Professional Skills Courses

A leader among professional schools of international affairs, the Elliott School was the first to offer its graduate students a full set of professional skills courses focusing on practical skills that help students succeed as practitioners in their careers. The courses are designed to supplement the substantive and theoretical aspects of our academic curriculum and teach skills applicable to the professional world.

All professional skills courses are one credit and designated under course numbers IAFF 6502/6503.

Please contact the esiaskillsgwu [dot] edu (Skills Courses Program Coordinator) with any questions (esiaskillsgwu [dot] edu (esiaskills[at]gwu[dot]edu))

Fundamental Skills

Fundamental Skills

IAFF 6503: Ethics in International Affairs (Spring/Summer)

This is a course in applied ethics, dealing with questions and problems of ethics that occur in international affairs. Among other concerns, this includes such issues as human rights both national and international, international business, war, globalization, and global assistance and humanitarian intervention(s).

IAFF 6503/6505: Formal Briefing (Fall/Spring)

This skills course will give students a foundation in giving formal briefings in a safe and supportive workshop environment. Students will be encouraged to try different approaches in developing a personal briefing style and to develop foundational skills in public speaking through mini exercises and in-class performance of a draft and final briefing.

IAFF 6503/6505: Persuasive Presentations (Spring)

Storytelling sets speakers apart. It distinguishes adequate from the exceptional. This course will cover how to design and deliver a formal briefing in TED Talk fashion – with dynamic verbal and non-verbal expression, tailored and targeted narrative structure, and resonant visual presentations. Students will design, build, and present one briefing twice and receive personal and public coaching on how to improve their narrative and delivery.

IAFF 6503/6505: Public Speaking (Spring)

Many aspects of daily life involve public speaking. This course will provide students the opportunity to learn and apply their knowledge on (1) how to structure and organize a speech, (2) the elements of proper delivery, (3) the various speech types, (4) how to use visual aids, (5) how to encourage audience participation, and (6) how to identify topics.

IAFF 6502: Writing for International Policymakers (Fall/Spring)

This course uses short written assignments and tailored feedback to hone the skills of accuracy, brevity, and clarity. We will write against the backdrop of current international affairs or national security challenges. Specific skills include the ability to start with your bottom line, explain complex information, develop recommendations, and write with proper syntax and grammar.

Advanced Skills

Analytical and Forecasting Skills

IAFF 6503/6505: Alternative Analysis: The Red Team Approach (Fall/Spring)

Alternative analysis—often referred to as "red cell" or "red team”—uses various analytical methodologies to provide a more complete picture of issues than traditional analysis alone. Students will also be introduced to various methods or war gaming formats in which red teaming is applied. Students will be required to apply a variety of techniques used in red teaming and participate in a multi-sided war game.

IAFF 6503/6505: Analyzing International Economic Data (Spring)

This course is designed to develop students’ skills in gathering international economic data and conducting analysis. The course will use trade, investment, and other economic data sources to examine international trade and economic topics. Students will gain hands-on experience using merchandise and services trade flows, foreign direct investment stocks and flows, and foreign exchange rates. Students will be asked to download economic statistics and manipulate electronic data in spreadsheets. The course will expose students to sources, terminology, and definitions unique to the analysis of international economic data.

IAFF 6503/6505: Applied AI: Digital Democracy (Spring)

This course offers a critical, interdisciplinary examination of how AI is developed, deployed, and governed across diverse geopolitical contexts. It introduces key concepts in AI governance, analyzes how states and institutions are responding to emerging risks and opportunities, and assesses what’s at stake in the shifting global order.

IAFF 6503/6505: Creating Data Rich Reports (Online)

Having the ability to effectively and efficiently communicate your data is essential if you want to put your data science skills to work. In this course, we will cover everything from the basics of how to set up your first Quarto document to using templates to customize the appearance of your documents to using parameters to create different versions of the same report. Quarto is a modern scientific publishing platform that allows you to integrate narrative text with code to produce compelling reports, articles, books, presentations, blogs, websites, and knowledge repositories.

Data Visualization Using R (Online)

In this class, we will learn to create a variety of visualizations including line charts, bar charts, scatter plots and maps with the Tidyverse group of packages in the R programming language. The class will explore how to make interactive maps with popups and markers using the leaflet package.

Data Visualization with Tableau (Spring)

This workshop is meant to help you develop data analysis and visualization skills with Tableau through hands-on learning.While all students can gain from this workshop, it will particularly resonate with any who have spent more than an hour trying to analyze a particular dataset using Excel or another software tool.

Experiments for Impact Evaluation (Fall)

Learn how to design experiments to accurately measure your impact. This course will cover the key aspects of experimental design and analysis of experimental data, and teach you how to address challenges that are often confronted in experimental research (such as attrition, spillover effects, and ethical questions). By the end of the course, you will have an experimental design and data analysis plan ready for implementation.

