Photos of university / #gwuniversity
Globalization of economic, political, social and cultural activity has created new opportunities and challenges for tomorrow's leaders in international affairs. Rarely have we lived in such an uncertain world, one in which the need for increased international understanding and cooperation has become essential, not simply necessary.
The Elliott School's M.A. program in International Affairs is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the contemporary issues in international affairs while developing an in-depth knowledge of at least one specialized area. Upon completion of the core requirements, students may select courses from one or more major fields based on global issues or regions of the world. Graduates of the program have followed a wide variety of exciting careers in diplomacy and public service, business, security, conflict resolution, development and public health.
Program Requirements
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
9-12 credits in core field courses | ||
IAFF 6101 | IA Cornerstone | |
HIST 6030 | History and Its Uses in International Affairs | |
Either | ||
ECON 6280 | Survey of International Economics | |
And three additional elective or major field credits | ||
Or | ||
ECON 6283 & ECON 6284 |
Survey of International Trade Theory and Policy and Survey of International Macroeconomics and Finance Theory and Policy |
|
12 credits in either a Global Issues or Regional Focus major field (as outlined below) | ||
9-12 credits in electives | ||
May include up to 6 credits of foreign language study, a second field of expertise, or other relevant course work | ||
Students are strongly encouraged to take IAFF 6501 (or its equivalent) | ||
3 credits in skills courses | ||
Skill-based professional workshops (1 credit each) | ||
4 credits in capstone course sequence | ||
IAFF 6898 & IAFF 6899 |
Capstone Workshop and Capstone Course |
|
Thesis option | ||
Three credits of electives may be used to pursue a thesis. To propose a thesis, a student must have a GPA of a least a 3.5 after completing 20 credit hours in the M.A. program. The thesis subject must be approved in advance by a faculty member who has agreed to direct the thesis, a second faculty member who will servce as an additional reader, and the Program Director. Thesis requirements are outlined in full in the Graduate Bulletin. Students must take an additional professional skills course (total of 4 skills courses) to complete their degree through this option |
Global Issues Major Fields
Conflict and Conflict Resolution Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
IAFF 6171 | Introduction to Conflict Resolution | |
Electives | ||
9 additional credits from the following: | ||
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (International Law and the Use of Force) | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Reinventing the United Nations) | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (National Security & Humanitarian Law) | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (US Foreign Policy and International Organizations) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Conflict Prevention and Early Warning) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Insurgency and Counterinsurgency) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (International Peacekeeping) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Politics of Peace Agreements) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Security Challenges in Africa) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Stabilization and Peacebuilding) | |
IAFF 6318 | Special Topics in Asian Studies (Political and Ethnic Conflict in South Asia) | |
PSC 6476 | The Arab-Israeli Conflict | |
Up to two relevant courses in the GW Law School (requires permission from the Law School dean of students)* |
Global Energy and Environmental Policy Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
IAFF 6158 | Special Topics in International Science and Technology Policy | |
ECON 6295 | Special Topics | |
IAFF 6151 | Environmental Policy | |
PPPA 6066 | Environmental Policy | |
Electives | ||
6 credits from the following: | ||
ECON 6237 | Economics of the Environment and Natural Resources | |
EMSE 6260 | Energy Management | |
EMSE 6290 | Climate Change: Policy, Impact | |
ENRP 6140 | Introduction to Environmental Law | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Managing the World’s Water) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Climate Change and Community Development) | |
IAFF 6141 | International Science and Technology Policy Cornerstone | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Environmental Security) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Energy Security) | |
IAFF 6198 | Special Topics in International Trade and Investment Policy (International Climate Change Policy) | |
IAFF 6378 | Special Topics in Middle East Studies (Oil: Industry, Economy, Society) | |
IAFF 6501 | Quant Analysis Int'l Aff Prac | |
IBUS 4900 | Special Topics (Global Energy) | |
LAW 6454 | International Environmentl Law | |
LAW 6455 | Int'l Climate Change Law | |
LAW 6460 | Envir&Energy Policy Practicum | |
PUBH 6122 | Protecting Public Health and the Environment: Policies, Politics, and Programs | |
PUBH 6130 | Sustainable Energy and the Environment |
Global Gender Policy Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
IAFF 6102 | Global Gender Policy | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Research Methods in Global Gender Issues if not selected as part of core requirement) | |
Or three one-credit skills classes | ||
IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I | |
IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II | |
One additional skills class on a variety of topics, with approval of the program director | ||
No more than a total of four skills courses can be applied to a graduate degree. | ||
Electives | ||
6 additional credits from the following: | ||
ANTH 6501 | Gender and Sexuality | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Research Methods in Global Gender Issues) | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Women, War, and Peace) | |
IAFF 6136 | Gender and Development | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender, Tourism, and Development) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender, Disaster & Policy) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Human Trafficking) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Violence, Gender & Humanitarian Assistance) | |
PHIL 6238 | Feminist Ethics and Policy Implications | |
PSYC 8275 | Women and Health | |
SOC 6271 | Gender and Society | |
SOC 6273 | The Sex Industry | |
WSTU 6230 | Global Feminisms | |
Students may take ONE undergraduate class for graduate credit with permission from the program director, academic advisor, and instructor (who must agree to assign additional work) at the graduate level: | ||
IAFF 2190W | Special Topics (Women in Global Politics) | |
IAFF 3183 | Special Topics in Development Policy (Human Trafficking) |
Global Health Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
PUBH 6400 | Global Health Frameworks | |
ANTH 6505 | Medical Anthropology | |
Electives | ||
9 additional credits from the following: | ||
GEOG 6223 | Seminar: Population and Health | |
PUBH 6128 | Global Environmental and Occupational Health | |
PUBH 6440 | Global Health Economics and Finance | |
PUBH 6441 | Global Health Organizations and Regulations | |
PUBH 6435 | Global Health Program Development and Implementation | |
PUBH 6436 | Global Health Program Management and Leadership | |
PUBH 6443 | Global Health Agreements and Conventions | |
PUBH 6480 | Public Health in Complex Emergencies | |
PUBH 6482 | International Food and Nutrition Policy |
International Affairs and Development Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
One of the following: | ||
IAFF 6122 | Development Policy and Practice | |
ECON 6250 | Survey of Economic Development | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Poverty Alleviation and Bottom Up Development) | |
Electives | ||
9 additional credits from the following: | ||
Culture, Society and Development | ||
ANTH 6301 | The Anthropology of Development | |
ANTH 6508 | Ethics and Cultural Property | |
ANTH 6507 | Nationalism and Ethnicity | |
ANTH 6391 | Anthropology and Contemporary Problems (Refugees and Displaced People) | |
ANTH 6505 | Medical Anthropology | |
ANTH 6501 | Gender and Sexuality | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Indigenous People and Development) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender and Development) | |
ANTH 6591 | Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology | |
ANTH 6591 | Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology | |
ANTH 6702 | Issues in Latin American Anthropology | |
GEOG 6223 | Seminar: Population and Health | |
IAFF 6358 | Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Indigenous Social Movements) | |
SOC 6273 | The Sex Industry | |
Economic Development Policy | ||
ECON 6221 | Economics in Policy Analysis | |
ECON 6237 | Economics of the Environment and Natural Resources | |
ECON 6250 | Survey of Economic Development | |
ECON 6269 | Economy of China I | |
ECON 6270 | Economy of China II | |
ECON 6271 | Economy of Japan | |
ECON 6283 | Survey of International Trade Theory and Policy | |
ECON 6284 | Survey of International Macroeconomics and Finance Theory and Policy | |
ECON 6285 | Economic Development of Latin America | |
ECON 8358 | Urban Economics | |
IAFF 6358 | Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Political Economy in Latin America) | |
