Curriculum

Students are required to complete a total of six courses in any one of the seven concentrations, or a combination of four courses from one concentration and two courses from any of the other concentrations. Or, with the approval of the faculty advisor or program director, students may select a maximum of two courses from among designated courses in the graduate programs offered by the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

These courses reflect the increasing importance of energy in the formulation of foreign policy among countries the world over. Among the issues examined are: affordable supplies for sustainable economic growth, safeguards against supply disruptions, securing a sound environment, lessening dependence on fossil fuels, oil as a source of great wealth and hindrance to economic diversification, the Gulf's strategic importance, and the correlations between energy interests and foreign policy.

The proliferation of conflict in the post-Cold War era, often accompanied by gross violations of law and abuses against civilian populations, has focused attention on the need to strengthen international standards of behavior and justice. International law, transitional justice, human rights, protection of the environment, national reconstruction, and international organizations are playing an increasingly important role in the discourse of international affairs. These subjects are subsumed in this concentration.

Human rights protection and advocacy, refugees and internally displaced persons, issues in humanitarian assistance and intervention, women's movements and rights, the historical evolution of nongovernmental organizations and the increasingly important role they play in advocacy and in foreign policy are among the issues to be covered in this concentration.

This concentration approaches the study of international affairs from the vantage point of politics. These courses explore topics such as the analysis of conflict and means of avoiding and resolving strife through negotiation; the role of the media in shaping policies; the challenges of maintaining security without jeopardizing democracy; the new role of the US as the single superpower and the consequent impact internationally; and the elements that go into foreign policy formulation. Ample use is made of case studies and analyses of current issues and problems.

The concentration in peacebuilding examines the methodologies and applied strategies used to establish long-term, sustainable peace and security on a global scale. Peacebuilding emphasizes attaining stability and institutional reform on a structural level through the mediation of government institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the United Nations.

In this concentration, the courses provide you with a broad introduction to international business and finance, as well as in-depth examinations of such emerging issues as corporate power and social responsibility. Attention is paid throughout to the challenges of economic globalization and interdependence, the issues and problems associated with economic growth, and the relationship between economic growth and human development.

This concentration addresses the growing necessity for a multilateral approach to security issues that face the international community as a whole. It explores the heightened need for coordination between international agencies when confronting emerging global threats. Courses explore such topics as security policy, transnational crime, counter-terrorism, homeland security, and economic security.