PROSPECTUS
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Academic Integrity
Course Offerings for the IR Degree
GLOBAL PROGRAMS/INTERNSHIPS
The Maxwell-Washington Summer Practicum
Geneva Internship Program
Global Europe Program
Global Markets South Program
Washington Global Security and Development Program
PHD OPTIONS
JOINT PROGRAMS
JD/IR Joint Degree Program

Economics/IR Joint Degree Program
Master of Public Administration/IR Joint Degree Program
RESEARCH CENTERS
Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflict

The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs

CAREER AND ALUMNI SERVICES
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
FIRST THINGS FIRST

GRADUATION PROCEDURES
SAMPLES OF IMPORTANT FORMS

There are three required courses for the M.A. degree: Theories of International Relations, Microeconomic Theory for International Relations, and Quantitative Methods. The remainder of the program is flexible, drawing upon the rich, multidisciplinary nature of the Maxwell School and courses in other colleges in the University, particularly the College of Law, the School of Information Studies, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and the School of Management, as well as the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Students may also pursue concurrent degree programs with other schools at the University.

M.A. students select a topic of international concern and a geographic area of interest. Courses are then chosen to develop expertise about the topic and region. Completion of 39 credits of coursework and a master's paper are required for the M.A. degree. Proficiency in a second language equivalent to at least two years of university-level study must be demonstrated before completing the program. With full-time commitment, the M.A. can be completed in 16 months. A flexible 30-credit option is available for mid-career professionals who have significant relevant experience.

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. Both programs review applications and make separate admissions decisions. Students who are admitted to both degree programs earn the M.A. in International Relations and the Ph D. from another Maxwell School department or Program. The Ph D. track prepares scholars in disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives on global socio-economic structures and processes, and on their local counterparts. The program emphasizes comparative and integrative/disintegrative aspects; for example, comparative politics, history, and culture, as well as the political economy of cross-border transactions and their local impacts.

While not required for graduation, internships are an integral part of the M.A. curriculum. The International Relations Program offers a seven-week summer program in Geneva, Switzerland, which provides a pragmatic introduction to the workings of specific international organizations. Students have worked in such institutions as the International Organization of Migration, UNCTAD, UNITAR, and the Institut Henry Dunant.

The program also offers a seven-week practicum in Washington, DC. This gives students the opportunity to strengthen their ability to analyze information and present it clearly in written and oral forms, to make persuasive presentations of policy options, to participate effectively in small group problem solving, and to develop skills for working as professionals in organizational settings. The practicum has two interrelated components: a weekly seminar at Syracuse University's Greenberg House and an internship that provides practical applications to what students learn in the seminar. Students have worked in such organizations as the U.S. Department of State, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Red Cross, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

For students interested in the European Union and South America, the IR Program offers Global Europe and Global South. Offered during the fall semester, Global Europe begins with a one-week program in Strasbourg, France, where students learn about latest developments with respect to the European Union and its proposed expansion. In the Global South Program, also offered during the fall semester, students learn about Latin America through specialized coursework and an internship in Chile. Students can earn up to nine credits ineither programs.

Another fall semester option is the Washington Global Security and Development Program. Students earn six to nine credits through academic coursework instructed by international affairs practitioners.  Students can also earn up to three credits working as an intern for a government agency, an international organization, an NGO, or a private sector firm. This program is offered jointly by the International Relations Program of the Maxwell School (Syracuse University, the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (University of Pittsburgh) and the Graduate School of International Studies (University of Denver).

All applicants to the International Relations Program are required to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); international students must also submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Approximately one-half of the students in the M.A. in international relations receive some merit-based financial support from the program. Competition is keen for several graduate assistantships and tuition scholarships that are awarded each year. U.S. citizens and international students are eligible for such merit-based aid. However, only U.S. citizens are eligible for need-based support through the University's Office of Financial Aid.

As befits a program in international relations, the student body is diverse. Of a typical entering class of 80-90 students, 40% hail from outside the United States.  About one-half of the current students are women, and approximately 20% of the domestic students are US minorities.

The International Relations Program is located in Eggers Hall, where technology supports a truly global reach of electronic resources. Students in the School's two professional programs, Public Administration and International Relations, have 24-hour use of the Academic Village, which features comfortable study areas, lockers, a kitchen, and a lounge. These students also have exclusive access to a nearby computer lab with 30 work stations.

Preparations for career placement begin for new students even before the first day of classes. The School's Director of Career and Alumni Services, the Program's Associate Director of Graduate Studies, and the Global Programs Coordinator work together with each student to match career objectives, abilities, and program of study to the changing demands of the global marketplace. Students are invited to career days in Washington, D.C. and New York City organized by local Maxwell alumni in those cities. The School has been very successful with placement of graduates to important positions in international affairs. In recent years, the School has successfully emphasized preparation for graduates for careers with intergovernmental organizations and international nongovernmental organizations.

