Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is a campus of Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) in Education City, outside of Doha, Qatar. It is one of Georgetown University's eleven undergraduate and graduate schools, and is supported by a partnership between Qatar Foundation and Georgetown University.
In 2015, the university broadened its remit to include executive and professional education and custom training programs, in addition to the primary Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree. It rebranded to Georgetown University in Qatar (previously Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar or SFS-Q) to reflect the broadening of its remit.
Background
In 2002 Georgetown University studied the feasibility of opening a campus of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in Qatar in October 2002 and joined four other U.S. universities in opening a campus in Education City in 2005. Former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar, Patrick N. Theros called it "the most important development in American higher education in the twenty-first century."
The campus is also home to the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS), GU-Q's premier research institute, which focuses on issues facing the Middle East and broader Asian region.
Academics
Undergraduate programs
Georgetown offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS), with four majors within the program, the curriculum and course materials of which are identical to those offered at Georgetown's main campus in Washington D.C: Culture and Politics (CULP) International Economics (IECO) International History (IHIST) International Politics (IPOL) Georgetown University in Qatar also offers three certificate options: The Certificate in American Studies The Certificate in Arab and Regional Studies The Certificate in Media and Politics Additionally, GU-Q offers three minors: Africana Studies Minor Arabic Language Program and Minor Indian Ocean Studies Minor
Executive and Professional programs
Georgetown University in Qatar offers three executive master's programs:
Executive Master's in Diplomacy and International Affairs (EMDIA) International Executive Master's in Emergency and Disaster Management (IEDM) Executive Master's in Leadership-Qatar (EML-Q)
GU-Q also offers custom designed certificates, including programs on Public-Private Partnerships and Strategic Leadership Development.
Faculty
In 2022, GU-Q faculty numbered 66, which includes both teaching and research staff.
The Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) sponsors studies of regional and international significance, including research initiatives in the areas of international relations, political economy, and domestic politics of the Persian Gulf.
Admission
Georgetown University in Qatar has an acceptance rate of 27% for the Class of 2021. The university is need-blind for U.S. applicants.
Research
Past and current research projects have included the study of Islamic bioethics, skills training for migrant workers, food security in Qatar, Arabic language pedagogy for heritage learners, and the history of women in Persian Gulf countries, among many other topics. Funding sources are available both within GU-Q and from external funding bodies.
GU-Q students formed the Middle Eastern Studies Association (MESSA) in 2012 as a forum for organizing an annual global conference to showcase undergraduate research in the social sciences and humanities. The conference is also fully organized by GU-Q students who consult extensively with a faculty board to help select papers for presentation and to peer review papers for possible publication in the annual Journal of the Georgetown University in Qatar Middle Eastern Studies Student Association. This journal is the first peer-reviewed scholarly journal run by students in Qatar.
GU-Q students have access to research grants funded by the Qatar National Research Fund Undergraduate Research Experience Program (QNRF-UREP) for research projects with topics that are relevant to Qatar's national development.
Campus
The Georgetown University in Qatar building in Education City was inaugurated in February 2011. The purpose-built 360,000-square-foot (33,000 m2) building features a three-story high atrium, an auditorium with a seating capacity for 300 people and 14 classrooms and lecture halls. It includes offices, classrooms, a library and other facilities for more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students. The facility was designed by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta.