Georgetown Master’s in Management Offers Fourth-Year Master’s Option to Early Graduates

After completing his undergraduate studies with Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) in just three years, Reed Hasson (MiM’21) decided to enroll in Georgetown McDonough’s Master of Science in Management (MiM), allowing him to earn two degrees in just four years. Hasson explains how the MiM program is building upon his undergraduate degree and highlights his passion for international development or foreign service.

What prompted you to choose the MiM program?

Upon graduating, I had not completely decided what career path I wanted to pursue and I did not have a background in business or the hard skills necessary to make a meaningful introduction into that future career. I knew I would want to touch up my business skills, but COVID-19 provided me with the opportunity and the time necessary to pursue this one-year master’s program. 

How do you believe the academics in the MiM program complement your SFS background? 

I believe that my SFS and MiM experiences go hand-in-hand. SFS provided me all of the necessary knowledge in economic theory and geopolitical backgrounds, while the MiM program adds nuance by teaching the more specific technical and applicable skills necessary for analysis. This program already has taught me how to understand the broader politics surrounding oil and energy, but also how to read a document outlining the financial health of a specific company. The MiM program provides the missing link of tangible skills to the more abstract SFS curriculum.

What classes in the program so far have been the most interesting or impactful to your aspirations outside of the classroom?

The Leadership Communications class has been immensely impactful. I always have thought of myself as a good leader and diplomatic speaker, but this class helped refine certain skills to help me become a more deliberate communicator. Accounting Fundamentals has been super useful because no matter what career I decide to pursue, the ability to read financial statements and translate them to the overall strategy of an organization is invaluable. 

How do you think the MIM program can benefit from students like yourself who complete their undergraduate degrees in three years?

If you’re a student graduating in three years, I would highly recommend pursuing this opportunity with MiM in the fourth year.  I love Georgetown and do not think that three years was enough time. The MiM program provides the opportunity to stay on campus for an extra year while gaining necessary career and interpersonal skills. For me, it was the ribbon to tie up all of my Georgetown experiences in a meaningful way, and to be able to graduate in four years with more skills that honored my undergraduate degree.

How do you believe the MiM degree will prepare you or set you apart from other graduates in your prospective career path?

I think a lot of people on the international development path have broad regional expertise and knowledge, but some candidates are missing a mixture of soft skills, such as effective communication and empathy. Through an emphasis on ethics and a broad view of communications, the soft skills are developed. The finance skills taught through the program are invaluable and provide a key point for anyone who wants to pivot their career at any point, rather than feeling stuck in their first industry post-graduation. 

What industries are you most interested in, and how will the MiM degree complement your undergraduate degree to help you succeed in those industries?

I am really interested in international development or foreign service. I think that my undergraduate degree provides the most important aspects necessary of geopolitical, historical, and regional knowledge necessary to provide context for whatever project I am on. However, the MiM program fills the necessary gaps in the hard skills and makes me a more holistic candidate for these positions.