Interdisciplinary Programs
The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences offers doctoral, master’s and certificate programs using a variety of interdisciplinary tools and perspectives on issues encompassing the humanities, social sciences, health, education, communication, technology and science.
Explore by Program Focus
Addiction Policy and Practice
Preparing students to work at the forefront of developing policy responses to the issue of addiction.
M.S.
Communications, Health
Addiction Policy and Practice
M.S.
The Master’s of Science in Addiction Policy and Practice (APP) prepares students to work at the forefront of developing policy responses to the issue of addiction in the United States and abroad. Students follow an integrated, multidisciplinary curriculum that combines neuroscience, psychiatry, policy, and observational experiences in various policy and clinical settings. Students study the drivers of addiction, societal and environmental factors that lead to substance use disorders and other types of addiction, the science of prevention, treatment, and recovery from addiction, as well as the legal and policy aspects that form the nation’s addiction policies. Courses include domestic drug policy, health care financing, epidemiology, comparative approaches to drug and addiction policy, and data analysis.
Aging and Health
Multidisciplinary training, theory, economics and policy on the human experience of aging.
M.S.
Communications, Health, Science
Aging and Health
M.S.
The Aging & Health program provides the basic competencies in aging studies offered by faculty interested in aging from mid-life to end of life. We offer core courses that examine aging through theory, research, biology, policy, economics, demography, psychology as well as ethics and humanities. The program when pursued full-time is an 11-month curriculum based on knowledge and skill competencies endorsed by the Academy of Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) and the Accreditation in Gerontology Education Council (AGEC).
Communication, Culture and Technology
Exploring how media and technology communicate from social, economic, political, and cultural perspectives.
M.A.
Communications, Humanities & Social Sciences, Technology
Communication, Culture and Technology
M.A.
At the Communications, Culture and Technology (CCT) Program, students cut across institutional and disciplinary boundaries to explore how we use media and technology to communicate from social, economic, political, and cultural perspectives. Faculty and students apply theory to practice in real world settings, keeping pace with a rapidly growing information society and engaging in digital innovation. By cutting across institutional and disciplinary boundaries, students explore fresh solutions to complex problems. CCTers are prepared to bring innovative thinking and multiple conceptual tools to leadership roles in an ever-expanding information society.
Data Science and Analytics
Rigorous training in analytical, computational, mathematical, and statistical methods and models.
M.S.
Data Science, Technology
Data Science and Analytics
M.S.
Students in the M.S. in Data Science and Analytics program build a robust knowledge base and solid foundation in data science and analytics fundamentals, including big data and cloud computing, machine and deep learning, interactive and complex visualization methods, advanced databases, objects, algorithms, and complexity, text mining and natural language processing, and advanced mathematical and statistical modeling. Languages used include R, Python, and SQL. Students also engage in additional and critical skills including decision science, data communication, visual narrative development, teamwork, and complex problem solving techniques. Students who complete the program pursue careers in fields including business intelligence, analytics, and decision making, medical analytics, public policy, government, and political analytics, finance, marketing, and banking analytics, big data infrastructure and cloud computing, global health analytics, and many other data-dependent areas. The data science graduate program also serves as preparation for students who wish to enter a Ph.D. program in Data Science and Analytics, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, or Economics.
Educational Transformation
Addressing educational equity in communities through teaching, policymaking, curricular design and leadership.
M.A.
Education, Humanities & Social Sciences
Educational Transformation
M.A.
The M.A. in Educational Transformation is a 12-month program and focuses on the interconnected practices of teaching and policymaking, curricular design and educational leadership. Through an interdisciplinary curriculum, students are exposed to a breadth of knowledge and practices in asset-based teaching and educational policy and an experiential focus on "learning-by-doing" in our residency placements. Students in the Advocacy & Policy concentration take courses in education policy, assessment, and analysis and complete a residency program with nonprofits, school districts, and public agencies. Students in the Learning & Teaching concentration take courses advocating for students in the classroom coursework related to earning their teaching licensure in DC, as well as serving as the teacher of record in a DC classroom with direct guidance and mentoring from clinical faculty members. We are committed to a transformational understanding of equity in education and strive to prepare professionals with the skills to undertake deep change in our educational landscape.
Engaged and Public Humanities
The impact of the humanities in libraries, think tanks, consulting firms, government, and industry.
M.A.
Humanities & Social Sciences
Engaged and Public Humanities
M.A.
The M.A. in Engaged & Public Humanities program offers the opportunity to dive deeper into a humanities discipline like literature, history, philosophy or foreign language study, while providing a robust grounding in the theories and methods of the engaged and public humanities. Students will learn how to apply the humanities in dynamic environments addressing the climate crisis, global health threats, artificial intelligence, big data, and issues of cultural division and diversity. Working together with faculty and a carefully chosen graduate cohort, students will explore a chosen discipline or “interdiscipline” and its value for solving problems in the changing ecosystem of academia and the public sphere.
Environment and International Affairs
Integrates training in international affairs and environmental sciences to realize a more sustainable future
M.S.
Environment, Humanities & Social Sciences, Science
Environment and International Affairs
M.S.
