Masters Degrees in International Politics, USA

MTSU’s Master of Arts in Liberal Arts is an innovative program allowing students to earn a graduate degree through a course of study built around the subjects that they find most interesting and captivating. Anyone holding a bachelor’s degree can pursue long-held or new passions through a personally customized program developed around individual interests. Lifelong learners, professionals, students returning to school after a break, and recent graduates can find flexibility to fit their educational needs through this unique master’s program. Students attend engaging courses and have opportunities to participate in projects in the region or even enroll in education-abroad courses around the world. Top-quality professors bring varying research and teaching interests to the classroom through inspiring instruction. The M.A. in Liberal Arts allows students to refine skills, expand horizons, learn for the joy of it, and obtain the graduate degree they have always wanted.

Degrees

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Liberal Arts is a broadly interdisciplinary program allowing students to construct a personal plan of study from within the liberal arts departments and programs, which include Art, Communications Studies and Organizational Communication, English, Foreign Languages and Literatures, Global Studies and Cultural Geography, History, Music, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, Sociology and Anthropology, and Theatre and Dance.

Students, with the guidance of the program director, will build an individualized course of study that will enhance career opportunities, provide preparation for further graduate work, or create opportunities for lifelong learning.

Master’s candidates will complete either a thesis or a capstone project (such as a creative project, an internship portfolio, or a research presentation). Students also must complete 15 hours in core classes and 12 hours of guided electives from graduate-level courses in College of Liberal Arts disciplines.

Career

Most professions need people with problem-solving and communication skills who understand global systems, can research a broad variety of topics, and can learn on the job. MALA graduates come from and/or choose career fields such as:

Advertising
Arts
Education
Human resources
Medicine
Military
Ministry
Nonprofits
Politics
Public relations
Urban planning/city management
Writing/editing

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The Master of Arts degree in International Affairs can open a new world of career opportunities in an increasingly globalized world. The graduate program provides students with a unique combination of analytic research and practical applications tools. Choose from two concentrations: International Security and Peace Studies, or International Development and Globalization. The degree track appeals to students with an intense interest in and desire for work in professional international fields and/or study at the doctoral level. Highly qualified faculty teach the latest research methods in international issues; skills to organize field projects and work in interdisciplinary teams; and theoretical and methodological tools to evaluate national or international policies. Graduates also will have opportunities to develop a complete understanding of foreign cultures.

A Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Affairs is now offered, with a concentration either in International Security and Peace Studies or in International Development and Globalization. It is the only program of its type in the state of Tennessee.

International Affairs candidates must fulfill a requirement for either a practicum or a thesis. Students also must have or obtain a degree of fluency in a foreign language relative to career goals or geographic area of interest. A study-abroad experience is encouraged, which additionally will help develop foreign-language skills.

Career

The M.A. in International Affairs prepares students for careers in international affairs; international business; domestic and international non-governmental organizations focusing on poverty alleviation, human rights, or environmental policies; foreign policy organizations; government; analysis and risk management firms; homeland security; and the military. Some potential occupations:

Charitable aid director
City development manager
Combat engineer
Diplomat
Educator
Environmentalist
Equal employment opportunity coordinator
Foreign policy advisor
Government employee
Human rights advocate
Import company representative
International trade compliance analyst
Linguist
Military official
Multinational banker
Nonprofit director
Program analyst
Public servant
Relief agency director
Senior intelligence specialist in defense
Staff assistant to members of Congress
World health advocate

Employers of MTSU alumni

The International Security and Peace Studies track could lead to work at such agencies as the United Nations or other UN agencies, the CIA and the Department of State; nongovernmental organizations like the International Red Cross and Doctors without Borders; and think tanks that research international conflicts.

Students choosing the International Development and Globalization track might pursue jobs at nongovernmental organizations, multinational corporations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Commerce, United Nations Development Program and other UN agencies, consulting firms, and philanthropies. Some might work with local people in villages to help with sanitation, clean water and financing for agricultural activities.

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USF’s Master’s in International Studies is a three-semester program, which provides students with in-depth, interdisciplinary knowledge of the issues and challenges that face the global community. Our curriculum focuses on development and the environment, political and economic aspects of globalization, human rights, peace and conflict resolution, and international law and organizations.

Our students arrive on campus from all over the world, representing different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. That diversity makes our classrooms rich and dynamic, with perspectives and experiences that cross generations and borders. Our students graduate with the skills needed for a variety of areas, including international and governmental affairs, advocacy work, policy and project development, foreign service, international non-governmental organizations, international development and further graduate study.

Internships

Our internship program provides an opportunity for students to gain practical professional work experience by working at one of the many international studies-related organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world. Our students have completed internships across five continents.

The San Francisco Advantage

San Francisco is a vibrant, intellectual, global environment, and our campus is uniquely situated in the middle of it all. MAIS students take advantage of our location through internships, volunteering, and attending talks and activities at the World Affairs Council, the Commonwealth Club, and nearby academic institutions.

Our Faculty

Our professors are not only scholars, they've also held leadership positions in governmental and non-governmental agencies. They’re activists in fields such as development, regional conflicts, refugees, law, human rights, environmental protection, and indigenous rights.

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