Georgetown SFS — International Economics Planner

Walsh School of Foreign Service · BSFS Class of 2028
Foreign Service Officer (Economics) Track
AP Credit Transfer Mode: AP Credits Included (79 hrs) Toggle to plan with or without AP credits transferring
175
Credits Earned (UO + AP)
60
Max Transfer to GU
4.10
UO GPA
60
GU Credits Needed
4
Semesters at GU
~15
Credits / Semester

Strengths Coming In

Your UO coursework positions you exceptionally well for Georgetown IECO:

Economics Core Intermediate Micro, Macro, Econometrics I & II, Behavioral Econ, Political Economy
Chinese Language 4th-year Chinese + Literature, Business, Social Issues, Pop Culture courses
Quantitative Multivariable Calc, Linear Algebra I & II, Statistical Models
Area Studies Chinese Economy, Chinese Religions, International Political Economy

Key Gaps to Fill at Georgetown

Required ECON 2543 International Trade
Required ECON 2544 International Finance
Required GOVT 060 International Relations
Required GOVT 040 Comparative Political Systems
Required 3 History courses (early + late)
Required 2 Theology courses
Required 2 Philosophy courses
Required 1-2 Applied ECON electives (4000-level)

UO Courses Completed & In Progress

TermCourseTitleGradeCreditsLikely GU Equivalent
Fall 2024CH 111Intro Chem PrinciplesA+4Science elective
Fall 2024HC 101HTopics: SymmetryA4Gen ed elective
Fall 2024HC 221HTopics: Epic & LeadershipA4HALC / Humanities
Fall 2024MATH 281Several-Variable Calc IA-4MATH prerequisite ✓
Win 2025CHN 306Hist of Chinese LitA+4Language / HALC
Win 2025CHN 445Topics: Social IssuesA4Language adv. elective
Win 2025EC 311Intermediate Micro TheoryA+4→ ECON 2101 ✓
Win 2025HC 241HTopics: Drug Neuro PolicyA4Science / Policy elective
Win 2025PSY 401Res Brain and MemoryP*2Research credit
Spr 2025CHN 445Topics: BusinessA+4Language adv. elective
Spr 2025EC 313Intermediate Macro TheoryA+4→ ECON 2102 ✓
Spr 2025EC 320Intro to EconometricsA+4→ ECON 2120 ✓
Spr 2025REL 302Chinese ReligionsA4THEO / Elective
Sum 2025CH 221General Chemistry IA4Science
Sum 2025CH 222General Chemistry IIA4Science
Sum 2025CH 223General Chemistry IIIA-4Science
Fall 2025ASIA 480Chinese EconomyA4Applied ECON / Area Studies
Fall 2025CHN 4134th Year ChineseA+4Language proficiency ✓
Fall 2025EC 421Intro Econometrics IIA+4Applied ECON elective
Fall 2025EC 428Behavioral & Exp EconA4Applied ECON elective
Win 2026CHN 152Intro Chinese Pop CultureA+4Language / Culture
Win 2026MATH 341Elem Linear AlgebraA4Math elective ✓
Win 2026MATH 343Statistical Models & MethodsA+4→ ECON 2110 ✓
Win 2026PS 340Intl Political EconomyA4GOVT / Elective
Spr 2026*CHN 307Hist of Chinese LitIP4Language / HALC
Spr 2026*EC 448Political EconomyIP4Applied ECON elective
Spr 2026*EC 451Issues in Labor EconIP4Applied ECON elective
Spr 2026*MATH 342Elem Linear Algebra IIIP4Math elective

* In Progress — Spring 2026. IP = In Progress. Georgetown accepts max 60 transfer credits.

Important Note on Transfer Credits: Georgetown SFS accepts a maximum of 60 transfer credits. With 175 earned hours (96 from UO + 79 from AP), many credits will exceed this cap. The transfer evaluation office will determine which specific courses transfer and satisfy which requirements. Use the AP Credit toggle above to plan for both scenarios. We strongly recommend contacting the SFS Dean's Office for a preliminary credit evaluation before arrival.
AP Credit Transfer Mode: AP Credits Included
Likely satisfied by UO
May be satisfied by AP
Pending evaluation
Must take at Georgetown

IECO Major Requirements

Prerequisites

✓
Calculus I & II — MATH 281 (Multivariable) exceeds this
✓
ECON 1001 Principles of Micro — EC 311 exceeds this
✓
ECON 1002 Principles of Macro — EC 313 exceeds this