Feminist Approaches - Research

This course is designed to orient students to the ethics and practice of feminist research within conflict-affected contexts and will include theoretical and practical elements to develop an intersectional feminist lens tuned into the relationship between power and knowledge production, the ethics of representation, and the challenges of navigating research in settings where individuals have been affected by violence. The goal is to equip students with the skills necessary to apply the ethics and considerations of feminist praxis to various professional and academic endeavors.

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IAFF 6503/6505: International Business Data with PowerBI (Fall)

In this course you'll embark on a journey to master the essentials of data visualization and cleaning techniques using Power Query. Learn the art of creating compelling visualizations, enabling you to communicate business insights effectively.

Introduction to Gaming and Simulations (Fall)

This course provides first-hand experience in scenario and gaming analysis. The course specifically addresses the fundamentals of game development and employment based on government and industry best practices. Through lectures, readings, in-class exercises, and group assignments students will build the repertoire of skills needed to create high-impact games and simulations while simultaneously honing their ability to review and judge gaming proposals.

IAFF 6502: Intro to GIS I (Fall/Spring/Summer)

In this course, students will further their knowledge and understanding of how to use geographic information systems (GIS) or mapping software as used in international security and conflict studies. Students will learn how to do basic analyses of the data and produce simple maps for publication.

Introduction to GIS II (Online)

This course is designed to provide the opportunity to explore the critical issues based in the fields of EM and Humanitarian Assistance (HA). You will leave the course with new insight into the complex issues of mapping and disasters and feel confident in applying geo-spatial tools and concepts in problem solving.

IAFF 6502: Intro to R (Fall/Spring/Summer)

This course will help you familiarize yourself with the R programming language and R Studio integrated development environment (IDE). In this class you will learn the fundamentals needed to create effective R scripts,run basic analyses, and troubleshoot (or debug) your code.

Monitoring and Evaluation (Online) (Spring)

You will explore key approaches to measure the results of global development assistance and critically consider evaluation methodologies to determine whether this assistance is working to meet the needs of recipients. In addition, you will be able to determine how to learn from success and failure, apply and integrate approaches from other disciplines, use data as part of management practices, and suggest adaptations to improve program implementation.

IAFF 6503: Political Risk Analysis (Fall)

This course examines the concept and foundations of political risk analysis and delves into empirical cases to understand the role that political risk plays in shaping the international business landscape and operating environment. The course explores various sources of political risk, considers how political risk develops and evolves, analyzes how this form of risk influences business decisions, and probes how actors manage and respond to political risk. The course takes a multi-disciplinary approach drawing from international relations, economics, risk management, and strategic communications.

IAFF 6502: Public Opinion in International Affairs (Fall)

The goals of the course are to make students conversant in survey research, better consumers of public opinion data and gain the ability to use survey data in their work. It will provide an overview of the different methods of data collection as well as an introduction to sampling and questionnaire design and quality control measures.

Research and Data 101 (Online) (Spring)

Participants will learn the basics of data, its uses, and what goes into data modeling. Learn to facilitate collaboration between policy analysts and data scientists for data-informed policy development, evaluate and interpret analyses and give feedback to improve modeling and forecasting, provide real-world context to models provided by data scientists, communicate policy scenarios based on data visualizations and predictive models, and utilize modern data-driven tools to evaluate policy and program success.

Research and Design for International Affairs

This course introduces students to a step-by-step approach to evaluating, producing and managing policy-relevant research in international affairs. Students practice key skills, such as how to survey existing knowledge, formulate research questions, choose analytical methods, and plan research projects. When deployed as part of a systematic approach, these skills help students produce quality course papers and complete superior capstone projects or theses. More importantly, a systematic approach to research will help them manage research throughout their professional careers. By the end of the course, students will demonstrate a grasp of research design by delivering a proposal for a research project.

Survey Design for Public and International Policy

Learn to develop surveys the right way to maximize the accuracy of your research. This course will cover all aspects of survey design and implementation, including different approaches to sampling (random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, non-probability sampling), the construction and use of survey weights, survey question design, tradeoffs involved in decisions about different survey modes, and analysis and visualization of survey data. Throughout, we will use R/RStudio to learn and practice the coding skills required to implement these various aspects of the survey process.

STATA: Fundamentals (Fall)

This is a four-week STATA intro course that will cover basics skills for students to get hands on using Stata for data analysis. This course provides a basic introduction to STATA software and its applications on data management, data analysis and econometric modeling.

IAFF 6503: Structured Analytic Techniques (Spring)

This course introduces students to qualitative structured analytic techniques that they will be able to use across disciplines to help solve analytic problems. Students learn how to use these techniques to approach analytic challenges and produce useful, insightful analysis.

