Security Studies

Georgetown University’s Security Studies Program (SSP) is the academic pillar of the Center for Security Studies (CSS) and one of eight master’s degree programs offered in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS). SSP is a multidisciplinary course of study designed to prepare graduates for positions within the defense and security fields.

The program's overarching mission is to produce a new generation of analysts, policymakers, and scholars fully knowledgeable about the range of international and national security problems and foreign policy issues of the 21st Century. The SSP has over 30 years of experience preparing students with a wide range of backgrounds to become leaders in their fields.

In contrast to programs in security studies at other universities, the SSP curriculum is designed to give students a broad array of course options which provide a solid foundation in core security issues. Whether it is traditional intelligence and defense analysis, international security problems in general, emerging issues such as the perils of peace operations or the intricacies of information warfare, the SSP offers over 80 courses addressing numerous areas of study. The depth and breadth of its course offerings stimulate students to pursue their intellectual and professional interests and develop their own areas of specialization. 

The SSP offers a unique and flexible schedule that accomodates a wide range of students. Younger SSP students are able to apply their recent theoretical undergraduate education to practical policy applications. More seasoned students, professionals in the military, intelligence and defense contracting sectors enhance their practical experience with critical thinking, analytical writing and theory-based solutions. Most of the SSP's classes are offered in the evening, giving students the option for either full time or part time study.

The program’s more than 1,500 graduates have filled key positions in the U.S. and foreign governments, the defense industry and the private sector, research institutions and non-governmental and international organizations. Other graduates pursue doctoral programs and academic careers.

The SSP faculty comprises leading scholars and practitioners in security affairs who offer courses that are academically and analytically rigorous. Many members of the SSP faculty have years of distinguished service in the United States government. Classroom instruction is consequently enriched with an understanding and appreciation of the real world issues with which policymakers have to contend. The result is a program that combines the best of both worlds—academic rigor and policy relevance.

• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Application Form
• $90.00 Application Fee - paid to the Office of Graduate Admissions
• Résumé or C.V.
• Statement of purpose (not to exceed 500 words) addressing intellectual interests and professional and academic goals.  The statement of purpose is a critical component of the SSP application.  Please carefully explain how the SSP specifically fits into your future academic and professional plans.  Applicants should not submit a writing sample.
• Official transcripts. Applicants for admission must provide transcripts of all work beyond secondary school, including course work transferred from community colleges and study abroad institutions.  Transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing university's registrar office to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • For students currently enrolled in another graduate or undergraduate degree program, transcripts must include the current semester.
  • Students who have attended or graduated from a foreign college or university must provide an official transcript and translation in English.  The translation should not be interpretive (i.e. grades should not be translated into the U.S. system) and should be signed by the translator.
  • PPIA and IIPP candidates must include the summer institute evaluation.
• Letters of recommendation from three individuals who can assess the applicant's qualifications and preparation for graduate work in security studies.  Letters of recommendation are to be submitted electronically using the ApplyYourself online application system. Personal letters of recommendation - from colleagues, coaches, and family friends, for example - are not accepted.
• Official Standardized Test Scores sent directly from the testing organization. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) code for Georgetown University is 5244.  There is no separate code for the SSP or the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.
• Active duty military applicants must complete this supplemental data form.
• Applicants holding an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction are required to take the GRE. 
• TOEFL: 100 on the Internet Based Test (iBT); 250 on the Computer-Based Test; 600 on the paper-based exam.
• IELTS: 7.5

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Scholarships

• SSP merit aid
• Fulbright Scholarship Program (Visiting Scholar Program) 
• International Education Financial Aid (IEFA)