The educational objective of the Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR) is to prepare students to become successful international affairs professionals. The curriculum provides the necessary training for operation in a complex and dynamic international environment.
Admission:
Admission to the M.A. program in international relations is granted for the fall semester only. Admission is limited to students whose academic records and letters of recommendation indicate exceptional promise of success in the advanced study of international affairs. For more detailed information of admissions requirements, please visit the Graduate School of Arts and Science Application Resource Center.
Course of Study:
Students are required to complete 40 points for the M.A. in international relations: three core courses in International Politics, Comparative Politics, and Quantitative Analysis (12 points); three international relations electives (12 points); three general politics electives (12 points); an approved internship (2 points); and a master's thesis (2 points).
The internship component is designed to provide students with practical experience in the field of international affairs. While participating in the internship, students simultaneously enroll in the internship supervision course to ensure thoughtful reflection on the experience.
Students must also complete a master's thesis. Students complete the thesis as part of the Master's Thesis Seminar course. The thesis will be a heavily researched academic work consisting of 10,000-15,000 words dealing with an important an timely topic in politics related to a student's chosen concentration. The thesis should demonstrate that a student has sufficient command of literatures and arguments pertaining to the chosen topic. Students are required to notify the thesis seminar course instructor at the initiation of research for the master's thesis and register for the M.A. thesis course. In conjunction with the M.A. program director and the thesis seminar instructor, students will choose a faculty thesis supervisor. Once a thesis topic and supervisor are designated, the director of M.A. programs must approve changes to them.
Students are expected to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in work for the master's degree. Each student should meet with the M.A. program adviser every semester to discuss and agree on a course of study. The director of the M.A. program will assign an adviser prior to the start of the student's first semester.
Foreign Language Requirement:
Students must demonstrate proficiency in one language other than English or, with permission of the director of M.A. programs, in intermediate of advanced statistics. Students demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by passing the GSAS foreign language proficiency examination or by completing an intermediate-level foreign language course with a grade of B or better. Students demonstrate proficiency in statistics by completing Quantitative Analysis II (G53.2127) with a grade of B or better.