Throughout their Maxwell education, students work closely with professors and each other. Ties forged here are maintained throughout one's career, even as graduates disperse throughout the globe. This is the foundation of the supportive network of alumni for which Maxwell is known.

Syracuse University awards the degree of Master of Arts in International Relations upon completion of graduate course work totaling 39 credits with a grade point average of "B" (3.0) or better. In most cases, 39 credits equate to 13 courses, except that the summer internship programs (described below) offer six credits. A flexible 30-credit option is available for mid-career professionals who have significant relevant experience. There are three required courses:

You must complete both a Career Track (topical concentration) and a Regional Concentration of nine credit hours each. Possible Career Tracks are Global Markets, Intercultural Communication & Negotiation, Global Development Policy, International Environmental Policy, International Law & Organization, Foreign Policy, and Global Information Policy. Possible geographic areas are Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Other concentrations, such as Africa and the Middle East may be possible upon consultation with the Associate Director of Graduate Studies and approval of a petition to the faculty.

You may enroll in the graduate courses of various departments to fulfill these requirements. Some seminars may allow you to write a research paper dealing with a problem or policy of some region, for example, the debt crisis in Latin America. In such a case, in consultation with the Associate Director of Graduate Studies, the course may be counted in a geographic concentration on Latin America.

Several courses might be counted in more than a single concentration. For instance, a seminar on U.S.-East Asian Trade might fit topical concentrations in Global Markets, as well as a geographic concentration on Asia. However, you cannot count a single course as part of two concentrations.

The summer internship programs may, under some circumstances, help fulfill either the topical or the geographic concentration. Depending upon the work that you do in the internship, three credits of the six-credit experience can count in either your topical or geographic concentration. The key here is the nature of the internship itself. If you wish to count part of the internship toward a concentration, consult with the Associate Director of Graduate Studies prior to undertaking the internship.

Our alumni tell us that competence in a second language is especially important for success in a career in international affairs. In addition to the topical and geographic concentrations, you must demonstrate a working knowledge of a second language. The M.A. Program requires competence in a second language, in addition to your own native language, at the level which is achieved after completing two years of formal, university-level instruction in the language.

International students whose native language is not English can count English as their second language. Competence in a second language can be demonstrated in several ways. You may present a college or university transcript showing completion of study in the language at the level of the fourth semester of instruction. You may sit for a short test (which is ordinarily used to place undergraduates) administered by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at Syracuse University. For certification of competence in languages which are not offered at Syracuse University, the department above, in conjunction with the International Relations Program, will find an examiner.

You may take courses in a second language during your M.A. curriculum, but only those courses taught at the graduate level of instruction (numbered 500 and above) can count toward the requirements of the M.A. degree. Graduate courses taught by a language department that deals with international relations in some substantive respect can often be counted toward the M.A. requirements; you should confer about each case with the Associate Director of Graduate Studies.

Your M.A. paper must be approved by two faculty readers, at least one of whom must be listed as a member of the International Relations Faculty. Such an approval will often entail revisions which also must be approved by the two faculty readers. You are responsible for getting two faculty members willing to read and evaluate the M.A. paper. Students should seek approval from the Associate Director of Graduate Studies for readers other than those listed as IR faculty members. The IR Chairperson may exercise discretion over faculty approval if the paper does not meet minimal acceptable standards of the IR Program.

Students must submit the IR Program Paper Form (Attachment H) at least one month prior to their expected graduation date. Upon final approval of the M.A. paper, the concerned faculty readers should send to the Associate Director of Graduate Studies, or to the Assistant Director, a written statement (on department stationery or via email) that they have read and approved the Master's paper.
 

Please note that full-time students must successfully complete all MA requirements (including the master’s paper) within two years of the start of their studies.  For example, if a student begins her/his program in August 2005, she/he will have until August 2007 to complete all MA requirements.  Beyond that point, students will lose their full-time student status.  Degrees will not be conferred until completion of the master’s paper.

The usual "load" of graduate courses in the Maxwell School of Syracuse University is four courses per semester and two during summer sessions. At this rate, the M.A. can be earned in 16 months: four courses first fall semester, four courses spring semester, two courses summer session, and three courses second fall semester. Those international students who require concomitant study of English composition may need longer to complete the program. And those students who are simultaneously pursuing two graduate degrees will require longer, the amount of extra time depending on the specifics of each joint degree program. Students may maintain full-time status for a maximum of two years, starting from the semester students began their studies. Only in cases of highly unusual circumstances will the IR Program approve a student's full-time status beyond two years. Students may take more than two years to complete the degree, but they will not be able to maintain their full-time student status after two years.

