SFS Majors (IPEC vs. IPOL (SS) vs. STIA (SS))

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgetown University
1

<p>Okay, so thanks to AP credits, I'm almost finished with my core curriculum after this semester. As such, I am starting to consider a major. My problem is that my interests vary quite a bit and the SFS is a little bit restrictive thanks to its lack of double majors.</p>

<p>I'm currently taking an IPOL Security Studies elective and I'm absolutely loving it. As a field, security studies probably appeals to me most just because I'm really interested in power politics, strategy, and military power. </p>

<p>On the other hand, I also want to be able to have the mathematical ability to do analytical work. I was always decent at math/science in high school and don't want to completely abandon my quantitative skills, which I feel as if I have done in my first year here at Georgetown. That's why I originally considered IPEC as a strong major choice coming in to the SFS. But an IPEC major wouldn't really coincide with my interests in security.</p>

<p>I think that a STIA major with a concentration in Security would allow me to strengthen my quantitative skills while giving me the opportunity to explore my interests. But it seems as though the major is a little bit unstructured and that it doesn't really seem particularly applicable to any specific career field.</p>

<p>Ideally, I'd like to go into government work (Foreign Service, intelligence, etc.) after Georgetown or do research/think tank work. Worst comes to worst, I'll probably go back to school to get a graduate degree or an MBA.</p>

<p>Any help would be appreciated. I plan on talking to my dean, but I wanted to get some input from the CC community first.</p>

2

<p>Majors and subfields are meant to provide a framework for your studies, rather than directing you to a particular career field. Intellectually demanding jobs pretty much all require a ton of on-the-job training at this point, and that is particularly true in the sort of government work you mentioned. However, having a base of knowledge and skills related to certain disciplines will very much work in your favor.</p>

<p>I think STIA Security Studies sounds like very much the right path for you. I did IPOL Security Studies and enjoyed that very much, but my quantitative skills were never that great. In the hiring process, you will have to explain in detail what you studied and why anyway, down to the level of specific coursework. The way in which the program is framed or structured might seem counterintuitive and require some additional explanation, although the SFS brand and its programs are very well known in the federal sector. Ultimately, though, it’s about what you learned, what you know, and what you are capable of learning/doing that matters, much more so than the specific program.</p>