Degree Requirements

Master of International Public Policy (M.I.P.P.) - 1 year (full-time) or 2 years (part-time)

• Eight courses
• Optional affiliation

Master of Arts (M.A.) - 2 years (full-time)

• 16 non-language courses over two year period
• Concentration 1: Chosen from Global Themes or Regions of the World area of study (6-7 courses)
• Concentration 2: International Economics (5 courses)
• Oral and written proficiency in a foreign language
• Two core exams
• Electives (4-5 courses)
• Capstone project

Master of Arts in International Relations (Bologna only) (M.A.I.A) - 2 years (full-time)

• 11 courses over two year period
• Oral examination in three fields (international economics required)
• Presentation and defense of a research thesis

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) - 3-4 years (full-time)

• Minimum of one year of coursework beyond M.A. for non-SAIS M.A.s plus passing an economics equivalency examination
• Written comprehensive examinations in three fields
• Reading proficiency (minimum) in two foreign languages
• Dissertation
• Oral defense

* Ph.D. applicants must already hold an M.A. degree in a relevant field of study.

Master of Arts in International Studies (Nanjing only) (M.A.I.S.) - 2 years (full-time)

• 13 courses over two year period
• Majority of courses in target language (Mandarin Chinese or English)
• Presentation and defense of a research thesis in target language

* Advanced proficiency in Mandarin Chinese required prior to matriculating.

Fields of Specialization

• Global Themes: Conflict Management; Energy, Resources and Environment; Global Theory and History; International Development; International Economics; International Law and Organizations; International Relations (General); Strategic Studies

• Regions of the World: African Studies; American Foreign Policy; Canadian Studies; European Studies; Latin American Studies ; Middle East Studies; Southeast Asia Studies; South Asia Studies; Japan Studies, Korea Studies; China Studies; Russian & Eurasian Studies

• International Economics Specializations: Quantitative Methods & Economic Theory; International Finance; and Development Microeconomics; Economic Policy

• Foreign Lanaguage Studies: Arabic; Burmese; Chinese; English; French; German; Hindi/Urdu; Indonesian; Italian; Japanese; Persian (Farsi); Portuguese; Russian; Spanish; Thai; Vietnamese

Joint Degrees

• MBA with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
• MBA with the Tuck School at Dartmouth
• MBA with INSEAD
• MSPH with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• JD with the Stanford University Law School
• JD with the University of Virginia School of Law
• Concurrent MPA with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University
• Ad hoc MBA & JD options with other leading law and business schools including Columbia, Georgetown, Dartmouth, Michigan, & UCLA, among others.

Core Courses

Students must pass two of four core examinations:

• Evolution of the International System
• Theories of International Relations
• American Foreign Policy since W.W.II
• Comparative National Systems

Students are required to complete a capstone requirement in order to graduate. This is an integrative project or experience within the non-economics concentration and requires an assessment.