The global arena is continually stirred up by biomedical events, from disease outbreaks and crises to the development of new tools and knowledge for public health.
Georgetown University’s Biomedical Science Policy & Advocacy (BSPA) curriculum, offered as a concentration within multiple Biomedical Graduate Education master’s programs, empowers students to contribute to evidence-informed decision-making in government, industry or other organizations with the potential to transform humanity’s future.
Study Where Policy Is MadeEarn your degree in Washington, D.C., with a unique window to the activities and resources of the U.S. government.
Learn From the ExpertsOur faculty and alumni have worked in the federal government, international organizations, and global health NGOs.
Georgetown University has been a fixture of Washington, D.C., since before there was a Washington, D.C. We have grown alongside the nation’s capital, and today, our academic programs benefit from deep connections to the government institutions found just up the road.
As a Georgetown Biomedical Science Policy & Advocacy (BSPA) student, you will meet professors, visiting speakers and peers with careers in the world of policy. You will see how the government operates in real time, and how the organizations around it contribute to decision-making. And you will gain the knowledge and skills to make an impact.
BSPA Programs
Three of our Master of Science programs offer the Concentration in Biomedical Science Policy & Advocacy:
Get comprehensive training on the infectious diseases and immune mechanisms that shape human health in an ever-changing world.
Courses & Capstone
The 9-credit Concentration in Biomedical Science Policy & Advocacy consists of two courses and a capstone project which students take as part of their master’s program.
The Biomedical Science Policy & Advocacy Capstone Project gives you hands-on experience in policy advising. You’ll go through the entire process of drafting a bill proposal – identifying an issue, developing a proposal to address it, and gathering references and arguments to support your policy. You will be matched with a mentor with experience in the topic you choose to pursue. At the end of the project, you will have a substantial proposal suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
This course is an introduction to how science and technology affect foreign affairs and how international affairs influence science and technology. It is suitable both for the policy generalist and for students with backgrounds in science. The course uses examples drawn from environment, security, nuclear policy, information, communications, energy, homeland defense, health, and manufacturing technology, and explores issues of sustainability, scientific risk and uncertainty, the links of science and technology with economics and geopolitics, scientific advice to governments, and government support to research and innovation. It explores the role of technological innovation in increasing productivity and competitiveness, and in solving critical social problems.
Science and health diplomacies use scientific, technological, and medical (STM) knowledge for collaborations, negotiations, and other activities among countries. These types of diplomacy aim to 1) address common international problems on STM and 2) build effective international partnerships and policies for STM. With greater globalization in business and other activities, the rapid spread of infectious diseases has become eminent, as shown in COVID-19. Thus, implementing comprehensive public health management globally, cross-border STM collaborations, and understanding cultural and national differences are crucial requirements for the world’s leaders.
The course is hands-on, and the course director will work closely with each student, from selecting topics to research methods and presentations in front of vital policy experts. The Project provides an opportunity for students to engage in high-level inquiry focusing on an area of specialization within their professional goals. Capstone projects will be inquiry and practice-centered and draw upon areas of interest to the student from the program, such as environmental health, national security, and regulatory science. All capstones aim to bridge theory and practice and are desired to impact the future professional life of students upon graduation. Through this course, students will develop a solid foundation of “science policy-making” step by step, including critical tools (literature search, use of congress.gov, interview techniques with STM experts) and methods (standards for creating science policy proposals) that need to create a comprehensive bill proposal. The Capstone Project will demonstrate the depth and extent of knowledge of students. Students who take this course learn every step of drafting a bill, from identifying its importance for the nations, including national security, public health, and regulations of emerging technologies to toxic substances based on environmental health and more. They will be matched with a mentor who is an expert in a specific topic a student chooses to pursue in their capstone project. They are expected to complete a substantial bill proposal with detailed references and arguments to support their bill proposal. At the end of the project, students are allowed to publish their work in a peer-reviewed journal. The course would prepare students to be policy advisors at government agencies or private think tank.
Scholarships
Students in Georgetown Biomedical Graduate Education programs are eligible for a number of scholarship opportunities based on merit and/or service.
In particular, federal employees should check their eligibility for our Federal Academic Alliance scholarship, part of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s effort to address critical skills gaps in mission-critical occupations.
“I aspire to work within a multidisciplinary team where I can contribute not only as a physician, but also as a productive researcher who pushes the boundaries of medical knowledge to improve patient outcomes.“
—Jonathan A. Teinor, 2024 Federal Academic Alliance Scholarship Recipient
Learn More
Prospective Students
Explore Georgetown’s biomedical community and learn how to apply to a program.
