Center for Global Affairs

M.S. in GLOBAL AFFAIRS

The Master of Science in Global Affairs is the flagship graduate program of the Center for Global Affairs, ranked by the Foreign Policy Association in 2010 and 2011 as one the nation's leading institutions preparing students for international careers. The M.S.G.A. program provides an indispensable and interdisciplinary context for understanding critical issues in international politics, economics, peacebuilding, transnational security, international law, human rights, energy, the environment, and related areas. It gives you the in-depth knowledge and uniquely practical perspectives for becoming a successful, well-rounded professional in the global arena. Faculty members are both scholars and experienced practitioners, including former officers of the UN, international attorneys, leaders of organizations engaged in refugee relief and the protection of human rights, diplomats, activists, economists, and global energy experts. With them you will develop both nuanced analytical understanding and the methodologies to implement strategic solutions to critical global problems.

Our courses offer a unique and pragmatic approach, placing the requisite academic theory of global affairs into a practical, real-world context. The program, which may be taken on a part-time or full-time basis, takes into account the knowledge and tools necessary to understand today's complex interconnected society and to function effectively within it. The M.S. in Global Affairs is a 42-credit program, which includes three components: a core curriculum, a choice of concentrations, and either an advanced independent research project or a team-based capstone project. The core curriculum focuses on the fundamentals of global affairs. Areas of concentration currently include:

• International Relations
• Private Sector
• Human Rights and International Law
• International Development and Humanitarian Assistance
• Environment/Energy Policy
• Transnational Security
• Peacebuilding

The advanced independent research project involves primary source research under the guidance of a faculty member, and leads to a thesis. The capstone project involves the development of a collaboratively designed action plan informed by scholarship, that seeks to reveal new solutions to a difficult challenge facing the international community.

Courses are structured to meet the needs of both working professionals and full-time students. Typically, students complete the degree within two years of full-time study or two to five years of part-time study.

Our faculty are prominent players in the international arena; our staff offer workshops, networking events, and career advising to help students identify positions and potential employers that match their skills and ambitions; and our location in New York City—the commercial, cultural, and political hub of the world—provides our students with the opportunity to study with renowned international experts who blend theory with real-world experience.