The Graduate School requires you to complete the M.A. within seven years of first matriculation (and that includes the duration in which credits transferred from another institution were acquired). The grade of Incomplete ("I") is often awarded by discretion of the instructor when the work for a course is not completed by the end of the semester. An "I" is treated as an "F" in computation of grade point average. After 12 months, the "I" becomes a permanent "F." In unusual circumstances, requesting an "I" from an instructor may be tactically prudent--for instance, after a brief unanticipated disruption of studies you may wish to concentrate on three courses and complete the fourth shortly after the end of the semester. However, instructors are not required to award the grade of "I," and you can dig a very deep hole for yourself by accumulating more than one "I" for a short period. A "Request for Incomplete" (Attachment A) form must be filled out, signed by both the instructor and Director of Graduate Studies and taken to the Registrar's office. The "Request for Incomplete" form is available in the IR office and a copy of the completed form should be placed in your file.

Credit for courses taken at another institution at the graduate level of instruction, in which the grade of "B" or better was earned, can be counted toward the requirements for the M.A. in International Relations. Each course must deal in an integral way with some aspect of international affairs that is otherwise relevant to your program of study here. A maximum of 9 credits (usually equivalent to three courses) may be taken outside of the Maxwell School and applied to the M.A. in International Relations. This includes credits transferred from another university, as well as courses taken at other Colleges of Syracuse University (such as Law and Management) or SUNY-ESF. A transfer of credits from another univeristy is accomplished by completing a "Petition to the Faculty" form (Attachment B). The completed form should be given first to the Director of Graduate Studies and then to the Graduate School; the petitioner must provide a brief description of each course for which credit is sought. The most persuasive information about the course's relevance is a syllabus or copy of written work completed. The "Petition to the Faculty" form is available in the IR office and a completed copy of the form should be placed in your file prior to your carrying it to the Graduate School. A petition is not needed for courses (law, management, etc.) taken at Syracuse University outside of the Maxwell School.

A concise, authoritative statement of other rules pertaining to graduate study is found in the booklet, "Syracuse University Bulletin, Academic Rules and Regulations." The International Relations office has several copies.

The International Relations Program continues to improve and to evolve. By the time you complete the M.A., the offerings and rules may have changed somewhat. The rules which govern your program, however, are those which are in effect the first semester in which you matriculate in the program.

The courselist for the MA-IR Program illustrates the diversity of offerings that are available for IR graduate students, but it might not include all that is available. You should consult carefully the complete course catalogs published by Syracuse University. It is rare that one earns a M.A. in International Relations without taking courses in at least four departments of the Maxwell School. You should talk with the Associate Director of Graduate Studies if you feel that a class offered in another school of the University (such as Law, Management, or SUNY-ESF) would be relevant to the International Relations Program. A maximum of nine credits can be taken at schools outside of Maxwell and applied toward the M.A. in International Relations.
 

Dr. Michael Schneider directs the six-credit Maxwell-Washington Summer Practicum: seven weeks of professional involvement, useful not only for skills learned but also for beginning to build the network of contacts required for a successful career in the nation's capital. As an intern you will spend three or four days a week working for an agency or organization; the fifth day is devoted to seminars and a variety of activities which offer an "insider's look" at how Washington works. This experience is particularly valuable if you hope to make a career either in the U.S. government or in the many non-profit organizations which seek to influence government policy. The Practicum utilizes the Maxwell School's Paul Greenberg House, located one block from the Woodley Park Metro Station.

You will find internships from an internship database, which is systematically updated, and contacts developed by the Chair of International Relations, and the Global Programs Coordinator. In recent summers, M.A. students obtained internship placements at the following organizations:
 

Amnesty International
Center for Naval Analyses (CNA)
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
White House
National Security Archive
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Investor Responsibility Resource Center (IRRC)
TransAfrica
U.S. Department of State, Latin America
U.S. Information Agency (USIA)
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Congressional Research Service, Economics Division
 

Housing for the Maxwell-Washington Summer Practicum is available at the Calvert House, 2401 Calvert St., NW, just two blocks from Syracuse University's Greenberg House. Syracuse University leases several apartments at the Calvert House, which is located in the heart of Woodley Park in Washington. Enrolled students who need housing will be assigned to one of these multiple-occupancy units, but students are also free to find their own accommodations. The two bedroom, two bathroom apartments are fully furnished, including dishes, cookware, bed & bath linens, cable TV, local telephone service, computers with internet service, and all utilities. Parking is available at an additional fee of $75 per month.

