Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Build and present a foreign policy brief in this 2-week international relations program for middle school students on Georgetown University’s campus.
Course Description
What makes countries cooperate, and what pushes them into conflict? Students begin by examining nations as actors in an international system and learning how power, security, institutions, and identity can shape their choices. They compare major perspectives such as realism, liberalism, and constructivism, then use those ideas to make sense of alliances, nuclear deterrence, diplomacy, and international law.
Historical and contemporary examples help students connect theory to events with global consequences. Through readings, case analysis, multimedia, and discussion, they consider the Cold War, international organizations, environmental challenges, and questions of race, gender, and legitimacy in world politics. The goal is not to memorize one explanation, but to see how different frameworks can lead to different conclusions.
For the culminating foreign policy discussion, students represent a political actor, gather evidence, and work in teams to recommend a government response to an international problem. They organize their reasoning in a foreign policy brief and present a persuasive argument to the class.
This two-week course takes place at Georgetown University. Beyond class, students connect active academic exploration with campus life, growing independence, new friendships, and a clearer sense of what students may want to explore next. The program is developed by Georgetown University and offered in partnership with Summer Discovery.
What Will You Do?
• Compare realism, liberalism, and constructivism as explanations of world events
• Examine alliances, nuclear deterrence, diplomacy, and international organizations
• Analyze historical and contemporary issues through readings, cases, and discussion
• Represent a political actor in a team foreign policy discussion
• Gather evidence and develop a response to an international problem
• Present and defend a persuasive foreign policy brief
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Compare major international-relations theories and apply them to global events
• Analyze how power, institutions, identity, and competing interests shape foreign policy
• Develop and present an evidence-based response to an international problem
Students will leave with a completed foreign policy brief, experience presenting a team argument, and a clearer sense of which global issues they may want to explore next.
Why International Relations Skills Matter?
International relations asks students to look beyond a headline and consider who is involved, what each group wants, and which evidence supports a claim. Comparing different theories teaches students that the same event can be interpreted in more than one reasonable way.
Those habits strengthen research, critical reading, collaboration, and persuasive communication. Students practice separating facts from assumptions, listening to competing viewpoints, and explaining why a proposed response may work. These skills are useful in school discussions and group projects, especially when a question involves multiple interests and no simple answer.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for middle school students who have completed 6th, 7th, or 8th grade and are curious about world events, diplomacy, politics, conflict, or how countries work together. It is a strong fit for students who enjoy asking why governments make certain choices and considering how the same issue may look from several perspectives.
Students should be ready to read, discuss ideas, work with a team, and support an argument with evidence. Curiosity and a willingness to listen, question assumptions, and revise an idea are more important than already having firm opinions about international affairs.
Why Georgetown University?
Studying international relations on Georgetown University’s campus gives middle-school students a memorable place to begin in Washington, D.C. Embassies, global institutions, and public conversations are part of the city around them, making questions about countries, cooperation, conflict, and diplomacy feel less abstract and more connected to the world they see.
The program combines active academics with friendships, campus activities, clear routines, and support as students navigate a new environment. Students can try unfamiliar ideas, exchange perspectives with peers, and build confidence through a structured summer experience. For families, the program offers an engaging balance of learning and fun, with the community and guidance younger students need as they develop independence. The setting helps students leave with greater curiosity about global issues and a clearer sense of what they may want to explore next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive