The Maxwell School’s International Relations Program offers a professional master’s degree that prepares students for leadership in public and international affairs. The program emphasizes integrative interdisciplinary social science perspectives as well as practical and collaborative experiences that enable students to deal with global issues of governance and policy. The Ph.D. track prepares scholars in disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives on global socio-economic structures and processes, and on their local counterparts.

The Master of Arts in International Relations

The M.A. program attracts students from a wide variety of educational, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Of a typical entering class of 65 students, one-half come from North America and the rest from other parts of the world. About half the students are women.

Master’s students complete a 39-credit program that draws upon the rich resources of the entire Maxwell School, other colleges in the University (particularly the College of Law and the School of Management), and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

For the M.A. degree, there are three required courses: theories of international relations, microeconomic theory for international relations, and quantitative methods. Students also write a master’s paper at the end of their studies. With full-time commitment, students can complete the M.A. program in 16 months.

The remainder of the curriculum is flexible. M.A. students select two concentrations. Courses are then chosen to develop expertise in one of seven topical concentrations (global markets, foreign policy, global development policy, international environmental policy, global information policy, international law and organization, or intercultural communication and negotiation) and one of five geographic concentrations (such as Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, or Latin America).

Professional internships are an integral part of the M.A. curriculum. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the off-campus features of the International Relations Program:

The seven-week Summer Practicum in Washington, D.C., has two components: a policy seminar that meets all day once a week with a wide range of policy professionals from the international and domestic arenas and a substantial internship that encourages the practical application of policy analysis skills.

The seven-week Summer Internship Program in International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, offers professional internships in such institutions as the World Trade Organization, the International Organization for Migration, and the World Health Organization.

The Global Europe Program, offered in the fall semester, gives a pragmatic introduction to the European Union and economic, political, and social issues in European countries. It begins with an intensive seminar in Florence and continues with additional study and internships in Brussels, Florence, London, Madrid, Strasbourg, or other European cities.

Global Markets South is another seminar and internship program focusing on Mercosur and the emerging markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.

Other off-campus options include the semester-long Global Development Policy internship and seminar program in Washington, D.C., and a study abroad exchange program with the International University of Japan.

The seven-day Seminar on Multilateral Peacekeeping, held in New York City, is an intersemester program that gives students an academic grounding on multilateral peacekeeping and practical skills in planning and implementing peacekeeping operations. Students meet at the United Nations and at SU’s Lubin House with representatives from the U.N. and various nongovernmental organizations to analyze current missions and take part in simulation exercises.

The Seminar on European Peacemaking revolves around a week of lectures and discussion with scholars and practitioners during spring break in London. Students in conflict resolution, mediation, and social movements often work closely with Maxwell’s program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts.

Applicants to the M.A. program must demonstrate proficiency in a second language equivalent to at least two years of university-level study before completing the program. All are required to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English. Admitted students may begin their studies in the fall or spring semester.

Approximately one-third of the students in international relations receive some merit-based financial support from the program. Competition is keen for the several graduate assistantships and tuition scholarships awarded each year. Other students receive need-based support through SU’s Office of Financial Aid and may compete for assistantships awarded by other SU departments. 

Preparations for professional careers begin for new students even before the first day of classes. The Maxwell School’s director of career services and the program’s graduate director and global programs coordinator work with each student to discuss career objectives, abilities, and programs of study to meet the changing demands of the global marketplace. Professional skills workshops prepare students for policy advocacy, videoconferencing, and the design of policy simulations. In recent years, the program has successfully emphasized careers with intergovernmental organizations, international nongovernmental organizations, and multinational businesses.

The International Relations Program is located in Eggers Hall. Students in the school’s two professional master’s programs—international relations and public administration—share the Academic Village, which features comfortable study areas, lockers, a kitchen, and a lounge. The students also have exclusive access to a 30-unit computer lab.

Students benefit from Maxwell’s membership in the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), an elite group of 23 professional schools of international affairs. APSIA promotes the value of an international relations degree to employers and obtains and disseminates information about career opportunities.

Throughout their education in international relations at the School, students work closely with professors and each other. They forge ties that they maintain for many years, even as they disperse around the globe. Those ties form the foundation of the supportive network of alumni for which Maxwell is widely known.

Joint and Concurrent Degree Programs

Many students opt to pursue joint degrees with other colleges of Syracuse University. A joint degree program with the College of Law enables students to earn the M.A. in international relations and the J.D. in three years. Within Maxwell, a two-year dual degree program leading to both the M.P.A. and the M.A. in international relations offers students maximum preparation for careers valuing analytic and public management skills combined with global expertise. Participants in this highly integrated course of study enjoy the full range of offerings available in both programs. Prospective students interested in pursuing joint or dual degrees must be accepted by both programs and should indicate this preference on their applications.

The Ph.D. Track in International Relations

The IR program does not offer the Ph.D.  However, students interested in a doctoral program in the area of international affairs are encouraged to apply simultaneously to the International Relations master’s degree program and one of the Maxwell School’s eight doctoral programs. IR and the second department will review such applications and make separate admissions decisions.  

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