<p>I've looked through the SFS and College websites and can't really find much to answer my question, so I'm here. How flexible is the SFS curriculum in terms of taking classes outside the SFS? For instance, if I were in the SFS would I be able to get a minor from the College? I'd be interested in pursuing something creative, in writing or theater, and I was just wondering if that is possible, and more importantly, if it would be advisable given the rigor of the program.</p>
<p>You have stumbled upon the SFS’s great quirkyness. Within the school you cannot, 1) double major 2) minor. Instead, SFS students earn a certificate, either thematic or regional ([Certificate</a> Programs - Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) - Georgetown University](<a href=“http://bsfs.georgetown.edu/academics/certificates/]Certificate”>Certificates & Minors - SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University)). This can be a little frustrating relative to the way other schools seem to structure their program. In the end, it goes back to the school’s focus on interdisciplinary studies. I’m sure someone from the school administration could articulate the philosophy better than I could. However, the school doesn’t keep you from taking classes from the college or the MSB or even the NHS (though some nursing classes are limited to nursing students), just pursuing a minor. You are encouraged and required to look into subjects that may traditionally lie outside of pure international affairs. Yet, if it is really important to you to have the structure and formality of a minor, some place else might be a better fit. If you are just interested in pursuing the subject, you are more than free to do so. Look especially into Culture and Politics (CULP), which has the most freedom as a major. Three of the major classes have to be in the humanities, three in the social sciences, and then five in a created theme, plus one cornerstone class. If you so wish, you could come up with a politics of art or politics of writing theme. </p>
<p>Bottom line: Your first two years at Georgetown are very structured, but once your in your major you have a lot of room to explore different subject matter.</p>
<p>Minors are really only 4-6 classes, so while an SFS student cannot formally minor in something, it is generally possible to do the equivalent coursework without too much difficulty (advanced credit and how many language courses you take comes into play here).</p>