Practitioners and scholars in fields as diverse as public policy, development, international relations, and security studies increasingly recognize that successful programs in their fields require effective and accountable governance. The Democracy and Governance Program seeks to understand the foundations of democratic and responsive government, how policymakers can create and implement policies to achieve these objectives, and prepares students for careers in democracy assistance, governance reform, politics, and international affairs. Situated in the heart of Washington D.C., this program is the most comprehensive and unique of its kind in the United States.

The program provides graduate training with its Masters in Democracy and Governance (M.A.), executive and professional education opportunities, and advances research in the areas of democratic change and governance reform through the Center for Democracy and Civil Society (CDACS). CDACS is a member of the National Endowment for Democracy's Network of Democracy Reserach Institutes, and conducts scholarly research, undertakes policy advocacy, hosts speakers and conferences, and publishes the biannual journal Democracy and Society.