Co-Requisites (SFS Core + IECO)

—
ECON 2543 International Trade — Must take at GU
—
ECON 2544 International Finance — Must take at GU

Core Major Courses (4 required)

≈
ECON 2101 Intermediate Micro — Likely satisfied by UO EC 311 (A+)
≈
ECON 2102 Intermediate Macro — Likely satisfied by UO EC 313 (A+)
≈
ECON 2110 Economic Statistics — Likely satisfied by UO MATH 343 (A+)
≈
ECON 2120 Intro Econometrics — Likely satisfied by UO EC 320 (A+)
Key caveat: Georgetown requires at least half of major courses to be completed in residence. If all 4 core courses transfer, you may need to take additional upper-level ECON courses at Georgetown to meet the residency requirement for the major. Confirm with your SFS advisor.

Applied Courses (3 required, at least 1 must be 4000-level ECON at GU)

≈
Applied #1 — UO EC 421 Econometrics II (A+) or EC 428 Behavioral Econ (A) may transfer
≈
Applied #2 — UO EC 448 Political Economy (IP) or EC 451 Labor Econ (IP) may transfer
—
Applied #3 — Must take at least 1 at GU (4000-level with IECO attribute)

SFS Core Curriculum

Government (2 courses)

—
GOVT 060 International Relations — Must take at GU
—
GOVT 040 Comparative Political Systems — Must take at GU

History (3 courses)

—
History Survey — Must take at GU
—
Regional History (Early attribute) — Must take at GU
—
Regional History (Late attribute) — Must take at GU

Economics (3 courses — SFS Core)

✓
ECON 1001 Principles of Micro — UO EC 311
✓
ECON 1002 Principles of Macro — UO EC 313
—
ECON 2543 International Trade + ECON 2544 International Finance (IECO co-reqs satisfy this)

Other SFS Core

—
INAF 100 Proseminar — May be waived for transfers; confirm with SFS
—
INAF 008 Map of the Modern World (1 cr)
≈
SFS Science (2 courses) — UO Chemistry sequence may transfer

University Core Requirements

Theology (2 courses)

≈
THEO 1000/1100 — UO REL 302 Chinese Religions may partially satisfy
—
Intermediate THEO (2000-3999) — Must take at GU

Philosophy (2 courses)

—
PHIL 1900 Social & Political Philosophy — Must take at GU
—
PHIL 2000-level elective — Must take at GU

Writing (2 courses)

—
WRIT 1150 Writing & Culture — Must take at GU unless waived
—
Integrated Writing (within major) — Must take at GU

Other University Requirements

≈
HALC — UO HC 221H Epic & Leadership may satisfy
✓
Foreign Language Proficiency — 4th-year Chinese exceeds requirement
—
Pathways to Social Justice (1 seminar + 2 overlays)
—
Quantitative Reasoning — Likely satisfied by math/econ courses

Degree Progress Summary

IECO Major Requirements~6 of 10 likely satisfied
SFS Core Curriculum~4 of 12 likely satisfied
University Core~3 of 10 likely satisfied
CourseTitleCategoryStatusBest ProfessorNotes
AP Credit Transfer Mode: AP Credits Included
Planning Notes: This plan assumes maximum transfer credit acceptance. Actual course availability varies by semester — check Georgetown's Schedule of Classes before registration. Aim for 15 credits/semester (5 courses). Courses marked with ★ are highest priority for your FSO goals.

Priority Organizations for FSO (Economics) Track

Foreign Service Officer — Economics Cone Overview

Economic Officers analyze and report on economic trends, negotiate trade agreements, advance U.S. commercial interests abroad, and work on sanctions, finance, development, and energy policy. Your daughter's combination of International Economics training, advanced Chinese language skills, and quantitative background makes her an exceptionally strong candidate.

FSOT
Step 1: Written Test
QEP
Step 2: File Review
FSOA
Step 3: Oral Assessment
Clearances
Step 4: Security + Medical
Register
Step 5: Hiring List
A-100
Step 6: Orientation

Junior & Senior Year Timeline

Fellowships — Top Priority Applications

Pickering Fellowship

Provides ~$42,000/year for a 2-year master's, two State Department internships (DC + overseas), and a guaranteed FSO appointment. Apply fall of senior year. ~3% acceptance rate. 2026 cycle postponed — monitor closely.

