Georgetown vs. American University: Which Offers Better Undergraduate Research Opportunities?

For an international relations student aiming at graduate school, Georgetown typically offers the broader and more prominent research ecosystem, especially in foreign policy, security studies, political economy, and diplomacy. Its Walsh School of Foreign Service, faculty networks, and Washington-based institutes create many routes into policy-oriented research, while Georgetown also supports undergraduate research through university funding, faculty projects, and research presentations. The tradeoff is that opportunities can be competitive, so students need to approach professors early and build relationships deliberately.

Georgetown fits a student who wants to work near high-profile policy conversations and is prepared to be proactive. Research may grow out of a seminar, a faculty member’s ongoing project, or work connected to centers such as the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy or regional and security-focused programs. For graduate-school preparation, the depth of its faculty expertise and the chance to produce a substantial thesis or independent project can be especially valuable.

American University can be the more accessible setting for a student who wants close, sustained faculty mentorship from early in college. Its School of International Service is centered on global affairs and applied research, and its smaller-scale environment can make it easier to identify professors, join a project, and take on meaningful responsibilities rather than only administrative tasks. AU also benefits from the same Washington access to think tanks, nonprofits, agencies, and international organizations.

Georgetown has the edge in breadth and policy-school resources; American can be particularly compelling for a student who values a more intimate academic environment and wants to seek hands-on faculty collaboration from the first year.