Curriculum Overview

A uniquely integrated interdisciplinary curriculum featuring signature courses, a learning community, and on-location experiences.

A uniquely integrated interdisciplinary curriculum featuring signature courses, a learning community, and on-location experiences.

The Dikran Izmirlian Program in Business and Global Affairs is designed, developed, and delivered by faculty from two world-class schools, the McDonough School of Business and the Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS). The rigorous curriculum includes classes in international affairs, business and finance, government, economics, philosophy, theology, quantitative methods, history, language, and geography.

Signature BGA Courses

A defining feature of the BGA program is an integrated, interdisciplinary four-year signature course sequence in business and global affairs. The signature courses are jointly designed and co-taught by teams of McDonough and SFS faculty.

BGAF 1001: Global Markets and Policy (Signature Course 1)

BGAF 2020: Global Organizations and Culture: Theory, Methods, and Practice (Signature Course 2)

BGAF 3031 and 3032: Global Business and Operations (Signature Courses 3a and 3b)

BGAF 4040 and 4041: Business, Policy, and Society (Signature Courses 4a and 4b)

Students also participate in a three-semester “thread” course sequence that connects students to the Washington, D.C., business and policy community.

BGAF 2001 and 2003: Washington, Business, and the World 

Business and Global Affairs Core Courses

In addition to the program’s signature courses, core and major course requirements expand on the university core with coursework that relates to the specific missions and traditions of McDonough and SFS and of the interdisciplinary BSBGA:

  • ACCT-1101: Intro to Financial Accounting
  • BGAF-1001: Global Markets and Politics (Signature Course 1)
  • ECON-1001: Econ Principles Micro
  • ECON-1002: Econ Principles Macro
  • ECON-2542 International Economics or ECON-2543: International Trade
  • FINC-2101: Business Financial Management
  • GOVT-1400: Comparative Political Systems or GOVT-1600: International Relations
  • INAF-1000: Maps of the Modern World
  • MATH-1350: Calculus I or equivalent or ECON-1357: Essential Math for Econ
  • MARK-1101: Principles of Marketing
  • Quantitative methods (select from list)
  • Regional history (Students must take 3 credits chosen from courses with the ‘SFS/CORE History: Early Reg’ or ‘SFS/CORE History: Modern Reg’ attribute. International students without exposure to U.S. history may request approval to take US History courses HIST 1801 or HIST 1802).

Along with BGAF 1001, it is recommended that the following BGA core requirements be met before the beginning of the sophomore year:  MATH-1350; ECON-1001; ECON-1002; and quantitative methods.

Courses designed and delivered by the BGA program are labeled “Business and Global Affairs” (prefix “BGAF”). The coursework for the core and for the major also draws on the offerings of McDonough, SFS, and College departments. Upon enrollment in the BGA degree program, students have the same eligibility and opportunity to enroll in courses offered by both their home school and McDonough or SFS as applicable.

Georgetown University Core Courses

All Georgetown undergraduate students fulfill university core requirements in philosophy, theology, writing, humanities, language and culture, science, and engaging diversity.

Modern Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement

All BGA students also will study a language and meet the SFS requirement to achieve proficiency before graduation. Georgetown offers a wide range of modern foreign language study. 

Typically, a student learning a new language needs about four years of training at Georgetown to reach this level. Students who already know a language, either through personal or previous school experience, might place into advanced language study or pass the language proficiency test during their first year.

Study Abroad

BGA students also have the option of standard study abroad in fall of the junior year or during the summer. 

Major, Minors, and Certificates

There is one major within the BGA joint degree program. Along with the BGA major, students are eligible, schedules permitting, to pursue minors or certificates consistent with their home school policies (either McDonough or SFS, as applicable). Students are not eligible to double major with a major delivered through a different degree program.