Master’s Program

Students and faculty on the steps of Healy Hall

Our renowned Master of Arts in Arab Studies (MAAS) program in the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (SFS) offers comprehensive interdisciplinary training in political science, history, anthropology, political economy, and literature; prepares future leaders with the knowledge and expertise to think critically and engage ethically with the SWANA/MENA region; and provides intensive language instruction and unique content courses taught in Arabic. The SFS MA programs are ranked #1 in the 2024 rankings from Foreign Policy magazine and William and Mary’s Global Research Institute of the best international affairs programs in the world.  

In the MAAS program, students combine core courses with a variety of electives to pursue interdisciplinary programs of study based on their individual interests in areas such as:

  • Statecraft, Governance, and Authoritarianism
  • International Development
  • Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies
  • Business and Diplomacy
  • Women and Gender Studies
  • Arts, Literature, and Culture
  • U.S. Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
  • Historiography and Archival Research
  • Climate Change, Resources, and Environmental Security
  • International and Regional Politics

Students can also take courses in other Georgetown programs as well as 13 other universities through a Washington-area consortium. MAAS students also have access to 10+ graduate certificates in thematic and regional studies at SFS, such as Diplomatic Studies, International Business Diplomacy, Global Human Development, Social Innovation and Global Development, Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies, Gender, Peace & Security, and several regional studies certificates.

This breadth of offerings enables MAAS students to design comprehensive and unique programs of study suited to their academic and professional goals and to cultivate an in-depth understanding of the region. The MAAS program’s focus on intensive Arabic instruction enables our students to reach professional proficiency in written and spoken Arabic. Students also have the unique opportunity to deepen their language skills by opting to take content courses taught entirely in Arabic.

MAAS students may also choose to pursue one of several dual degrees, such as a Law J.D., a Ph.D. in History, or a Ph.D. in Government.

Hear from our faculty about the MAAS experience in the video below.