Early each fall, the directors of the Maxwell-Washington Summer Practicum and the Geneva Internship Program hold informational meetings for interested M.A. students. The application deadline is October 15 (obviously, the deadline does not apply to January entrants). As soon as possible, students need to submit to the internship directors an indication of their placement interests. Desirable placements tend to be snapped up quickly, so an early focused search is important. Details about the placement process vary from year to year and location to location, so you should watch for notice of the organizational meetings.

Geneva is an ideal place for an internship as it hosts a number of international organizations such as the International Labor Office (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and World Trade Organization (WTO).

Students successfully completing the seven-week program will earn six graduate credits in International Relations. The Geneva Program is jointly administered by the International Relations Program and the Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA).

The first several days of the seven-week program are devoted to a general orientation to Switzerland and Swiss culture, an introduction to international organizations, and a more specific orientation to the city of Geneva.

The program involves a five-day per week internship in one of the many international organizations located in Geneva. The internship work is augmented by weekly, early evening lectures by international scholars associated with post-graduate research institutes and with the University of Geneva. Students are expected to keep a daily journal of their experiences as interns and to write a research paper on a topic jointly agreed upon between the student and the program director.

Participants arrange and pay for their own transportation to and from Geneva. Housing is available at the John Knox International Center for the entire duration of the program. The John Knox Center provides simple living arrangements in single and double rooms, dining facilities and lounge areas. It is set in a park-like region on the outskirts of Geneva, within walking distance of nearly all the United Nations agencies. Many of the lectures will be held in the John Knox Center.

Global Europe pulls together the academic, experiential and professional strands of the MA-IR program to focus on the European Union and its projected expansion. Global Europe has three elements: (a) a seminar on the European Union; (b) a supervised internship in Europe; and (c) an independent study course. These three elements result in nine credits for the MA-IR Program, and place the students in an ideal position for completing their program paper. Each of the elements plays an important role in the preparation of the students for their professional lives.

This Program is offered by the International Relations Program in collaboration with the EU Center of the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs here at Maxwell. The program is open to all qualified students in the Maxwell School.

Combinations of seminars, language-training programs, independent study projects, and country-specific elective courses follow the one-week EU seminar in Strasbourg, France. You may elect an internship anywhere in Europe. For example, through the Global Programs Office, you may find an internship like previous program participants in Budapest, Hungary, in Leipzig, Germany, and with many international business firms.

Global South is a one-semester seminar and internship program with a focus on Latin America. The Global South Program provides IR students with a pragmatic introduction to the continent, as well as to the international business and financial institutions in the Southern Cone region.

Global South pulls together the academic, experiential and professional strands of the MA-IR program to focus on the Latin American region. Global South has three elements: 1) a seminar on the history and politics of twentieth-century Latin America; 2) a seminar on contemporary social, political, and cultural issues in Chile and Latin America; and 3) the choice of either a supervised internship in Chile or an guided research course led by a Chilean academic. These three elements result in nine credits for the MA-IR Program, and place the students in an ideal position for completing their program paper. This program also plays an important role in preparing students for their professional lives.  This is truly a unique opportunity that lets students pursue both their regional interests and their topical concentrations in an environment that lets them experience directly what their studies at Maxwell have introduced. Global South is offered by the International Relations Program, Syracuse University's Division of International Programs Abroad, and the Program on Latin America and the Caribbean as a collaborative effort.

The Global Security & Development Program (GSDP) seeks to enhance participants' understanding of the issues, institutions and procedures involved in security & development, and to build professional skills needed for career opportunities. In a period of rapid global change, national/international security and emerging markets/developing nations are central economic and political concerns. The GSDP will deal with the conceptual, policy and practical dimensions through a combination of courses and supervised internships.

The program will help participants to:
(1) analyze the several broad elements of globalization that will affect security, emerging markets and developing countries;
(2) gain knowledge of rules, procedures, policies, institutional approaches through contacts with officials and experts in national/international security, trade/investment, and economic development and/or officials and experts in conflict resolution, transitional justice and support for democratization;
(3) build professional skills through supervised internships, and
(4) network for career opportunities through course work, internships, and related meetings organized for the class as well as personal contacts facilitated by the program

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. Both programs review applications and make separate admissions decisions. Students who are admitted to both degree programs earn the M.A. in International Relations and the Ph D. from another Maxwell School department or Program. Only a few students are admitted each year into this very competitive, but separately-funded Ph D. track.

The Ph D. track prepares scholars in disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives on global socio-economic structures and processes, and on their local counterparts. The program emphasizes comparative and integrative/disintegrative aspects; for example, comparative politics, history, and culture, as well as the political economy of cross-border transactions and their local impacts.

