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M.A. Program in International Affairs

These guidelines apply to students entering the program in Fall 2007 and are subject to modification.

The Curriculum

The multidisciplinary 40-credit M.A. program in International Affairs includes:

• A required core field (9-15 credits), taken in the first year, that provides students with a fundamental understanding of key political, economic and historical issues in international affairs.
  
• A major field (12 credits) with a global issues or regional focus. Possible major fields include:
   
  • Global Issues:
    
    
    • Conflict and Conflict Resolution
    • Global Health
    • International Security Studies
    • International Economic Affairs
    • International Affairs and Development
    • Technology and International Affairs
    • International Law and Organizations
    • U.S. Foreign Policy
      
  • Regional Fields:
    
    
    • Asia
    • Europe and Eurasia (including Russia)
    • Middle East
    • Latin America
  
  
• Electives (9-15 credits), which may include up to 6 credits of foreign language study, a second field of expertise, or other relevant course work.
  
• Thesis option: six credits of electives may be used to pursue a thesis. To propose a thesis, a student must have a GPA of at least a 3.5 after completing 20 credit hours in the M.A. program. The thesis subject must be approved in advance by a faculty member who has agreed to direct the thesis, a second faculty member who will serve as an additional reader, and the Dean. For more information on the thesis option, see Academic Policies & Procedures – Graduate Students, Thesis Option.
• Three credits of special skills-based professional workshops designed to supplement substantive graduate course work with practical skills and knowledge that students will need to perform effectively in the workplace.
  
• A one-credit capstone policy-related course taken at the end of the IA program that tests students' abilities to address a policy problem using the analytical, research, writing, and other professional skills they have acquired during their course of study.
  
• A language proficiency requirement in a modern foreign language. The ability to communicate across cultures in more than one language is both a distinguishing and expected skill of the international affairs professional. Therefore, completion of the M.A. in International Affairs requires a demonstrated oral and reading proficiency in a modern foreign language.
  

Updated: 04/20/07