D.C. Exchange Semester

Explore today's challenges in global security

Administered by Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Fletcher's D.C. Exchange Semester allows up to five MALD students to spend their fall semester in the University's Global Security & Development Program (GSDP). This program, which is held at The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank based in Washington, D.C., explores various economic concerns, political issues, institutions, and procedures related to security in both emerging markets and developing nations.

Master the evolving global security landscape

Students in the D.C. Exchange semester examine the conceptual, political, and practical dimensions of security through a combination of coursework and supervised internships. Courses offered through the program, which cover topics ranging from the transformational impact of artificial intelligence on the future of security to investigating multilateral trade and investment negotiations, help participants analyze broad elements of globalization and how they shape security in an era that's experiencing rapid universal change.

Live and study in the nation's capital

Participants in the D.C. Exchange Semester complement their studies at Fletcher with time spent living and studying in D.C., a meeting ground for some of the nation's most respected and powerful leaders, and home to hundreds of international embassies. Through coursework, internships, and meetings organized for classes, students find themselves with access to networking opportunities that can lead to future careers as diplomats, policy analysts, and consultants – in D.C. and beyond.