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IAFF 6502: Tableau Data Visualization and Analysis (Fall/Spring)

Students will work hands-on with Tableau to analyze several datasets and create various types of visualizations. Along the way, students will be challenged to think about how their visualizations can be improved to communicate their ideas and findings more clearly, and build a foundation for evidence-based policy formulation and make you more marketable.

Policy Formulation and Advocacy Skills

Advocating for Women’s Rights (Fall/Spring)

This skills class will equip students with the building blocks for conducting successful advocacy efforts on global women’s issues. It will foster an understanding of different elements of an advocacy campaign, from grassroots mobilization to direct engagement of policymakers through individual, celebrity and coalition advocacy.

Leadership, Teamwork and Management Skills

Communicating Global Policy Issues

This course is designed to help students improve their communications, media and advocacy skills. Knowing how to convey compelling messages to targeted US audiences is key to strengthening America’s global leadership in the US and around the world. This hands-on communications, media and message training “PowerTalk” workshop will help students become more effective spokespeople and advocates with the media, policymakers, engaged public and other key stakeholders. Learn communications and media techniques, including: preparing a basic communications and advocacy strategy; developing and delivering effective messages; preparing for media interviews and briefings; anticipating and managing difficult questions and situations; using stories, visuals and facts for maximum effect; and avoiding common pitfalls. Students will also explore the basics of how to amplify their message via social media, strategic partnerships, influentials, and other best practices.

Gender Monitoring & Evaluation

The course will introduce students to setting gender and social inclusion-related targets and indicators, how to use gender and social inclusion-related indices, how to create an activity monitoring and evaluation and learning plan (AMELP) in the context of international development projects and with the goal to transform projects into gender equitable and socially inclusive activities.

Leadership & Teamwork (Spring)

This course explores the dynamics of team building, communication, and leadership that will increase managerial and leadership effectiveness. It is designed to empower participants to discover their preferred leadership style within a global context, emphasizing networking and servant leadership. Students will learn how to apply effective decision-making and problem-solving skills in teams; manage and resolve conflicts with communication skills; and identify their own assumptions and behaviors related to leadership and group dynamics.

IAFF 6502/6503: Negotiations Skills (Fall/Spring/Summer)

This course helps students identify those aspects of their negotiating style that stand in the way of maximizing their negotiation outcomes. It is based on classic Interest-Based negotiations theory, with a focus on practical application, then followed by self-reflection. It is a highly interactive course composed almost entirely of a series of group exercises with varying degrees of complexity, and then debriefing of students' performance.

Non-Violent Systemic Change

In an age of virulent civic discourse, avoiding conversations about dominance, systems, power, race, gender, or sexual identity is no longer an option. When emotions surface and stakes are high, this course will equip students with the tools to respond in a way that draws people into a conversation using Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and brings about systemic changes to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Participatory Planning (Summer)

This course aims to build an appreciation of the nuances of participation and to impart specific methods and tools that facilitate participation. The course will cover the principles of participatory learning and action (PLA), provide helpful “Do’s” and “Don’ts” of carrying out participatory activities and processes and touch on the caveats of participatory methods in the development industry.

Strategic Communications (Online) (Summer/Spring)

The course objective is to provide international relations professionals with working knowledge of communication strategy so they can more effectively participate in their organization's strategic communication process. In the context of this course, students will develop a strategy and select tactics within a scenario to influence the cognitive, affective, and behavioral states of others - with the ultimate goal of getting another person or group of people to do something, stop doing something, or to allow an organization to do something.

IAFF 6502: Successful Networking (Spring)

This course will offer a framework for developing the competencies necessary for successful networking. It will explore the unique opportunity of in-person communication in Washington, D.C. and online communication throughout the world. Learn to adopt a genuine two-way approach as you develop networks to enhance your career.

Specialized Professional Knowledge

Analyzing US Foreign Assistance

The course is a graduate level, project-based class where students will have the opportunity to develop and justify their own proposal for foreign assistance resources for a country that they choose. This course will give students highly sought after hands-on, practical experience. For students interested in careers at the Department of State, USAID, or non-profit organizations that implement U.S. foreign assistance, this will be a great course taught by Cyndee Pelt and Homa Hassan, who have extensive international development experience. Professors Pelt and Hassan have served in the past three Administrations in various capacities both in Washington D.C. and overseas at the State Department and USAID – together they have over thirty years of experience working on U.S. foreign assistance programs.

IAFF 6503: Cities & States in Nat'l Sec (Spring)

This course offers a look at how subnational leaders—mayors, governors, and local officials—are emerging as key players on the global stage. Students will explore how subnational diplomacy is reshaping national security, examine how local leaders use sports diplomacy to bridge divides, promote sustainable technologies in trade, boost economic competitiveness, and build resilience in times of crisis.

