Why CSS

Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies (CSS) offers expansive curriculum, in-depth research, and critical dialogue on security issues. At the core of CSS is the Security Studies Program (SSP), a multidisciplinary course of study and one of ten master’s degree programs offered in the Walsh School of Foreign Service. The program’s overarching mission is to teach a new generation of analysts, policymakers, and scholars to think critically and act responsibly in the face of the 21st century’s most pressing national and international security problems.

SSP features:

  • Over 100 courses addressing numerous areas of study
  • 13 core faculty members and more than 150 adjunct faculty members, consisting of leading scholars and practitioners in security affairs
  • A unique and flexible schedule that allows students the option of either full- or part-time study
  • A course of study that is appropriate for both recent college graduates and mid-career professionals

The SSP curriculum is designed to give students a broad array of course options which provide a solid foundation in core security issues. The program’s graduates have filled key positions in the U.S. and foreign governments, the defense industry and the private sector, research institutions, and non-governmental and international organizations. Other graduates pursue doctoral programs and academic careers.

History

The academic pillar of the Center for Security Studies, the Security Studies Program (SSP), is the nation’s preeminent professional Master of Arts program devoted to security studies. When Stephen Gibert established the National Security Studies Program (NSSP) in 1977 as a “defense MBA,” the original classes met in the Pentagon and the degree was an M.A. in Government with a certificate in Security Studies. In 1984, the Master of Arts in Security Studies degree was established, and all classes had moved over to Georgetown University’s main campus by 1994. In 2000, the Center for Security Studies was created by then-Director Michael E. Brown, with SSP under its umbrella.