS generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged to undergraduate and graduate students for degree programs including undergraduate degrees, 13 master's degrees, executive education, and certificate programs.
2. Donations and alumni giving: The school receives charitable contributions and alumni donations through its 'Give' program, supporting scholarships, research initiatives, and program development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service (SFS) is an academic institution that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in international affairs, including 13 master's degrees, undergraduate concentrations in international politics, global business, and security studies, plus executive education, certificate programs, and policy research through affiliated centers and institutes. Founded in 1919 as the oldest school of international affairs in the United States, it serves students seeking careers in diplomacy, government, business, NGOs, and international organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master's Programs Graduate degree programs including the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS), Master of Arts in Security Studies, Master of Global Human Development, and other specialized master's degrees totaling 13 programs that prepare students for careers in international affairs, diplomacy, security, and global development.
• Undergraduate Programs Undergraduate degrees including International Politics, Culture and Politics, Global Business, International Economics, International History, International Political Economy, Regional Studies, Science Technology and International Affairs, and a Joint degree in Business and Global Affairs (BGA).
• Executive Education Executive education programs offered for professionals seeking specialized training in international affairs, delivered through SFS academic centers and institutes.
• Certificate Programs Certificate programs offered alongside master's and undergraduate degrees for specialized credentials in international affairs.
• Security Studies Program (SSP) Master's-level Security Studies Program with a 36-credit curriculum and 80 different courses offered each semester. Average cohort size is 150 in the fall and 50 in the spring, totaling 400 students.
• Center for Security Studies (CSS) Research and teaching center focusing on national and international security issues, directed by faculty leadership within SFS.
• Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) Georgetown research center affiliated with SFS, focused on AI and international security, staffed in part by SFS faculty affiliates.
• Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) Research institute within SFS focused on women, peace, and security issues, managed by a senior faculty director.
• Career Services Undergraduate and graduate career services including career treks, on-campus recruiting, employer connections, and alumni career resources supporting students and graduates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of SFS Class of 2024 employed or continuing education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Education Development Center / MasterCard Foundation Akazi Kanoze 2minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017SFS students and faculty collaborate with Education Development Center and MasterCard Foundation's Akazi Kanoze 2 project in Rwanda, working to address youth skills gaps and improve employment outcomes. Students gain field experience while contributing to development initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Princeton School of Public and International Affairs: Princeton's SPIA — a selective peer graduate program in public and international affairs with elite undergraduate pathway; competes head-to-head with SFS for policy-oriented applicants at top-tier selectivity.
• Harvard Kennedy School: Harvard's public policy school with a strong international and global affairs focus — competes for the same top applicants in MPA, MPP, and MC/MPA-ID programs feeding government and multilateral roles.
• Johns Hopkins SAIS: School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins — a direct peer offering masters and BA/MA programs in international relations, economics, and policy with global campuses in DC, Bologna, and Nanjing.
• Columbia School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA): Columbia's graduate school for international and public affairs — a top-tier peer offering MIA, MPA, and dual-degree programs with deep NYC-based finance, media, and UN employer pipelines.
• The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy: Tufts University's graduate school of international affairs — the most direct historical competitor to SFS, also founded in the interwar era, offering masters and PhD programs in diplomacy, security, and development with comparable employer outcomes.
• George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs: GW's Elliott School — a DC-located direct peer with strong State Department and federal agency placement; competes for the same DC-based government and policy applicants as SFS.

Emerging players

• Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs: Yale's newer global affairs school — an emerging direct competitor established in 2010 with rapid brand ascent under prominent faculty, attracting top applicants who might also consider SFS.

Broad incumbents

• Sciences Po: France's leading political science and international affairs institution — a broader European incumbent offering dual-degree and exchange pathways that produce international affairs talent competing globally with SFS graduates.
• Stanford Freeman Spogli Institute / Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy: Stanford's policy-focused programs offering international policy graduate degrees — competes for tech-policy and security applicants who might otherwise target SFS's emerging-technology curriculum.
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE): LSE is a broad European incumbent with deep international affairs and IR programs, producing graduates for global finance, government, and policy roles that compete directly with SFS in international employer pipelines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/georgetownsfs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCO-4yN2VRSYk7EEFov_jTNA
• Facebookfacebook.com/georgetownsfs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/georgetownsfs
• Instagraminstagram.com/georgetown_sfs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Georgetown University School of Foreign Service