The Master of Science in Environment and International Affairs (MS-EIA) is a jointly offered, STEM-designated degree program for ambitious students seeking to combine interdisciplinary expertise, practical skills and access to influential institutions in the nation’s capital and across the globe. Whether you aspire to shape global environmental policy, promote transnational collaboration or secure a rewarding position in the dynamic fields of environmental studies and international affairs, our program offers a unique approach to help you stand out in a competitive and growing field. The Walsh School of Foreign Service along with the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and Earth Commons created this degree to integrate training in international affairs and environmental sciences to realize a more sustainable future. DISCLAIMER: This program has not yet obtained approval for VA education benefits at this time, and is pending submission of its VA application. Please contact our Assistant Registrar for Veteran/Military Benefits at militarybenefits@georgetown.edu for more information.
Environment and Sustainability Management
Combining principles of environmental science with a foundation in business management to deliver the comprehensive knowledge needed to become a principled leader in environment and sustainability.
M.S.
Environment, Science
Environment and Sustainability Management
M.S.
The Georgetown Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability Management (MS-ESM) is a jointly offered degree that blends scientific knowledge with business principles—a powerful combination that will enable you to decisively address looming environmental threats and help build a more sustainable future within almost any organization. The Georgetown Environment Initiative (GEI) along with the McDonough School of Business and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences created this degree with the understanding that science and business principles are both critical to achieving sustainability goals across the globe. Georgetown’s MS-ESM is a full-time, 11-month interdisciplinary program held on-campus in Washington, D.C. The unique curriculum combines principles of environmental science with a foundation in business management, delivering the comprehensive knowledge you need to become a principled leader in environment and sustainability.
Environmental Metrology and Policy
Safeguarding the Earth through the assessment of chemical pollutants and the development of sound policies.
M.S.
Environment, Science
Environmental Metrology and Policy
M.S.
Students in the Environmental Metrology and Policy (EMAP) Program engage in rigorous experiential learning in measurements science (metrology) of environmental toxic chemicals and policymaking on how to manage them most effectively. Both through their work in the classroom and via their own guided independent research, students will learn (1) how to reliably identify and quantify toxic chemical pollutants using the state-of-the-art instruments, (2) assess their environmental health risks, and (3) apply these metrology data to the creation of evidence-based policies or legislations. Strategic partnerships with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provide students with the opportunity to participate in funded summer internships and ground-breaking and innovative environmental research. Students will be prepared for successful careers in ensuring a cleaner and safer environment for the planet.
Epidemiology
Applying epidemiology to inform social justice and health equity nationally and globally.
M.S.
Health, Science
Epidemiology
M.S.
Students in the Master of Science in Epidemiology program focus on developing skills and gaining real-world experience in combating health disparities locally, nationally, and globally. Students will learn to apply epidemiological methods to identify, measure, and address existing disparities across common health conditions; and to understand the role of community-based and community-engaged research in eliminating such disparities. Core courses in epidemiologic and biostatistics methods will provide a foundation for the students to build on their interests in infectious disease, cancer, or social and behavioral epidemiology through electives, research practicums, and a thesis project.
Global Health
Critically examining health challenges and applied research in the world’s underserved populations.
M.S.
Health, Science
Global Health
M.S.
M.S. in Global Health students are passionate about enhancing the health status of the world’s underserved populations and are equipped with necessary skills for positions in global health organizations. This multidisciplinary, university-wide global health program offers courses taught by faculty from across the different Georgetown University campuses, schools, and institutes which complement core global health courses. A critical element of the program is the semester long field research in a low- or middle-income country to apply and integrate classroom experience.
Global Infectious Disease
Finding solutions to improve country-level and global approaches to infectious disease threats.
M.S., Ph.D
Health, Science
Global Infectious Disease
M.S., Ph.D
Students working toward an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in Global Infectious Disease (GLID) are dedicated to finding solutions to improve country-level and global approaches to infectious disease threats. These programs prepare students to join a growing workforce and find employment in federal, state or local health departments, emergency management departments, pharmaceutical companies, advocacy organizations, global health implementers, or academia, among many other options. GLID places an emphasis on the intersection between the biological sciences and policy, working to guide students toward a comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of global infectious disease challenges while also building their specific expertise in policy, data modeling, or related areas. GLID is the only program in the United States to offer an opportunity to train in infectious disease modeling at both the master's and doctoral levels.
Health and the Public Interest
Solving global healthcare problems through the lens of societal, psychological, and cultural factors.
M.S.
Communications, Health, Science
Health and the Public Interest
M.S.
This one-year Master’s program trains students in analytical and research skills to enable them to think and communicate across disciplinary boundaries. Students learn to incorporate theory and skills from cultural studies, epidemiology, and biology and learn how the often conflicting perspectives of different interest groups (i.e., government, business, and science) affect healthcare both nationally and globally. Students are prepared for careers in government, non-profit organizations, foundations, research and the private sector with tools to facilitate effective advocacy for improving public health.
Learning, Design, and Technology
Creating engaging and innovative learning experiences through design, technology innovation and analytics.
M.A.
Communications, Education, Technology
Learning, Design, and Technology
M.A.
The Learning, Design, and Technology (LDT) Program was designed and developed by Georgetown University’s center for teaching and learning, the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS), giving it the distinction of being the first Learning and Design master's degree program to have started in a center for teaching excellence and technology innovation. Through design projects and mentorships, students in the program will learn from the Center’s 20 years of experience working with faculty, departments, and students to respond to the challenges facing higher education and student success. With the tools and knowledge they gain in the program, students will be able to navigate these challenges and pursue careers in instructional and learning design, instructional technology, learning analytics, online program development, higher education administration, and more.