PSC 6373 | Political Economy of Industrializing Asia | |
Gender and Development | ||
ANTH 6501 | Gender and Sexuality | |
GEOG 6223 | Seminar: Population and Health | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender and Development) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Gender, Disaster and Policy) | |
SOC 6273 | The Sex Industry | |
WSTU 6230 | Global Feminisms | |
WSTU 6270 | Seminar: Selected Topics (Global/Domestic Labor Studies) | |
WSTU 6270 | Seminar: Selected Topics (Gender and Islamic Activism) | |
Global Health | ||
ANTH 6302 | Issues in Development | |
ANTH 6505 | Medical Anthropology | |
ANTH 6591 | Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology | |
GEOG 6223 | Seminar: Population and Health | |
PUBH 6400 | Global Health Frameworks (strongly recommended) | |
PUBH 6411 | Global Health Qualitative Research Methods | |
PUBH 6440 | Global Health Economics and Finance | |
PUBH 6442 | Comparative Global Health Systems | |
PUBH 6443 | Global Health Agreements and Conventions | |
PUBH 6480 | Public Health in Complex Emergencies | |
PUBH 6482 | International Food and Nutrition Policy | |
Humanitarian Assistance | ||
ANTH 6505 | Medical Anthropology | |
EMSE 6305 | Crisis and Emergency Management | |
EMSE 6320 | International Disaster Management | |
EMSE 6325 | Medical and Public Health Emergency Management | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Human Trafficking) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Violence, Gender, Humanitarian Assistance) | |
LAW 6540 | Refugee and Asylum Law ** | |
Institutions and Politics | ||
PSC 6230 | Comparative Govt & Politics 1 | |
PSC 6336 | Political Economy of Developing Areas | |
PSC 6373 | Political Economy of Industrializing Asia | |
PSC 6383 | Comparative Politics of Latin America | |
PSC 6439 | International Political Economy | |
PSC 6442 | Politics and Practice of International Institutions | |
PSC 6476 | The Arab-Israeli Conflict | |
PSC 8334 | Democracy and Democratization in Comparative Perspective | |
PSC 8337 | Theories of Political Development | |
PSC 8388 | Selected Topics in Comparative Politics | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Development in Africa) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Democracy and Governance Development) | |
International Business | ||
IBUS 6404 | New Global Competitive Framewk | |
IBUS 6401 | International Business Strategy | |
IBUS 6402 | Managing in Developing Countries | |
IBUS 6301 | International Business Finance | |
MBAD 6241 | Global Perspectives | |
MGT 6291 | Entrepreneurship | |
International Development Management | ||
PPPA 6057 | International Development Administration | |
PPPA 6058 | International Development NGO Management | |
PPPA 6059 | International Development Management Processes and Tools | |
PPPA 6016 | Public and Nonprofit Program Evaluation | |
International Education | ||
EDUC 6601 | International and Comparative Education | |
EDUC 6602 | Regional Studies in International Education | |
EDUC 6610 | Programs and Policies in International Education | |
EDUC 6620 | Strategies and Analysis in International Education | |
EDUC 6640 | Selected Topics in International Education | |
EDUC 6650 | Education and National Development | |
Natural Resources and the Environment | ||
ECON 6237 | Economics of the Environment and Natural Resources | |
EMSE 6220 | Environmental Management | |
GEOG 6223 | Seminar: Population and Health | |
GEOG 6244 | Urban Sustainability | |
GEOG 6261 | Geographical Perspectives on Latin America | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Climate Change and Sustainable Development) | |
IAFF 6151 | Environmental Policy | |
LAW 6454 | International Environmentl Law ** | |
PPPA 6066 | Environmental Policy | |
SMPP 6210 | Strategic Environmental Management |
International Economic Affairs Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
Students must take ECON 6283 and ECON 6284 to satisfy the core field requirement | ||
Students must demonstrate proficiency in introductory statistics by having taken a satisfactory undergraduate course an equivalent course at USDA or STAT 1051, 1053, 1111 or IAFF 6501 | ||
At least 6 credits from the following: | ||
PPPA 6014 | Economics in Policy Analysis | |
PPPA 6015 | Benefit-Cost Analysis | |
ECON 6237 | Economics of the Environment and Natural Resources | |
ECON 6250 | Survey of Economic Development | |
ECON 6255 | Economics of Technological Change | |
ECON 6269 | Economy of China I | |
ECON 6271 | Economy of Japan | |
ECON 6285 | Economic Development of Latin America | |
ECON 6292 | Topics in International Trade (Economics of U.S. Trade Policy) | |
ECON 6292 | Topics in International Trade (Technology Trade & the Multinational Firm) | |
ECON 6293 | Topics in International Finance | |
ECON 6295 | Special Topics | |