Rangel Fellowship

Same financial package as Pickering, with emphasis on diversity. First summer is on Capitol Hill, second is at an overseas embassy. Also provides guaranteed FSO appointment. 2026 cycle also postponed.

Action: Sign up for email alerts at apply.pickeringfellowship.org and rangelprogram.org immediately. Apply to BOTH when cycles resume.

Internships to Pursue

State Department Student Internship Program (SIP)

Paid, 10-week summer internship. Apply on USAJobs in early fall (deadline ~October, closes at 4,000 applications). Requires 3.2+ GPA and security clearance eligibility.

Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS)

Remote e-internship, 10 hrs/week during academic year. Unpaid but low commitment. Apply on USAJobs in July.

Pathways Internship Program

Federal internship with potential for conversion to permanent employment. Positions posted on USAJobs year-round.

Think Tank Alternatives

CSIS, Brookings, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Carnegie Endowment — all in DC near Georgetown.

Chinese Language — Your Strategic Advantage

Mandarin is classified as a "super-hard" critical needs language by the State Department. Candidates with Mandarin proficiency earn 0.17 bonus points on their register score — often the difference between receiving an appointment or not. Only ILR Level 2 speaking ability is needed for full bonus points (vs. Level 3 for most languages).

Recommendation: Continue Chinese at Georgetown to maintain and deepen proficiency. Consider a semester in Beijing (Tsinghua or Peking University) or Taipei through Georgetown's study abroad programs. After passing the FSOA, take the State Department's telephone language proficiency test.

FSOT Preparation

The FSOT was restructured in October 2025. It now has three multiple-choice sections (no essay): Job Knowledge (US government/history, world geography, economics, math/stats), English Expression (grammar, writing, editing), and Logical Reasoning.

The test is offered quarterly (Feb, May, Jul, Oct). She can take it starting junior year — there's no degree requirement, and retakes are allowed. Average successful candidates take it 2-3 times.

Resources: Practice tests at careers.state.gov, Mometrix, and iPrep. Her Georgetown SFS coursework directly prepares her for the Job Knowledge section.

Recommended Further Research

Before Arrival (Summer 2026)

1
Request preliminary credit evaluation — Contact SFS Dean's Office with UO transcript to learn exactly which courses transfer and satisfy which GU requirements
2
AP credit transfer — Send AP score reports to Georgetown and confirm which specific AP exams satisfy which requirements
3
Chinese placement test — Confirm Chinese language placement level and whether language requirement is fully satisfied
4
Meet with IECO Field Chair — Discuss approved Applied course list and which UO econ courses count toward IECO applied requirements
5
Transfer student orientation — Attend all SFS transfer orientation events; these are critical for understanding the advising system

Academic Planning

6
Senior thesis vs. additional course — Decide whether to pursue IECO honors thesis (IECO 4970/4980) — requires 3.67+ major GPA and 3.5+ cumulative. Given her 4.10, she's well-positioned
7
ISD Certificate in Diplomatic Studies — Investigate whether she can complete the 6-course certificate in 4 semesters as a transfer student
8
Study abroad feasibility — Can a transfer student study abroad? SFS encourages it, but 4-semester residency requirement may limit options. Explore summer programs in China as alternative
9
Course registration priority — Learn how Georgetown's registration system works for transfers — do juniors register early enough to get into popular courses?

Career Preparation

10
Security clearance preparation — Start compiling SF-86 data now: 10 years of addresses, foreign contacts, travel history, employment. Chinese contacts and travel require careful documentation
11
Pickering/Rangel status — Monitor whether 2026-27 fellowship cycles resume. Sign up for email alerts at both program websites
12
USAJobs profile — Create a USAJobs.gov account and set up email alerts for State Department internships (SIP, Pathways, VSFS)
13
FSOT registration — Register for the Fall 2026 or early 2027 FSOT as a practice run

Campus Life & Networking

14
Housing — Research Georgetown housing options for transfer students. On-campus housing may be limited; explore Burleith and Georgetown neighborhoods
15
Connect with current IECO students — Reach out through Georgetown admitted student groups, Reddit r/Georgetown, or the SFS student council
16
Carroll Round — If she has original economics research from UO, consider submitting to present at the Carroll Round conference (applications typically due in fall)
17
Pelosi Scholars Initiative — Research application timeline for this funded internship program for SFS students
18
Graduate school research — Begin researching Georgetown MSFS, Johns Hopkins SAIS, Tufts Fletcher, and GW Elliott School as potential Pickering/Rangel master's programs