International Studies, M.A.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold a B.A. or B.S. degree (or equivalent). There is no minimum GPA or test score required to be considered for the program. Admission is based on an evaluation of the applicant's potential for professional work. Admission is based on a holistic evaluation of the candidate's complete academic background including grades, test scores, past professional experience, and the evaluations contained in letters of reference. The decision also depends in part on the qualifications of the total pool of applicants.
The following application materials are required:
- Official Transcripts
- Official GRE Score
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume
- Personal Statement
Optional:
- Writing sample
Degree Requirements (30 Hours)
Students must take 12 hours of Core Substantive courses, 9 hours of Core Skills courses, and an additional 9 hours of electives. 12 hours (4 required courses) are taught in the Department of Political Science. For the remaining 18 hours, students may take a variety of additional Substantive and Skills courses offered in Political Science, or could substitute relevant courses in other departments, with the approval of the Director of the MAIS program. There is no language requirement, though students can take up to 6 credit hours of language courses as electives. Foreign language courses generally cannot be accepted as Core Substantive or Core Skills courses.
Core Substantive Courses (12 Hours)
Required:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POLI 715 | International Relations Theory | 3 |
| POLI 780 | Theories of Comparative Politics | 3 |
| Select six additional hours of specialized courses which include but are not limited to: | 6 | |
| Selected Topics in International Relations | ||
| Dictatorship and Democratization | ||
| International Trade Economics | ||
| International Monetary Economics | ||
| Comparative Economic Systems | ||
| Economics of Sustainable Development | ||
Any GLST 500+ Course | ||
| Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change | ||
| Economic Development Policy | ||
| International Development and the Environment | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Core Skills Courses (9 Hours)
Required:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POLI 502 | Methods of Political Analysis | 3 |
| POLI 706 | Advanced Methods of Political Analysis | 3 |
| POLI 506 | Writing for Political Science | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 9 | |
Electives (9 Hours)
Electives can consist of additional substantive or skills courses. Additionally, students who prefer to take foreign language courses may take up to 6 hours as electives. Course options include but are not limited to:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| POLI 501 | Internship in International Studies | 3-6 |
| POLI 794 | Selected Topics in International Relations | 3 |
| POLI 788 | Dictatorship and Democratization | 3 |
| ANTH 512 | Gender Issues in China | 3 |
| Any GLST course 500 or above | ||
| CHIN 550 | Advanced Special Topics in Chinese Studies | 3 |
| GEOG 517 | Socionatural Coastlines in Global Perspective | 3 |
| GEOG 568 | Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change | 3 |
| HIST 562 | The Middle East and the United States: 1800 to the Present | 3 |
| Any ARAB course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any CHIN course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| FORL 501 | Spanish for Medical Personnel | 3 |
| FORL 598 | Special Topics in Global Film and Media | 3 |
| Any FREN course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any GERM course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any HEBR course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any ITAL course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any JAPA course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any KORE course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any PORT course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any RUSS course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any SPAN course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| Any SWAH course (up to 6 credits) | ||
| POLI 542 | Research in Language Conflict and Language Rights | 3 |
| LING 542 | Research in Language Conflict and Language Rights | 3 |
| POLI 552 | Economic Development Policy | 3 |
| RELG 551 | Tradition and Transformations in Islamic Cultures | 3 |
| ANTH 515 | Tradition and Transformations in Islamic Cultures | 3 |
| ENVR 531 | Sustainability Management and Leadership Strategies | 3-4 |
| ENVR 534 | Water and Sanitation in Global Perspective | 3 |
| ENVR 538 | Global Food Politics | 3 |
| GEOG 538 | Global Food Politics | 3 |
| ENVR 540 | Decolonizing the Environment: Race, Nature, Power | 3 |
| SOCY 512 | Internal and International Migration | 3 |
| ECON 514 | The Economics of Terrorism | 3 |
Comprehensive Examination
To complete their MA-IS degree, students will complete either an oral or written comprehensive examination. The format of the exam will be declared in the student’s final semester of study, in consultation with the MA-IS Director, and administered by MA-IS faculty.