The International Relations Program is appropriate to the pursuit of many combinations of disciplines within the Maxwell School and beyond. Below are some examples of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary programs offered in conjunction with the International Relations Program.

Students enrolled in the joint JD/IR degree program must earn a total minimum of 99 credits in both the Maxwell School and the College of Law.

The MA-IR requires 39 credits, 27 of which will be from designated Maxwell IR courses and 12 of which may be earned by coursework at the College of Law. To apply a course taken in the College of Law to the M.A. in International Relations at the Maxwell School, the law course must deal with some aspect of international affairs, and the grade must be at least a "B." Examples of such courses include (but are not limited to):

The Maxwell School recently introduced a Joint Economics and International Relations Option. This rigorous course of study allows you to earn two MA degrees--in International Relations and in Economics--in only two years. You will be expected to complete challenging courses in economic theory as well as econometrics, in addition to core courses in International Relations. We expect our most promising IR students with a strong interest in Economics to take advantage of this unique opportunity to acquire a strong inter-disciplinary expertise.

Summer of Year One (3 Credits)
ECN 605 – Mathematics for economists. Mathematical techniques required for economics including calculus, matrix algebra, difference and differential equations, and set theory.
 
First Semester (12 Credits)
PSC 651 – Theory of International Relations. Contemporary Theories and approaches to understanding and explaining international behavior at single-nation, multiple-nation, and systematic levels.
ECN 601 – Survey of Microeconomic Theory. For graduate students with little recent work in economics.
ECN 521 – Economic Statistics. Theory and application of statistical methods applied to economics.
IR Seminar: Geographical Concentration

Second Semester (12 Credits)
ECN 602 – Survey of Macroeconomic Theory. For graduate students with little recent work in economics.
ECN 522 – Econometric Methods. Statistical procedures and problems of estimating parameters in regression models of economic behavior.
ECN 566 – International Macroeconomics and Finance. Monetary, fiscal, and regulatory consequences of mushrooming international financial markets including equities, bonds, and other securities, commodity and options contracts, and bank deposits and loans.
IR Seminar: Geographical Concentration

Summer of Year Two (6 Credits)
Many students choose to spend the summer of their first year at an internship. There is a wide range of professional internships available for students. They may choose to spend the summer in Washington D.C. working for such organizations as the World Bank or U.S. International Trade Administration, or in Geneva working for the World Trade Organization or a NGO.
 
Third Semester (12 Credits)
Syracuse Campus
ECN 665 – International Economics. Balance of payments, foreign exchange markets, international trade theory, tariffs, quotas, adjustment mechanisms, and exchange controls.
IR Seminar: Geographical Concentration
ECN Elective
IR Elective
 -or-
Development Semester in Washington, DC
Conflict Resolution – Theory and Practice
Effective Trade/Investment Practices in Emerging Markets
Globalization and Development
Non-Traditional Security Challenges in International Politics
Internship
 
Fourth Semester (12 Credits)
ECN Elective
ECN Elective
IR Elective
IR Elective
MA Paper (no credit)
 
Total = 57 Credits
 
Prerequisites
 
A minimum of one year of economics principles (and preferably intermediate economics) at the undergraduate level is required. Students must demonstrate basic competency in differential and integral calculus. Students can satisfy the mathematics requirement by taking ECN 605 during the summer preceding the first semester of the program.

For more information about the Joint Economics and International Relations Option, contact Dr. Stuart Brown, Professor of Economics and International Relations.

The Maxwell School also offers the opportunity to earn its top-ranked Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree as well as the professional MA in International Relations (MA-IR) in two years. Through an integrated plan of study, the joint MPA/MA-IR Program, you can fulfill the requirements for both degrees with the completion of 58 credits in a two-year time frame.

Here is a suggested outline of the number of credits a joint MPA/MA-IR could take in the two-year duration of study:
Summer 2005....(7 credits)...............MPA Summer Colloquium
Fall 2005...........(12 credits).............Combination MPA and IR courses
Spring 2006.......(12 credits).............Combination MPA and IR courses
Summer 2006....(6 credits)...............Maxwell-Washington Summer Practicum or Geneva Program, or course credits
Fall 2006...........(9 credits).............Combination MPA and IR courses
Spring 2007.......(6 credits)...............Combination MPA and IR courses
Summer 2007....(6 credits)...............MPA Workshop & Leadership course

The Dual MPA/MA-IR is a highly integrated plan of study that combines the Maxwell School's existing strengths in public sector economics and management with practical training relevant for careers in a particular region of the world. Students take both PA and IR courses in the same semester and enjoy the full range of offerings available in both programs: PA electives and the MA-IR internship programs.

