Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
International Relations
Graduate Degrees
The School of International Relations offers graduate curricula leading to several different graduate degrees. With courses and faculty renowned for their strengths in a great variety of fields — culture, gender and globalization, political economy, foreign policy and security, regional studies — our graduate international programs generally emphasize training for careers in advanced research and teaching. The school also welcomes professionally oriented students with related interests in fields such as law, communication, economics and business and public policy.
The School of International Relations has programs leading to a progressive B.A./M.A. in international relations; a dual M.A. in international relations/Juris Doctor offered with the USC Gould School of Law; a dual M.A. in international relations/Master of Planning and M.A. in international relations/Master of Public Administration offered with the USC Price School of Public Policy; Master of Public Diplomacy; and a Ph.D. in political science and international relations offered with the Political Science Department.
Admission Requirements
The School of International Relations welcomes talented candidates from a variety of academic backgrounds. Admission decisions are based on consideration of applicants’ prior academic performance, as reflected in course grades and letters of recommendation. Applicants also are strongly encouraged to submit a sample of their written work in English, preferably a research-oriented paper. The committee also considers the potential for success in a graduate program based on Graduate Record Examinations scores. Business, government and other practical experiences related to international relations also are taken into account.
It is strongly recommended that master’s and doctoral degree candidates should have completed at least one undergraduate course in statistics or quantitative methods and at least one course in economics before enrolling for graduate study. A course in social or political theory or international history also is highly desirable. The faculty may admit promising students who lack one or more of these courses. Students with this preparation tend to be more successful in the program and more likely to prosper in an academic or research setting afterwards.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
All graduate students are required to maintain regular contact with the graduate coordinator to assure compliance with departmental regulations.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students in the progressive B.A./M.A. and joint M.A./J.D., M.A./MPl and M.A./MPA master’s programs must show proficiency in at least one foreign language at the fourth semester level. In special instances a doctoral student’s dissertation guidance committee may require a student to show research competence in one or two foreign languages. International students whose native language is not English may satisfy this requirement by submitting proof of their ability to read and understand social science materials in their native language where appropriate, or in another language in which significant social science material is available.
Substantive Paper Requirement
Students in the progressive B.A./M.A. and joint M.A./J.D., M.A./MPl and M.A./MPA master’s programs must submit a substantive paper or alternative project. This requirement is meant to encourage students to polish articles that may ultimately prove suitable for publication, to develop materials that will display their talents for doctoral and graduate school admission committees or prospective employers, and to begin to develop dissertation proposals early in the graduate education process. A student may submit a revised version of a research paper or a detailed policy memorandum along with a copy of the original paper for which he or she received a grade of B+ or better in one international relations graduate class. Students may also submit a paper or project based on other original work. A two-person faculty examining committee, which must consist of School of International Relations faculty members, will evaluate the substantive paper or project and may, at their discretion, call the student for an oral examination on the project. The student may add a third outside member to the committee. They may also choose to examine the student on his or her course work in international relations.
Master of Arts, International Relations
Requirements
Students who have the degree objective of joint M.A. programs (Master of Arts, International Relations/Juris Doctor; Master of Arts, International Relations/Master of Planning; and Master of Arts, International Relations/Master of Public Administration) must apply for an M.A. in International Relations. Students pursuing these joint programs must refer to the specific course requirements outlined for each program.
Advisement
Students should consult with the school’s faculty adviser each semester before registering for courses for the next semester. Students also are encouraged to seek advice from other faculty who work in areas related to their interests. Students may, if they wish and if a faculty member agrees, select a different faculty adviser from among the school’s faculty. Consult with and inform the Office of Student Affairs regarding changes in faculty advisers.
Master of Arts, Political Science and International Relations
Only students who have a degree objective of obtaining the Ph.D. will be admitted into the Political Science and International Relations program. However, interested students can obtain an M.A. degree while pursuing the Ph.D. The degree is awarded upon successful completion of (a) 28 units, including three of the five courses in the program’s theory and methodology sequence, a master’s thesis and registration in POSC 594ab or IR 594ab; and (b) the approval of the master’s thesis by the thesis committee.
Master of Arts, International Relations/Juris Doctor
The USC Gould School of Law and the School of International Relations jointly offer a three-year program leading to the J.D. and M.A. degrees. (Students may extend the dual degree program to four years.) Applicants must apply to both the law school and the School of International Relations and meet requirements for admission to both. In addition to the LSAT, students interested in this program are required to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Law students may apply to the School of International Relations during their first year at the law school.
In the first year, students take their course work in the law school exclusively. The second and third years include 24 units of courses in international relations and 40 units of law. Students pursuing the dual degree must complete LAW 662 or LAW 764 and one additional international law course. To earn the J.D., all students (including dual degree students) must complete 35 numerically graded law units at USC after the first year. The associate dean may make exceptions to this rule for students enrolled in law school honors programs.
Students pursuing the dual degree must complete 24 units within the School of International Relations at the 500 level or above. These students are required to successfully complete IR 500 International Relations Theory, either IR 513 Social Science and Historical Research Methods or IR 517 International Policy Analysis, and two domain courses selected from among IR 502 Conflict and Cooperation, IR 509 Culture, Gender, and Global Society, IR 521 Introduction to Foreign Policy Analysis and IR 541 Politics of the World Economy. Like all other international relations master’s degree programs, students in the dual degree program must complete a substantive paper or alternative project. The requirements, standards and evaluation procedure for the substantive paper are identical to those listed above for all M.A. students except that one member of the examining committee must come from the law school.
Master of Public Diplomacy and Master of Public Diplomacy (Practitioner and Mid-Career Professional)
These degrees combine the resources of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences’ School of International Relations. The Master of Public Diplomacy is designed for students who already have a substantial undergraduate background in social sciences or relevant professional experience in subjects such as communication, film and media studies, journalism, political science, public relations and international relations. The Master of Public Diplomacy (Practitioner and Mid-Career Professional) is designed for students who have at least five years experience working in public diplomacy. See Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism for degree requirements.
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and International Relations
See Political Science and International Relations for degree requirements.