International Relations

The Master of Arts in International Relations has three parts. The first two parts are taught seminars followed by electives. At the end of the program students complete an International Relations field exam that consists of issues from the required seminars, as well as the two elective seminars. Satisfactory completion of the field exam is required to graduate from the program. The third part of the program is research elements – students complete a Master’s research paper (MRP),  approximately 10 to 12 thousand words. Students select their MRP or capstone topic as early as possible; by the end of Seminar Four advisors are assigned. Students choose their elective seminars according to their research interests. Master’s Research Paper are a shorter version of MA thesis, with one important difference: students are asked to make original contributions to the field of international relations. Although it is not difficult to identify original theses statements in IR, even at Master’s level, fundamental difficulties exist in the field in terms of scholarly rigor and methodology of fully investigating the proposed research questions. Such challenges are common in the discipline at Master’s level and tend to exist even at wealthy schools – the challenges are connected with the limitations that naturally exist for those who study international security and history – it is seldom possible for Master’s students to do substantial field research, especially in the areas of conflict.

Mission

• Prepare students to excel in a particular functional area of international relations and/or geographic area of the world,

• Provide modern, fundamental, practice-oriented education in various fields of international relations,

• Foster creativity and critical thinking in problem-solving and motivate students to consider the societal consequences of their work,

• Prepare ethical leaders for the fields of international relations and committed to global service to humanity.

N/A

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution, as evaluated by WES, IERF, SpanTran, or CED.

  • Undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher

• If English is not your first language, proof of English language proficiency is required. This can be demonstrated in one of three ways:

  • TOEFL - a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (Internet-based test) is required.

  • IELTS – a minimum composite score of 6.5 is required.

  • The applicant holds a baccalaureate or master’s degree from a college/university/institution in which the primary language of instruction was English.

All eligibility requirements are expected to be met unless noted in specific articulation agreements or memoranda of understanding (MOUs).

Up to 12-semester graduate credits for study conducted elsewhere may be awarded. Norwich complies with VA regulations and guidelines as it pertains to transfer credits.