Deconstructing Disinformation (Summer)

A functional democracy requires the public to trust the information they rely on to make decisions. This course will use domestic and international case studies to critically examine the key components of disinformation. It will then analyze potential interventions by governments, technology companies, and civil society organizations. In addition to deconstructing the problem of disinformation and critically analyzing potential solutions, students will learn how to conduct scenario planning exercises.

IAFF 6502: Design NATO’s Theory of Success (Spring)

This research engagement supports NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in developing a forward-looking Political-Military Theory of Success. Through this seminar, students will explore how NATO can achieve strategic success across DIME-FIL dimensions in a rapidly evolving global security environment.

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IAFF 6503/6505: Digital Governance & Gov. Efficiency (Fall)

With governments increasingly using digital technologies to increase revenue, target expenditure and deliver public services, this course will review policies and implementation of digital governance both in developed and developing countries. It will discuss concepts of efficiency and explore how politics and economics together determine the role of digital technologies to improve government efficiency.

IAFF 6503: Defense Contracting (Fall/Spring)

This course will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the role of government contracting in National Security and its role in ensuring military superiority. Students will learn about the development of requirements for critical assets and understand how industry translates these requirements into military assets and capabilities.

Developing Effective Proposals

The course will provide students with the nuts and bolts of developing effective, winning proposals, including overview and management of the proposal development process, including project design and field assessments, analyzing a procurement opportunity, preparing a technical proposal and budget, developing a monitoring and evaluation plan, and planning project staffing. The course will explore ways to work in partnership with local organizations, stakeholders, and the project’s ultimate beneficiaries. Teamwork is an essential aspect of developing successful proposals. Practitioners will gain a better understanding of ways to create better development projects, anticipate challenges, work with a variety of stakeholders, and address challenges effectively.

Gender Advisor: Roles & Skills (Fall/Spring)

This course covers the various roles, responsibilities, and necessary skills of a Gender Advisor. The course will provide a comprehensive overview of how the latest tools, resources, and practices should be applied in development work and will interpret the new and evolving set of policies on programmatic gender integration into meaningful practice to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of institutions and organizations seeking to promote gender equality.

Inside a U.S. Embassy

This course is designed to familiarize students with the structure of the embassy, its authorities, and its activities in support of U.S. interests. They will develop their understanding through a role-playing model in which each student will assume the role of one member of the Embassy team with the instructor playing the role of the ambassador and the class dealing with hypothetical issues based on real events in the professor’s experience.

International Non-Profit Management (Fall)

Key skills developed in this course include defining, understanding and ongoing assessment of an organization’s mission, communication and advocacy strategies, effective programs, development and financial targets, identification of fundraising opportunities and management of a team that may even meet in person regularly. This course teaches how to evaluate non-profit organizations using a Non-Profit Organizational Capacity Mapping Framework and by discussing Case Studies.

International Supply Chain Fundamentals

This course will introduce students to the fundamental operations of global supply chains across manufacturing, digital, commodity and service industries. Students will learn the essential components of supply chains; evolution of supply chains; wholly owned versus unrelated supply chains and the stakeholders in supply chains. Students will be able to research/map a supply chain, interpret articles and news sources about supply chains and assess their relevance to geopolitical events and policy.

Mediation (Fall)

This interactive skills-building course will teach you how to harness conflictual energy and transform it into collaboration. Mediation is an impartial, voluntary and confidential process that facilitates problem-solving and helps parties to a conflict develop solutions that meet everyone’s needs. Students will learn the basic principles of mediation; learn how to engage the parties in a conflict and set up the mediation space; how to listen and gather information by disaggregating positional statements; framing and listing problems to resolve; brainstorming and developing solutions; and writing an agreement.

Restorative Justice

IAFF 6502: Social Media Management (Spring)

You will learn how to lead and manage social media platforms, overseeing your own non-profit organization or cause from day one in your groups. We will cover how to grow an audience with limited resources, strategies to grow social media presence through unique content generation, and discuss emerging technologies.

Technology for International Crisis Response (Fall)

This course will explore how technology is being used to respond to crises, create early warning mechanisms, monitor elections, provide banking services, ensure effective governance, and much more. It considers key challenges related to access, implementation, scale, and evaluation that working with technology presents.

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IAFF 6502: The Art of Foreign Policy Staffing (Spring)

This course develops the professional capabilities essential for effective foreign policy staffers. The curriculum emphasizes practical, hands-on skill building in the core competencies of foreign policy professionals: writing, oral briefing, and policy development. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of institutional structures and the day-to-day realities of supporting principals in making complex foreign policy decisions.

USG Defense Contracting

Course description coming soon.