Apr 18, 2024  
2011-2012 Academic Catalog 
    
2011-2012 Academic Catalog [Published Catalog]

Global Affairs (M.G.A.)


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The Master of Global Affairs (MGA) is administered by the Department of Public Policy and Administration in the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. The program prepares students for leadership and responsibility positions in the conduct of global affairs and public policy in governments and international and regional multilateral agencies as well as in business and civil society organizations. It is expected that students will be drawn from and/or employed in mid-career positions in institutions working in global affairs or demonstrate promise for such careers, based on their commitment and their academic and professional background.

The MGA program aims to provide students with knowledge and professional skills required for the functioning of the global system in an inclusive manner at the international and national levels, combining conceptual understanding with analytic skills and knowledge of global affairs. Through this program, students will gain the capability to participate effectively in the formulation and implementation of policies in their own countries and in supporting, guiding, and monitoring action on global affairs at the multilateral level. Ultimately, both their own countries and the global system should benefit from the knowledge acquired.

Admission

All applicants must satisfy the university’s graduate admission requirements. Candidates for the MGA are recommended but not required to have two or more years of relevant professional experience.

Courses (33 credit hours)


Students seeking the degree of Master of Global Affairs must complete 33 credit hours plus a thesis. The program core, required of all students, consists of 6 courses (18 credits). Students must also complete a concentration of 5 courses (15 credits). Students may elect either the concentration in International Security or the concentration in International Cooperation. Students are required to declare their concentration before beginning their second semester of enrollment in the program. In addition to coursework, students must complete a thesis consistent with department and university guidelines and complete at least two enrollments the mandatory thesis sequence courses (598 and 599, both non-credit), including at least one enrollment in 598.
 

Core Requirement (18 credit hours):


Students must complete four (4) courses in group 1, one (1) course in group 2, and one (1) course in group 3.

Concentration Requirement (15 credit hours):


Students must complete 5 courses in one of the following two areas. In addition to the courses shown for each concentration, students may select a course from the core list shown above as a Group 3 concentration course, if not taken as a core course (i.e., a course may be counted toward only one requirement) or, with advisor approval, may substitute an appropriate offering of PPAD 570 – Selected Topics in Public Policy and Administration.
 

Master’s Project (6 credits)


Students are required to complete a master’s project addressing a challenge relevant to their concentration from the point of view of an organization involved in the issue, which will serve as the project’s client. The preparation of the master’s project proposal and final report must comply with departmental guidelines with regard to client involvement, content, format, dates, and the review and supervision process. Students working on the master’s project must first enroll in a section of PPAD 590, the practicum, to prepare a proposal to the client and then must enroll in a second semester of PPAD 590 during the preparation of their policy research, analysis, recommendations, and final report. Students who do not complete their master’s project within these two semesters must enroll in 1 credit of independent study each semester until the project is completed, including the summer semester if they plan to complete their project and graduate in the summer. The master’s project may be completed as a team or as an individual project. In either case, students are required to attend weekly meetings of their section to present and discuss their own work and that of other students.

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