School of International Service

School of International Service
Name	School of International Service
Established	1957
Parent institution	American University
Type	Professional school
City	Washington, D.C.
Country	United States

School of International Service is a professional school at American University in Washington, D.C., focused on international affairs, diplomacy, and global policy. It prepares students for careers with multilateral organizations, national ministries, non-governmental organizations, and private sector firms through professional degrees and interdisciplinary research. The school maintains strong connections to regional and issue-focused institutions in the United States and abroad.

History

The school's origins trace to post-World War II initiatives connecting American University with networks such as the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund to address reconstruction and development. During the Cold War, faculty engaged with themes tied to the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine, and interactions with scholars from the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact, and the Red Cross. In the 1960s and 1970s the school expanded amid debates over the Vietnam War, civil rights movements associated with leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and the rise of nongovernmental actors such as Amnesty International and Oxfam. The end of the Cold War, marked by events including the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the Dissolution of the Soviet Union, shifted programming toward globalization, engaging with institutions such as the European Union, the World Trade Organization, and the Organization of American States. Post-9/11 dynamics involving the United States Department of State, the Department of Defense, and international responses to crises in Afghanistan and Iraq further influenced curricular development.

Academic programs

The school offers professional and research degrees including the Master of Arts, Master of Public Administration in International Development, the Doctor of Philosophy, and executive certificates tailored to placements in organizations like the United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization, International Committee of the Red Cross, and multinational corporations such as Chevron Corporation and Goldman Sachs. Concentrations address regions and issues tied to the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Latin America, and the European Union and skills applied in postings to the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, NATO headquarters, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Courses engage primary sources related to treaties like the Treaty of Versailles, protocols such as the Kyoto Protocol, and agreements including the Paris Agreement. The curriculum includes simulation exercises modeled on the United Nations General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, and regional bodies like the African Union.

Research and centers

Research units collaborate with institutions such as the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Wilson Center. Centers focus on peace and conflict studies referencing casework in Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sierra Leone, and Timor-Leste and on development linked to projects in Haiti, Mozambique, and Peru. Thematic programs partner with agencies including UNICEF, UN Women, International Labour Organization, and foundations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Research outputs engage global governance debates involving the G20, the Group of Seven, and the World Health Assembly and publish alongside journals such as Foreign Affairs, International Organization, and Journal of Peace Research.

Faculty and leadership

Faculty have held appointments and fellowships with bodies like the U.S. Senate, the European Commission, the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Scholars maintain connections to prizewinners and award programs such as the Nobel Peace Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, and the MacArthur Fellowship. Visiting practitioners have included ambassadors accredited to the United Nations Security Council, lawyers with the International Criminal Court, and negotiators from accords such as the Good Friday Agreement and the Dayton Accords. Leadership has interacted with figures from the State Department, former heads of state such as Jimmy Carter and Nelson Mandela, and diplomats associated with missions to Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Student life and demographics

Students come from diverse national backgrounds including cohorts from China, India, Brazil, Nigeria, Kenya, Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Egypt, and Turkey. Campus organizations simulate engagement with institutions like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group, the Organization of American States Student Group, and the Model United Nations community. Career outcomes place graduates in roles at the United Nations Secretariat, European Commission delegations, bilateral missions to China and Russia, corporate offices such as Microsoft and Amazon (company), and NGOs including Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, and World Resources Institute. Exchange and field study opportunities often involve placements with the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and think tanks such as the Atlantic Council.

Notable alumni and impact

Alumni have served as foreign ministers, ambassadors, members of legislatures, and leaders in organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Parliament, African Union Commission, Organization of American States Secretariat, and national governments including the United States and Canada. Graduates include diplomats posted to missions in Geneva, Brussels, New York City, and Vienna; heads of international NGOs like CARE International and Mercy Corps; and executives at multinationals such as BP and Citigroup. The school's policy influence is evident in contributions to reports for the United Nations Development Programme, testimonies before the United States Congress, advisory roles for the President of the United States, and participation in multilateral negotiations at summits like the COP26 climate conference and Summit of the Americas.

Category:American University