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Georgetown University, located in Washington, DC, has a reputation for offering both rigorous academics and an enriching campus environment. Unsurprisingly, its location in the heart of the nation’s capital means its most popular majors are Government, Economics, History, Finance, and International Studies and Relations. However, apart from these heavy hitters, Georgetown boasts several unique, lesser-known programs that offer specialized opportunities for students willing to explore new paths.
The largest majors at any large university are, well … large! With over 100 students per year majoring in the most popular programs, it can be more difficult for students to make their mark and develop close relationships with their professors and peers. By pursuing a more niche program, students can enjoy smaller class sizes, specialized faculty attention, and unique research opportunities that might not be available in the more popular disciplines.
The Global Business major is a multidisciplinary program that fuses business, politics, economics, and culture, offering courses through both the McDonough School of Business and the School of Foreign Service. By combining Georgetown’s key strengths in business, foreign service, and policy, the Global Business degree prepares students for global careers. Students can benefit both from internships with international institutions located in Washington, DC, and Georgetown’s extensive study abroad options, witnessing the international business strategies and development programs they study in class. Alumni of the program have gone on to work in corporate banking, research analysis, and more.
The Justice and Peace Studies program is another cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural major for students who want to explore complex questions of practical morality and domestic and global politics. The ultimate goal is to leverage social justice, conflict resolution, and community engagement to create a more just and peaceful world. The major draws on Psychology, Philosophy, Theology, History, Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Literature, and Linguistics, engaging Georgetown’s Jesuit mission to understand and combat global problems and build a foundation in ethical problem-solving for careers in public policy, advocacy, and nonprofits. Alumni of the program have worked at nonprofits like Breakthrough Central Texas and Advocates for Youth as well as in corporate social responsibility.
This unique major applies cutting-edge science to the world’s most pressing political, social, and ethical issues. Offered through the Walsh School of Foreign Service, the program builds core knowledge in international affairs with a foundation in science, focusing on the intersections of technology, science, and global policy. With four concentrations in Energy and Environment; Business, Growth, and Development; Biotechnology and Global Health; and Science, Technology, and Security, the STIA major prepares students for careers that use cutting-edge science to explore global challenges. Alumni of the program have gone on to work in environmental policy, cybersecurity, and global health, combining technical skills with a policy perspective.
Housed in the Walsh School of Foreign Service, RCST allows students to focus intensely on one region, combining multiple scholarly disciplines to build robust knowledge of a specific region and their place on the global stage. Students build their own course of study, balancing core methodological and theoretical courses with language study, regional expertise, and cross-cultural analysis. Graduates of the program have had careers in law, government, NGOs, and business, applying their specialized knowledge to work in their specific region.
Another interdisciplinary program, the Culture & Politics Major allows students to design their own course of study focused on questions of culture, knowledge, and power, their histories, and their effects. Students explore how politics and policy are mediated through cultural practices and how power relations inform global economic, racial, gendered, religious, environmental, health, and educational justice endeavors. Graduates have gone on to become prize-winning journalists, scholars, performance artists, filmmakers, museum curators, human rights activists, diplomats, politicians, and religious leaders.
Choosing a lesser-known major can offer both academic and personal rewards, allowing students to build deep connections with faculty and peers and pursue their individual interests through research, internships, and jobs. Georgetown’s commitment to interdisciplinary study and personal growth means there’s a program to match every interest, so do your research to consider how these hidden gems (and others!) might align with your own future goals. And don’t forget to visit our Georgetown Essay Guide to ensure your application essays are worthy of admission!
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Georgetown University’s acceptance rate is 13%, making admission to the university very competitive. Within the school, the Justice and Peace program is moderately competitive, while STIA, RCST, and GBus are highly competitive.
Yes, it is! Several of the majors highlighted in this article are self-designed, allowing students to build a course of study that incorporates their unique interests. In addition, the College of Arts and Sciences offers an Interdisciplinary Studies Major that allows students to straddle two or more departments to pursue a unique research question.
Alumni of these programs have worked in a wide range of fields, including journalism, museums, nonprofits, government, finance, banking, corporate social responsibility, environmental policy, cybersecurity, global health, and business.
The Cawley Career Education Center provides an amazing resource for students to find internship opportunities. This site allows students to select their specific major and learn not only what marketable skills they have gleaned, but also where other students have interned and worked to help guide their search.
The university’s website is your best bet for accurate, up-to-date information about any program. Each individual program’s page will provide information on classes, faculty, internship opportunities, career paths, and alumni experiences. Prospective students can attend information sessions on campus or fill out a form to receive more information directly from their college of choice.