ECON 6295 | Special Topics | |
Electives | ||
Remaining credits selected from the following: | ||
IAFF 6142 | Technology Creation/Diffusion | |
IAFF 6198 | Special Topics in International Trade and Investment Policy | |
IAFF 6198 | Special Topics in International Trade and Investment Policy | |
IAFF 6318 | Special Topics in Asian Studies | |
IAFF 6358 | Special Topics in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies (Migration, Remittances, and Development in Latin America) | |
IAFF 6378 | Special Topics in Middle East Studies | |
IBUS 6202 | Regional Strategy for Multinationals | |
IBUS 6297 | International Management Experience | |
IBUS 6301 | International Business Finance | |
IBUS 6405 | Legal Aspects of International and Multinational Business | |
PSC 6439 | International Political Economy | |
Recommended skills courses | ||
IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Analyzing International Economic Data) | |
IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Developing Trade Policy Options) | |
IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Financial Statement Analysis) | |
IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Micro-Enterprise Lending) | |
IAFF 6502 | Professional Skills I (Nuts and Bolts of U.S. Trade Policy) | |
IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II (The Art and Practice of Global Investing) | |
IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II (Negotiating Skills) | |
IAFF 6503 | Professional Skills II (Understanding the U.S. Federal Budget) | |
MBAD 6211 | Financial Accounting | |
MBAD 6234 | Financial Management | |
Only one MBAD skills course can be used within the International Affairs degree |
International Law and Organizations Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (International Organizations and International Norm) | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (National Security & Humanitarian Law) | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (Reinventing the United Nations) | |
IAFF 6118 | Special Topics in International Affairs (US Foreign Policy and International Organizations) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Care of Children in Complex Emergencies) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Global Food Security) | |
IAFF 6138 | Special Topics in International Development Studies (Human Trafficking) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Non-State Actors) | |
IAFF 6186 | Special Topics in Security Policy Studies (Politics of Peace Agreements) | |
IAFF 6198 | Special Topics in International Trade and Investment Policy (International Climate Change Policy) | |
IAFF 6338 | Special Topics in European and Eurasian Studies (European Union Foreign Policy) | |
IAFF 6338 | Special Topics in European and Eurasian Studies (Transatlantic Relations in the 21st Century) | |
IAFF 6999 | Thesis | |
LAW 6386 | ** | |
LAW 6520 | International Law ** | |
LAW 6534 | Law of the European Union ** | |
PSC 6439 | International Political Economy | |
PSC 6444 | Politics of International Law |
International Security Studies Concentration
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required | ||
PSC 6349 | International Security Politics | |
Electives | ||
9 credits from the following: | ||
Courses are grouped into issues areas to help guide students in choosing appropriate coursework; students do not necessarily need to select one concentration, however, what is important is that there is a logic and believable narrative to their course choices. Students should consult their major field faculty advisor to help with this determination. | ||
Transnational Security Issues | ||
ANTH 6507 | Nationalism and Ethnicity | |
IAFF 6158 | Special Topics in International Science and Technology Policy (Cyber Security) | |
IAFF 6163 | Transnational Security |
- 4-Year Bachelor Degree
- Completed Online Application: With $75 non-refundable application fee.
- Current Résumé: Uploaded through the online application system.
- Three Letters of Recommendation: From professional and/or academic references.
- Statement of Career Objective: In no more than 500 words, describe your career objectives and how the program will help you meet those objectives.
- Include a photocopy of the biographic/identification page of your passport with your application.
- Academic IELTS: an overall band score of 7.0 with no individual band score below 6.0.
- TOEFL: 600 on paper-based or 100 on Internet-based.
- PTE Academic: 68.
- Official GMAT Score or GRE Score
Want to improve your English level for admission?
Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.
- ✔️ Flexible study schedule
- ✔️ Experienced teachers
- ✔️ Certificate upon completion
📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.
Scholarships
- Graduate Fellowships & Assistantships