Washington D.C.,
DC,
United States
Type
Private
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree
MA in Security Studies - Terrorism and Substate Violence in Washington United States | Georgetown University
Georgetown University
|
Washington United States
Visit institution website
for more information
Qualification
Masters Degree
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2025)
USD
58,848
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
24 months
The Security Studies Program aims to educate future analysts, policymakers, and scholars to approach 21st-century security challenges with analytical rigor and ethical consideration. Our multidisciplinary master's program equips graduates for careers in defense and security through a diverse curriculum spanning multiple disciplines. SSP enables recent graduates to bridge academic theory with real-world policy implementation, while experienced professionals from military, intelligence, and defense sectors strengthen their practical expertise with analytical frameworks and theoretical approaches. With intentionally limited class sizes, students benefit from both faculty expertise and peer learning. We actively support working professionals in security-related fields by offering flexible evening schedules for most courses and events.
This concentration explores terrorist organizations' ideologies and methods, civil conflict patterns, and effective counterterrorism strategies. The curriculum covers terrorist motivations, operational tactics, major groups including al-Qaida and Hizballah, counterinsurgency approaches, ethnic conflicts, and post-conflict reconstruction. Students develop skills to assess sub-war conflicts, understand their complexities, and formulate practical resolution strategies.
Destination of Study
Subjects of Study
Language Requirements
English
IELTS 7.5
Qualification Requirements
Resume or CV (No page limit)
Statement of Purpose: Your statement of purpose is not to exceed 500 words and should address your intellectual interests and professional and academic goals. The statement of purpose is a critical component of the SSP application. Please carefully explain how SSP specifically fits into your future academic and professional plans.
Optional Statement: As Georgetown is a diverse, global community, we encourage you to upload a brief statement of up to 500 words to help the Admissions Committee understand the contribution your personal background and individual experiences would make to our community. As appropriate, you may wish to address any educational, familial, cultural, economic, and social experiences that have helped to shape your educational and professional goals, or how your background (e.g., first generation student, resident outside the U.S.) or activities (e.g., community service and leadership) will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.
Transcripts: Applicants are required to upload to the application system copies of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
Letters of recommendation from three (3) individuals who can assess the applicant's qualifications and preparation for graduate study in security studies. Letters of recommendation are to be submitted electronically using the online application system. Personal letters of recommendation, such as those from colleagues, coaches, and family friends, are not accepted.
If your undergraduate degree is from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction, submit either:
Official GRE scores sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). See below for additional information on standardized testing.
OR
Supplemental Analytical Writing Sample: Please answer the following prompt in no more than 600 words: Discuss a security challenge facing the US or the international system and identify potential solutions.
If your undergraduate degree is from an institution where English was not the primary language of instruction, submit either:
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
TOEFL: 100 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), 250 on the Computer-Based Test, 600 on the paper-based exam.
IELTS: 7.5
Statement of Purpose: Your statement of purpose is not to exceed 500 words and should address your intellectual interests and professional and academic goals. The statement of purpose is a critical component of the SSP application. Please carefully explain how SSP specifically fits into your future academic and professional plans.
Optional Statement: As Georgetown is a diverse, global community, we encourage you to upload a brief statement of up to 500 words to help the Admissions Committee understand the contribution your personal background and individual experiences would make to our community. As appropriate, you may wish to address any educational, familial, cultural, economic, and social experiences that have helped to shape your educational and professional goals, or how your background (e.g., first generation student, resident outside the U.S.) or activities (e.g., community service and leadership) will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.
Transcripts: Applicants are required to upload to the application system copies of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
Letters of recommendation from three (3) individuals who can assess the applicant's qualifications and preparation for graduate study in security studies. Letters of recommendation are to be submitted electronically using the online application system. Personal letters of recommendation, such as those from colleagues, coaches, and family friends, are not accepted.
If your undergraduate degree is from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction, submit either:
Official GRE scores sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). See below for additional information on standardized testing.
OR
Supplemental Analytical Writing Sample: Please answer the following prompt in no more than 600 words: Discuss a security challenge facing the US or the international system and identify potential solutions.
If your undergraduate degree is from an institution where English was not the primary language of instruction, submit either:
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
TOEFL: 100 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), 250 on the Computer-Based Test, 600 on the paper-based exam.
IELTS: 7.5
Tuition
USD
58,848