Students undertaking the dual course of study are separately admitted by the Public Administration and the International Relations Programs. Students fulfill the core requirements, specializations, and capstones for both programs. Upon completion of these requirements, students receive two degrees, the MPA from Public Administration, and the MA-IR from International Relations.

For more information, please contact the Department of Public Administration or the International Relations Program.

Maxwell is the home of several well-respected research centers which utilize multidisciplinary approaches in their endeavors. Research and scholarship abound in several institutes, programs, and research centers.

PARC supports a wide variety of courses that focus on theory-building and research aimed at analyzing social conflicts and methods of transforming them so they become amenable to just and enduring solutions. The program offers an interdisciplinary base for the study of social conflicts for graduate students in a degree-granting program of Syracuse University or State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Once matriculated in the International Relations Program, you can apply to one of the three Certificates of Achievement granted by PARC:
 

1) Conflict Resolution
2) International Peace Studies
3) Environmental Conflict Resolution
 

If you are interested in applying to PARC you must request that the Graduate School send to PARC a copy of your approved Program of Study (Attachment C) for your degree program. This serves as verification that you have completed the required course work, which is described below. You must submit a Proposed Program of Study at least one semester before receiving your degree, although it is highly recommended that this be done near the beginning of the graduate program, since course work must be approved by PARC. The Director of PARC is responsible for approval of your proposed program of study.
 

The Program on Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts has developed a course listing that provides graduate students with an overview of the many courses available at Syracuse University and SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry that relate to conflict and to global peace studies. You should read the Graduate School catalogs and contact specific schools, departments, and faculty for additional information on course content, meeting times, prerequisites, and special restrictions.

The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs has as its purpose the exploration of international and global concerns raised by an increasingly interdependent world of diverse cultures, economies, and political systems. We are intent on broadening our knowledge and understanding of challenges to the quality of governance globally. In particular, we are interested in learning more about the development of civil society in transitional countries and the role of transnational non-governmental organizations in such development; the ways in which ideas, people, jobs, and money are moving around the globe and the practical implications of such mobility; and the factors that are important in helping people and societies feel more secure in this era of transnational terrorism, catastrophes, and pandemics.

The Moynihan Institute will provide a multidisciplinary, collegial environment where faculty members and graduate students from across the seven departments in the Maxwell School can work together. It will become the “home away from home” each year for a number of visiting scholars and practitioners from around the world, enhancing the dialogue and exchange of ideas among Maxwell faculty and students. And it will house the Center for European Studies, the European Union Center, the South Asia Center, and the Program on Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA) as well as a number of fellowship and internship programs for students and workshops for returning professionals.

The Global Affairs Institute is located on the third floor of Eggers Hall. Its programs include the following:

1) European Union Center

2) Center for European Studies
2) Program on Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA)
3) South Asia Center
 

The Career and Alumni Services office is an integral part of the International Relations Program and it can offer students a wide array of services. However, we can only stress that it is your responsibility to make initial contacts with the director and associate director, and take advantage of the resources available in the Career Services office. If we had only one piece of advice to give--start early.

Jennifer Potter Hayes is the Director of Career and Alumni Services. She is located at 202C Maxwell Hall and can be reached at 315-443-5453.
 

Services Offered

Career Search Strategies: Recognizing that career needs vary according to the individual student, assistance will be given in systematic career search organization. The Career Services office, as well as the many libraries on the Syracuse University's campus, has numerous books on international careers and internships.

Resume Preparation: The Career Services office will work with you in the preparation of your resume. The office does not provide printing facilities, but you can use the services of the Electronic Publishing Center, Sims Hall, Room 001. You can bring a typed copy of your resume to the Electronic Publishing Center and their staff will type-set the resumes for you.

Resume Distribution Service: Agencies that express an interest in seeing resumes of students who might be interested in their organization will be sent a sample of resumes. It is in your interest to file five or six resumes with the Career Services office to speed up this process. You will need to fill out a career survey in which you indicate job interests, geographic preferences, and other relevant information.

Workshops: Sessions will be held on resume writing, finding jobs in the federal government, interviewing, and salary negotiation. Audio-visual and written information is also available in the Career Services office. Other topics can be explored if there is student interest and participation.

The Jobfinder: The Career Services office publishes a list of job openings on a bi-weekly basis. These can be found in the Career Services office, on the bulletin board, or mailed to alumni. The International Relations office also keeps up-to-date copies of Federal Career Opportunities (bi-monthly), International Career Employment Opportunities (twice a month), and International Affairs Career Bulletin (monthly).

