Scholarship and Skills for Global Careers
Master of Arts in International Relations
The M.A. in international relations prepares students to develop evidence-based solutions to address international issues. Combining coursework and real-world experience, the program will prepare you for meaningful careers serving the public good across all sectors—government agencies, nonprofit organizations, NGOs and private corporations.
Program Overview
You will receive a solid foundation in international management, research design and analysis combined with an in-depth and interdisciplinary understanding of the complexities of international affairs.
The program is 40 credits over the course of 16 months. Integrated into the 40 credits is a required a career track and internship component. You have the flexibility to complete two semester on campus and two semesters studying off-site in the U.S. or abroad.
As a highly international and diverse cohort, students train to work collaboratively across sectors and contexts.
Career Tracks help you tailor a program to match your employment goals
Research Centers engage diverse faculty and scholars in pressing society issues
Certificates of Advanced Study can be earned concurrently with your M.A. in IR
MA in International Relations Core Requirements
The M.A. in international relations requires 40 credits, plus a global internship.
- Core coursework (15 credits) plus an international relations capstone seminar (1 credit) provide foundational knowledge of international affairs, quantitative and qualitative skills, as well as analytic, presentational and writing abilities.
- Career track coursework (12 credits) help students develop subject matter expertise relevant to their career goals.
- Elective coursework (12 credits) drawn from across the Maxwell School’s social science graduate departments and the broader graduate course offerings at Syracuse University.
MA in International Relations Career Tracks
- Conflict Resolution
- Data Analysis for International Affairs
- International Development
- International Political Economy
- International Service
- Regional Concentration (Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America, Middle East and North Africa)
- Security Studies
Career Ready
Maxwell has a proven track record of excellence preparing students for meaningful careers in the international arena. Through career track course selections, a capstone seminar and a required global internship (often two!), students emerge career ready and primed to take on tomorrow’s tough challenges.
Explore the faculty who teach in the M.A. in international relations program.
International Relations Capstone Seminar
Confront a real-world policy challenge, such as nuclear non-proliferation, climate change and more in this simulation exercise. This 1-credit Maymester course culminates your first year of on-campus studies at Maxwell and serves as a bridge between your academic and professionally focused requirements.
Global Internship
Following the capstone, complete a required global internship abroad or in Washington, D.C. With networks and courses at dozens of locations around the world, Maxwell’s international programs help you build experiences and connections to drive a lifetime of career success.
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To Syracuse, DC, Hong Kong and back
Distinguished alumna Kristen (Kris) Patel is the Donald P. and Margaret Curry Gregg Professor of Practice in Korean and East Asian Affairs, teaching undergraduate and graduate classes in D.C. and Syracuse. With more than 25 years of experience leading intelligence and analytics programs in the public and private sectors, Patel returns to Maxwell directly from HSBC’s Compliance Office in Asia-Pacific, where she built and managed regional financial crime intelligence capability for one of the world’s largest banks.
Kristen Patel ’90 Econ/PST
Donald P. and Margaret Curry Gregg Professor of Practice in Korean and East Asian Affairs
