Goals of the Master of Arts in International Studies (MAIS) are three-fold.

• Gain substantive knowledge in comparative and/or world politics
• Build an understanding of the linkage between politics and economics in the international arena
• Master an ability to use a variety of tools in the study of comparative and/or world politics
• Develop a capacity to use theoretical knowledge for practical purposes

Each MAIS student works out an individualized curriculum in consultation with an advisor. The career path in which a student is interested influences the selection of elective courses and research tools to be undertaken. A student intending to work in an international non-government organization (NGO) might include courses thematically related to the work of the particular NGO and about the areas within which the NGO operates. Students looking towards investment banking careers should develop an expertise in international political economy and political risk. For employment by an agency working on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, course offerings in defense and foreign policy are recommended.

Degree Requirements

Program Options.  Two programmatic options are available to the student.

• Completion of 48 units.  No research paper required.
• Completion of 36 units and a research paper.

Research Paper.  For students completing only 36 units of coursework, composition of the Master’s Research Paper is the capstone project.  Papers should focus on a topic related to the field or sequence of courses in which the student has enrolled. The paper offers an opportunity to explore a topic of interest in depth and to bridge the worlds of theory and practice

Final Paper Portfolio.  All students are required to submit two papers to the program office.  One paper must be written during the student’s first semester in the program.  A second paper should represent the student’s best work and may come from a subsequent semester that the student was enrolled in the program.  Papers are used for accreditation reviews of the program.  The program’s Student Handbook provides additional details.

University Policies.  University policies detailed in the Academic Policies  section of the Bulletin apply.