MA in
Master of Arts in International Migration and Refugees (MIMR)
Georgetown University - SFS - School of Foreign Service
Key Information
Campus location
Washington, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 2,452 / per credit *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* per credit hour
Introduction
Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service is offering the Master of Arts in International Migration and Refugees degree. This cutting-edge program addresses the pressing challenges arising from population movements and prepares a new generation of professionals to navigate the intricate intersections of migration, displacement, and policy-making. With migration shaping diverse industries and societies worldwide, this immersive 36-credit program, offered by the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM), equips students with the expertise needed to understand, respond to, and positively impact the lives of those on the move. Embrace this unique opportunity to become an influential advocate for global change and human rights in the realm of migration at Georgetown University.
The new Master’s in International Migration and Refugees will prepare you by providing specialized expertise in migration and displacement in a world where migration is on the rise.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Financial Aid
At Georgetown, we offer graduate students two main types of financial aid: merit-based aid and need-based financial aid. You can also find opportunities for fellowships, scholarships, and external funding from the Office of Graduate Fellowships & Awards.
All applicants to our program are eligible to be considered for merit or scholarship aid, which is based on your academic record. If you have a strong academic record, be sure to check the box for “Yes I want to be considered” when asked about merit aid on the application. If you submit your application by our priority deadline of January 15, you will maximize your chances of receiving merit aid.
To also be eligible for financial aid, you’ll want to submit a FAFSA application. This is separate from the Georgetown graduate program application and provides access to Federal loan options.
Note that VA benefits for the program have not yet been approved.
Curriculum
Core Curriculum
Over three full semesters(-fall-spring-fall) and one summer practicum experience, you will take 5 core courses and 3 concentration courses (total of 36 credits) in one of two tracks: migration analytics or humanitarian practice. You will produce a capstone project in your final semester, working closely with an international migration or refugee agency in the U.S. or another country. You will also demonstrate communication skills in a second language by taking advanced foreign language classes and passing an oral language proficiency exam by the time of graduation.
Requirements:
- Five required core courses (13.5 credits)
- Three concentration courses (9 credits)
- Elective courses (13.5 credits)
- A summer in-person practicum
- Competency in a foreign language
- A capstone project on a timely refugee or migration issue
The table below shows what scheduling courses over the three semesters might look like.
| First semester (Sept-Dec) | Second semester (Jan-May) | Third semester (Sept-Dec) |
| Global Overview (core) | Environmental displacement (core) | Capstone (core) |
| Research Methods (core) | Policies (core) | Humanitarian action (Humanitarian concentration) |
| Intro to Humanitarian Crises (Humanitarian concentration) Or Migration & Development (Migration concentration) | Humanitarian seminar (Humanitarian concentration) Or Big data (Migration concentration) | Economics of Migration (Migration concentration) Or Humanitarian action (Humanitarian concentration) |
| Elective | Elective | Elective |
| 1 skills class (1.5 credits) | ||
| 2 core courses 1 concentration course 1 elective 12 credits | 2 core courses 1 concentration course 1 elective 12 credits | 1 core course (Capstone – 1.5 credits) 1 concentration course 2 electives 1 skills class (1.5 credits) recommended not required 12 credits |
Concentrations
You may choose to concentrate your course work in either Migration Analytics or Humanitarian Practice and will take 3 required courses in your concentration:
The three courses required for the Migration Analytics Concentration are:
- Big Data in Business, Economics and Society (GBUS401)
- Migration and Development (ISIM 6648) and
- Economics of Migration (ISIM 601)
For the Humanitarian Practice concentration, students will take:
- Introduction to Humanitarian Crises (ISIM 6698)
- Seminar on Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies (ISIM 6694) and
- Humanitarian Action in Practice (GHDP 622).
Electives
You will also take elective courses from ISIM and SFS offerings. There are many courses to choose from; here is a sampling of possible electives:
- ARST 523 Displacement in the Arab World
- HIST 484: Inventing the Illegal Alien
- CGES 502: Gender and Migration in Europe
- AFSP 5575 Politics of African Migration
- ISIM 5570 US Refugee Policy
- ISIM 5573 Migration in the Americas
- ISIM 5503 Migration and Human Rights
- LAW 440 Refugee Law and Policy
- LAW 037 Immigration Law and Policy
- MSFS 5548 Human Rights, Humanitarian Crises and Refugees: Ethical and Religious Responses
There are also several 1.5 credit courses that students may take to pursue particular migration issues or to acquire specific skills.
Language Proficiency
All students are required to pass an oral proficiency exam in a language other than English before they graduate from the MIMR program and will be provided with language scholarships for one class per semester until they pass their exam. Students can take classes in the language they hope to take their proficiency exam in. Note that language courses do not factor into the 36 credits required to graduate from the MIMR program.
Georgetown University offers a number of languages for students to take, however, your language of proficiency is not limited to these languages. For more detailed information about the languages offered at Georgetown and the oral proficiency exam
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
The Master’s in International Migration and Refugees will prepare you for a career in international development and human rights. After graduating with this degree, you can expect to make your career in the public, private or multilateral sectors.
Top employers for recent SFS graduates in this field are:
USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. State Department, The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, Chemonics, Dahlberg Global Consulting and Deloitte, and many non-governmental organizations.
98% of the School of Foreign Service Graduate Class of 2022 are employed or continuing education
$95,500+ is the average salary range for School of Foreign Service Graduate Classes working in development and relief or human rights and international law sectors.