Alumni: The Career and Alumni Services office also has access to alumni directories and is working to computerize a matching process.

Career Day Seminars: Panelists will be invited to the Maxwell School from various levels of governments or international organizations to discuss their jobs, their career paths, and placement opportunities.

Washington Career Day: A career day is held in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the Washington-Maxwell Alumni Association. The participants will discuss job hunting strategies in the D.C. metropolitan area for different levels of government and public interest groups.

Recent Placements

Below is a list of some recent placements of Maxwell students who have earned a M.A. in International Relations:
 

Eggers Hall

The International Relations Program is located in Eggers Hall, an advanced technology learning environment. The building is open 24 hours a day with access in the late evening and on weekends by your coded ID card.

The Academic Village, an area on the second floor dedicated to Maxwell's two professional degree programs, International Relations and Public Administration, has a large space for quiet study and a smaller space for team study and group projects. There are three computers in the Academic Village for your use, and the tables are equipped for lap-top access to the Maxwell computer network. These two spaces are separated by a lounge with kitchen facilities that also houses your mailbox. Access to the Academic Village and lounge is through Room 234 which is equipped with a punch-code lock. Check with the IR Program for this special code. A small group project room (232) is available for small student meetings or quiet group study. The IR office schedules the use of this room.

You will be provided with lockers and combination locks on a space available basis to store books and lap-top computers. These lockers are located in the halls outside the Academic Village and lounge areas. Contact the IR Office for locker assignments.

IR/PA GRADUATE STUDENT COMPUTER LAB
 

One of the facilities available in Eggers Hall is the IR/PA Graduate Student Computer Lab (040 Eggers). Intended for general computing by graduate students in the Public Administration and International Relations Departments, the lab contains 30 Pentium computers with a variety of software and a high quality laser printer. IR/PA graduate students have access to this lab 24 hours a day, except when the lab is used for teaching classes. To make this lab as productive a facility as possible for you and your fellow students, the following is a brief discussion of resources available and responsibilities associated with using the lab. Access and Use:

All IR and PA graduate students will be given keycard access to the lab. The lab door should be kept closed and locked at all times. Your department will arrange for a copy of your ID card to be passed on to the person responsible for the security system for the lab. If your ID does not work, check with your department to find out if you have been given access. If you have been given access and your ID still does not work, you probably need to get your card "remagnetized" at ID Card Services in room 204 of Steele Hall.

Please do not let other students into the lab. If a student has been given access, he or she can enter the lab using their own ID. Security of this valuable computer equipment is crucially important and depends on the lab being locked and unauthorized users out. If the equipment in the lab is damaged or stolen, there is a good chance it will not be replaced. Since the lab will be unattended most of the time, security depends on you!

One of the primary objectives of this lab is to provide a location where teaching of computer skills as part of the IR/PA graduate curriculum can take place. The lab is intended for short-term usage by classes and may be scheduled for 3 to 4 hours of teaching from 8:30 until 4:30, Monday through Friday. A schedule of the week's classes will be posted on the door at the beginning of the week. Please check the schedule before entering the lab. Instructors will be asked to let non-class students use any open machines available as long as there is no disruption to the class. However, the instructor does have the discretion of limiting access to the lab if they feel it disrupts their class.

The IR/PA Graduate Student Computer Lab is intended as a place where students can work together on computer projects; however, you need to be considerate of others using the lab. If conversations are necessary, they should not disturb other lab users. If a student asks you to reduce the volume of the conversation, please honor this request. Please, do not take food and beverages into the lab. One spilled cup of coffee can ruin thousands of dollars of computer equipment. Please be considerate of your classmates who also need to use this lab.

Network Accounts:

All students will be issued accounts on the Maxwell School Windows XP Server. Each computer in 040 Eggers is running Windows-XP Workstation. An account on this server will be required to run any of the machines in the lab. To logon to an account, first press the CRTL-ALT-DELETE keys together. A dialog box will come up.

In the Username box, type the username that you have been given. The Username is case sensitive so be careful as you type it. All Usernames are 8 characters or less and are set according to Computing and Media Services standards. Use the TAB key to go to the next field.

In the From box, set a domain name. The Maxwell School domain name is MAXWELL-SCHOOL. Almost always the correct domain name will appear automatically.

In the Password box, enter your password. Passwords are also case sensitive; Windows NT distinguishes between upper and lowercase letters. To protect your password, only asterisks are displayed when you type. To change your password, press CRTL-ALT-DELETE after you logon to the system. A password should be at least 5 characters long but no more than fourteen characters.

