M.S. in Global Affairs

CURRICULUM

The M.S. in Global Affairs curriculum is designed to help you unravel the complex relationships between nations and key international factors and make sense of world events. Coursework covers subjects ranging from economic globalization and the issues facing developing countries to conflict resolution and international law. You gain the fundamentals of global affairs through a required core curriculum and choose the remainder of your courses from five concentration areas to match your interests. In your final semester, an advanced research or capstone project serves to complete the master’s degree program. The program can be completed in four semesters of full-time study or seven to 10 semesters of part-time study, and includes 14 three-credit courses for a total of 42 credits. You select from an array of courses that are offered during the day and in the evenings.

View complete degree requirements with links to course descriptions here .

CORE COURSES
Six required core courses provide you with the fundamental knowledge and skills that are essential for success in the global arena. The core requirements provide you with a grasp of the most important elements of international affairs. An additional regional study course provides an in-depth look at the political, social, and economic climate of one particular region in the world.

CONCENTRATIONS
You select one of six concentrations that build on the foundation you have attained in the core courses. A concentration consists of six courses chosen from one of six concentration areas or a combination of four courses from one concentration and two courses from any of the other concentrations. Attention is paid to the key trends and players in your specific area of concentration, including governments and international and regional organizations. Concentrations are offered in International Relations; Private Sector: International Business, Economics, and Development; International Law, Dispute Settlement, and Institutions; Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance; Environment/Energy Policy; and Transnational Security.

View descriptions of the six concentrations

ADVANCED INDEPENDENT RESEARCH OR CAPSTONE COURSE
Either an advanced independent research study or a capstone project is your final assignment, marking the culmination of your master’s degree program. If you choose the Advanced Independent Study, you select your own topic, most likely an issue related to your area of concentration, and conduct primary source research under the guidance of a faculty member. If you choose to complete the Capstone Project, you form a small team of classmates to tackle a global issue. Each teammate approaches the issue from his or her area of concentration, and together you produce credible, far-reaching scholarship that may reveal new solutions to the difficult problems facing the international community.

Recent advanced independent research projects include:

INTERNSHIPS
To provide real-world experience to our students, we cultivate internship opportunities with government agencies, NGOs, nonprofits, research institutes, and the media, as well as in the private sector. Our students benefit from our strong affiliations with the global community in New York City and our network of contacts at organizations such as the UN and its affiliated agencies. You may also find internship possibilities through your professor’s professional contacts.

NYU WAGNER SCHOOL OF PUBLIC SERVICE
Students in the Global Affairs program whose interests are in international development policy and management will have the opportunity to substitute certain electives offered by NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Wagner international degree programs are intended to prepare graduates for careers as policy analysts and managers for a variety of international public service employers, including multilateral and bilateral agencies, governments of developing countries, and NGOs.

STUDY ABROAD
The NYU Center for Global Affairs offers MSGA students opportunities for intensive coursework outside of the US. Study abroad electives combine classroom sessions on the NYU campus with classes and fieldwork in the host country. Led by NYU faculty and a CGA administrator, MSGA study abroad courses provide an historical perspective while examining political, economic and cultural realities firsthand. Students are engaged in relevant dialog on topics ranging from the environment and sustainability, democratic transition, women and youth, education and national security. Low student to faculty ratios make for an intellectually rigorous experience both in the classroom and in the field. In 2008, MSGA faculty will lead intensive study courses in Cuba, Ghana, China and Geneva. See course descriptions under the Curriculum link for more information about these electives.