Master of Arts in German and European Studies (MAGES)

The Master of Arts in German and European Studies program is a two-year, full-time, interdisciplinary course of study.

Beginning with a set of required core courses, each of which frames European studies from a particular disciplinary vantage point, students then pursue their own tailored concentrations or an approved graduate certificate through the selection of integrated clusters of electives. Elective courses may be taken at the School of Foreign Service, the School of Business, the Public Policy Institute, the Law Center, and the departments of government, history, and economics.

Degree Requirements

• 48 semester hours, including the 18-credit hour required core curriculum, 6 credits of interdisciplinary electives and 24 credits of free electives
• Minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
• Two foreign language examinations: by completion of the program, students must demonstrate oral proficiency in one European language other than English, and reading ability in a second European language other than English
• Oral examination
• Master's Project and participation in the MAGES Colloquium

Fall semester exchange program with Hertie School of Governance

The BMW Center is very pleased to announce an expansion of our ongoing partnership with the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, effective 2017-2018. Hertie is a private, international school of public policy located in Berlin Mitte (Friedrichstrasse). Alongside our three-year, dual MAGES-MPP/Hertie degree program, we are launching a new fall semester exchange program beginning with the fall 2017 semester.

This exchange program is designed to enable select MAGES students to spend their third semester at the Hertie School. The working language at Hertie is English, and the exchange will specifically be with their new Master of International Affairs (MIA) program. If you are looking to add an international component to your M.A. program, this will be a fantastic opportunity to study in the heart of Europe. Up to five second-year students from the Walsh School of Foreign Service will have the opportunity to spend the fall 2017 semester (beginning of September through mid-December) at Hertie; students in the MAGES program will be given priority consideration. A list of potential courses can be found here.

For more information on this new exchange opportunity and further details about the application process, please contact Carolina Solms-Baruth, Supervisor of Academic Programs.

Dual Degrees

Dual degrees offer MAGES students the opportunity to combine their MAGES program with another degree offered at Georgetown University or one of our partner universities. The BMW Center offers the following dual degree tracks:

• MAGES/Ph.D. in German
• MAGES/Ph.D. in Government
• MAGES/Ph.D. in History
• MAGES/J.D.
• MAGES/MPP
• BSFS/MAGES

Career Development

Careers After MAGES

The skills that MAGES students develop in our interdisciplinary program are precisely the qualities that employers in the public and private sectors are looking for: a solid understanding of international events, the ability to write clear and coherent analyses of important issues, the cultural insight and adaptability necessary to perform in many different settings, and the ability to step outside one narrow discipline and see the relationships between the many different facets of a constantly changing global environment. Each year, approximately 30% of graduates pursue public sector employment, 30% private sector employment, 30% NGO/IO, and 10% continue on to receive a Ph.D. or other degree.

Within the private sector, recent graduates have accepted full-time positions at top consulting firms and corporations including:

• Deloitte
• Brunswick Group
• BMW
• Lidl
• Banyan Global

Those who have entered the public sector have been employed by:

• Federal Reserve Board
• U.S. Department of State
• U.S. Trade and Development Agency
• U.S. Army

The MAGES Class of 2015 was 100% employed within six months of graduation. Full placement information for all graduate programs at the School of Foreign Service is available on the Graduate Career Development Center's website.

Career resources on campus

The Graduate School of Foreign Service Career Center (GCC) offers:

• Skill workshops in resume preparation, networking, interviewing, and more
• Employer information sessions and resume drops for domestic and international employers
• Job fairs and on-campus recruiting visits
• Approximately 200 new internship and job listings per week

In addition to the GCC, MAGES students are supported by the Supervisor of Academic Programs, who works exclusively with students in the program to become familiar with their interests and identify career opportunities that fit each individual's interests and skills.

The MAGES alumni networks are powerful mentors and advocates for the next generation of MAGES graduates, and the BMW Center hosts frequent professional and academic development workshops in collaboration with the CGES Alumni Association. These events aim to prepare students to enter the workforce and include annual Alumni/Student Career Happy Hours, CGES Speed Networking, and skills workshops on topics ranging from "Public Speaking in an Academic Context" to "Conducting a Job Search in Europe."

Internships

MAGES students complete high-level internships throughout their studies in order to gain valuable skills relevant to their career trajectories and broaden their networks. While some students choose to complete an internship during their second and/or third semester(s), all MAGES students receive funding to complete an internship during the summer between years one and two of the program. Approximately 70% of students elect to complete an internship abroad.

Recent international host organizations include:

• The U.S. Embassy in Berlin
• Interel
• Denmark Refugee Council
• Kosovar Center for Security Studies
• National Democratic Institute in Ukraine

Recent internship assignments in Washington, D.C., include:

• Government Accountability Office
• U.S. Department of State
• The Smithsonian Institution
• Search for Common Ground

In conjunction with select employers, CGES also supports the MAGES Signature Internship Program, which gives the BMW Center the opportunity to strengthen partnerships within the transatlantic community while giving our students access to top internship opportunities. The program aims to provide employers with high quality, reliable graduate student interns on a regular basis, and in turn, employers provide interns with a valuable experience to enrich their professional and academic development. In 2015, MAGES Signature Internship employers included:

• BMW North America in Washington, D.C.
• UNESCO-IIEP in Paris
• SAP in Berlin
• The Bank of New York Mellon in Frankfurt

The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University is the oldest school of international affairs in the United States, it's founding in 1919 predating the establishment of the U.S. Foreign Service by six years. It is also a premier school of international affairs, home in 2010 to programs ranked by Foreign Policy magazine as first in the world at the graduate level and fifth at the undergraduate level. At Georgetown’s Washington, D.C., and Qatar campuses, SFS fosters essential research, connects distinguished practitioners to the global dialogue and provides the highest-quality education, pursued in a spirit of inquiry, with a concern for values.

A Century of Service to the World from Georgetown SFS on Vimeo.

Why SFS

Commitment to Service At SFS, service is not just a particular career path. It’s an approach to solving problems that are just as relevant in the private sector as it is in the public sector. Members of the SFS community utilize Georgetown’s Jesuit values no matter what they go on to do after they leave the Hilltop. The Intersection of Scholars and Practitioners At SFS, students learn from recognized experts who are actively engaged in finding solutions to complex global problems. You can study with former Secretaries of State, with people who led huge multinational corporations or with renowned scholars in international affairs. Students can attend events with speakers who come from the top of their fields, across all sectors of foreign affairs. Both students and faculty bring their expertise into the classroom and onto campus, facilitating a learning environment that pushes students to constantly challenge big ideas with experience and practice from all over the world. The depth of Understanding of Countries, Regions, and Cultures At SFS there are more than 20 different centers and programs that cover all regions of the world and key cross-cutting global issues. Convening Power in Washington, D.C. SFS has located just minutes away from the State Department, the White House, the Pentagon, and countless nonprofit organizations. This gives SFS the extraordinary opportunity for us to engage (and sometimes even influence) the debates that lead to real action.