ADMISSION
Admission to the M.A. program in politics 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 political science. This means an outstanding undergraduate record or other related evidence. Applicants with lower averages may be admitted where there is indication of a particular strength in political science and clear aptitude for graduate work. The general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required of all students, including all international students applying from countries in which the GRE is offered. All international students who are not native English speakers are also required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
COURSE OF STUDY
Four departmental fields of study are offered: political philosophy and theory, political economy, international affairs, and comparative politics. Students are required to complete a total of 36 points consisting of the following: eight courses (32 points), of which at least six must be in the department and four must be in one departmental field; an internship and corresponding supervision course (2 points); and a master’s thesis and corresponding seminar (2 points). Courses in the major field must include the field core course. This core course and one additional core course are required and are usually the first courses taken in the department.
As noted above, students must also complete a master’s thesis. Students will complete the master’s thesis as part of the Master’s Thesis Seminar course. The thesis will be a heavily researched academic work consisting of 10,000-15000 words dealing with an important and timely topic in politics related to a student’s chosen concentration. The thesis should demonstrate that a student has a 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. program 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 the M.A. program, in intermediate or 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.
CONCENTRATION IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Students complete up to nine courses, four of which must be in the international relations field, including the international relations core course; in addition, they must register for the Master’s Thesis Seminar and the Internship Seminar. The other courses are taken from a designated group in other disciplines in the Leonard N. Stern School of Business and in the Department of Politics. Each student is also expected to write a master’s thesis on a topic related to his or her program work.
Students in this concentration also register for a 1-point reading and research course (G53.3991), in which they produce a paper detailing how they will apply the methods, skills, or knowledge they obtain in their business courses to political science.
CONCENTRATION IN POLITICAL ECONOMY ANALYSIS
Students fulfill the concentration requirements by completing 16 points. The curriculum consists of a required course, Political Economy (G53.1400), designed to introduce students to literature and debates in the field of political economy, as well as an approved political economy topics course. In addition, two other 4-point approved economics courses must be completed. These economics courses are subject to approval from the director of the NYU Alexander Hamilton Center.
Additionally, students in this concentration must write their master’s thesis on a topic that deals with analyzing political economy and must also undertake at least one approved internship with a professional organization or agency specializing in political economy analysis. The internship is supervised by the director of the NYU Alexander Hamilton Center and should focus on either domestic or international politics.
MASTER OF ARTS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
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. This means an outstanding undergraduate record or other related evidence. Applicants with lower averages may be admitted where there is indication of a particular strength in political science and clear aptitude for graduate work. The general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required of all students, including all international students applying from countries in which the GRE is offered. All international students who are not native English speakers are also required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
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 an 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 master’s thesis as part of the Master’s Thesis Seminar course. The thesis is a heavily researched academic work consisting of 10,000-15000 words dealing with an important and timely topic in politics related to a student’s chosen concentration. The thesis should demonstrate that a student has a 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 choose a faculty thesis supervisor. Once a thesis topic and supervisor are designated, the M.A. program director 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 the M.A. program, in intermediate or 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.
JOINT DEGREE PROGRAM WITH JOURNALISM
The M.A. in international relations and journalism, offered in cooperation with the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, provides education and training at the master’s level for students to develop both journalistic skills and expertise in analyzing international politics and political phenomena. Courses from both departments are combined to provide the student with specialized knowledge of international relations and journalistic writing and/or broadcasting skills. The program is administered jointly by the Department of Politics and the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. For further information, contact the politics department or the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute.
