MA in International Affairs

MTSU's Master of Arts in International Affairs program is designed to prepare students for careers and pursuits related to international relations, including but not limited to work in government, nongovernmental organizations and nonprofits, business, and intelligence.

Apply now to MTSU's MA in International Affairs Program!

Develop your knowledge of the theory and practice of international affairs and gain skills with applications in a wide range of career tracks. Motivated students from different countries and backgrounds work with accomplished faculty to learn the fundamentals. Students may specialize by emphasizing a particular focus in their studies, such as international development, human security, & globalization; international security & peace studies; area studies, with a regional or country-specific focus (examples: China, Russia, Middle East); or global justice, human rights, & civil advocacy. Students may customize their studies according to the expertise of available MA-International Affairs faculty in the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Faculty advisors also can guide students to relevant courses offered by other academic units to round out their studies in multidisciplinary sub-areas.

This 30-credit-hour program may be completed in as little as 18 months and does not require language training. Course requirements are available here. Practical skills and academic knowledge are emphasized, and students must supplement their coursework with either a practicum or a thesis (6 credit hours). The practicum is a credit-bearing internship with an organization that has a focus related to international affairs. Students can obtain real-world experience, gain professional socialization, and cultivate career-ready skills useful in résumé-building and networking. “After my first year in the International Affairs program, I accepted an internship as a policy analyst. I was tasked with creating a very specific policy in a short amount of time . . . Thanks to the courses I had already taken at MTSU, I was able to complete my tasks ahead of schedule and later end my internship with multiple job offers.” —Recent graduate who completed a practicum with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service

MTSU’s Department of Political Science and International Relations has placed practicum students as interns at governmental entities, non-government organizations (NGOs), and nonprofits such as: United Nations • U.S. State Department  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce • Catholic Charities • Doctors Without Borders • Free for Life International • U.S. Secret Service • Jubilee USA Network • Resilient Communities • NASA • Youth Global Network •  Tennessee Bureau of Investigation • Tennessee Department of Economics and Development

Thesis alternative: in lieu of a practicum, students intending to pursue a Ph.D. in a related discipline may opt to write and defend a thesis using original research on an international affairs topic selected in consultation with a faculty supervisor. 

 Please view our program brochure or contact Program Director Dr. Jon DiCicco for more information. 

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Andrei Korobkov

See Dr. Korobokov's extensive commentary on the 2024 elections in Russia. (Source: TRT World Now)

 

 

Dr. Maynor teacing MAIA students.

Apply now to MTSU's MA in International Affairs Program!