Once you successfully logon, all the available application software will appear and your account is ready to use. To logoff your NT account, select the Start button in the lower left corner of the screen and select the "shutdown" option, or you can just hit CRTL-ALT-DELETE again and logout.

The computers should be left on 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Never turn a computer off. Windows NT does not like being turned off; turning off a NT machine could leave it in a bad state and the computer will not restart.

Software and Training:

Your XP account is already set up to load Windows automatically and all available software. As new software is added to this network, you will have access to this as well. Machines in the lab have been "infected" by viruses brought into the lab by disks of data or software from outside. To protect the integrity of the lab, you will not be able to load any software or data onto the local hard drive. You will be able to store course files on the network drive. However, there is not unlimited space, so you need to clean out your email and large files. You could be locked out of your account if you exceed the space allocation. The following software is presently available:

Word Processing:
Microsoft Word (for Windows)
Spreadsheets:
Microsoft Excel
Statistics Packages:
SAS for Windows v. 6.10; STATGRAPHICS PLUS
Database:
Microsoft Access
Project Management:
Microsoft Project
Electronic Mail
Outlook
Real Player 7 Basic
File Management:
Windows XP Explorer
Access to the Internet and SUNIX
 

From time to time, training courses in a particular software are offered by Maxwell computer specialists. The SU Information Center (116 Hinds Hall) provides training courses in a number of software packages every semester. To find out what courses are available, you can either go to the Center or call at 443-2677.

Tutorials exist for most software packages; they are usually found in the "Help" menu of the software. While some support for software will be provided in the lab, it is up to you to buy the books or manuals and teach yourself the software.

When You Encounter Problems in the Lab:

The IR/PA Graduate Student Computer Lab and the MAXWELL network have gone through major upgrades in the last few months and there will inevitably be bugs that need to be worked out. We ask your patience and help in trying to fix problems in the lab. This lab is not a general university computer cluster which means that maintenance of the lab and software support is provided within Maxwell. Since this lab will be unattended most of the time, students using the lab will play a crucial role in helping us identify problems that need to be fixed. The following is a list of procedures for contacting the proper people when there is a problem.

1) Contact the PA office if the printer is out of paper or toner, or the paper is jammed.

2) Since the lab is unattended, it is important that you pass on to the service personnel in Maxwell any other hardware problems you encounter. We have set up a general email address--SERVICE@MAXWELL.SYR.EDU-- that will be read by all network computing staff. Email SERVICE if;

a) the printer experiences another type of problem.

** Please pass on in your email message the error code you find flashing on the printer.

b) one of the computers will not "boot-up".

**Please pass on in your email the machine number and what the error message says.

c) you cannot access software on a particular machine.

**Please pass on in your email the machine number, software and any error message which is provided.

d) you encounter a virus.

**Please pass on in your email the machine number, software and any message about the type of virus.

3) Many of you will be learning new software during the course of this program. You will undoubtedly run into software problems as you learn to use this software and hardware problems with your home computer. Besides availing yourself of handouts and tutorials, the SU Information Center (116 Hinds Hall) can provide technical computer assistance especially with software or disk problems. For example, if you have had a disk fail, they may be able to move files to another disk for you. However, the help staff at the Center do not "make house calls". You need to bring your files on disk to them if you need help. Since this lab is run by Maxwell, the Information Center staff cannot fix software and hardware problems in the lab.

Graduate Student Organization
Maxwell Student Affairs
The IR Student Association (IRSA)
The Maxwell Review
Informal Activities
IR New Student Reception
Fall Picnic
Halloween Party
Winter Beach Party
Pizza Lunches
Brown Bag Presentations
 

Program Paper -- Two readers are required. It is your responsibility to find the readers, one of which will be the primary advisor. Your paper must be submitted to your readers one-month prior to the date of graduation. Graduation dates are December, May, June and August. Pick up the Program Paper Form (Attachment F) from the IR office and have your readers sign the form on the date of submission and return the original form to the IR office. Your readers may request you edit the paper. However, all required revisions must be made, and a final copy turned in to the IR office, prior to your desired graduation date. A Final Approval Form (Attachment G) approving your paper should be sent to the IR office from each reader. A memo will then be generated to the Graduate School stating that your thesis has been completed and approved. (Refer to the section entitled "The Master's Paper" for a more detailed explanation of the program paper requirements.) NB: These two forms are html files rather than pdf.

Exit Form -- All students are required to complete the MAIR exit form in order to be certified for graduation.

Samples of forms that will be critical to your degree completion have been reproduced by us as Adobe Acrobat files. Please go to our Sample MA-IR Forms site for more information about reading and downloading these files.

Knowing when to complete them, where to submit them, and to whom will greatly smooth your graduation.