The comprehensive examination consists of two parts: a core and one specific field. The first part stresses a review of literature and conceptual-analytic competence. Preparation for it normally involves familiarity with materials from the two courses which comprise the core and a list of readings approved by the school's faculty. Students are strongly encouraged to take the core segment of the comprehensive examination before the second year of study. The second part addresses materials covered in three or four field courses.
Comprehensive field examinations are normally scheduled each academic year. The core examination will be administered each academic year in May and August; the field examination is administered in May only. Examinations are administered by an examining committee, appointed by the director for the entire academic year. An examiner from the relevant field joins the committee to help administer the field portion of the examination. The examination may not be reported as being passed if there is more than one dissenting vote. In case of failure, the student may be permitted to take the entire examination one more time.
The thesis option involves the completion of eight graduate courses, a supervised thesis-writing course, an oral defense of the thesis and the examination in the core. Completion of a thesis and examination of that thesis, in lieu of the field portion of the comprehensive examinations, is possible if two international relations faculty members and one faculty member outside the school consent to serve as a thesis supervising committee.
A field comprises not less than three courses taken at the 500 level or above. The only exceptions to this rule are IR 414 or a course at the 400 level specifically recommended by the student's faculty advisor and approved by the graduate studies committee. The student chooses one of the three fields of concentration or a combination specifically designed to meet individual needs, examples of which may be: international political economy and Latin America, international politics and methodology, international politics and international law, international security studies and foreign policy studies, international security studies with a regional and subsystems concentration, foreign policy studies and marine and ocean studies, and international political economy and international business.
Year I: Required law school courses.
Years II and III/IV: 40 units of law courses, including one course from LAW 764, 662 or 601 and one additional international law course. International relations courses must include two of the following: IR 500 or 501, and 513 or 517. In addition, each student must take three IR field courses from the existing fields (international political economy, international politics and security, foreign policy analysis) and complete an accepted thesis.
Additional international law courses may be taken, if available. The entire program may be completed within three or four years as IR courses replace law electives and law courses replace IR electives.
In addition to the LSAT, students interested in this program are required to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).
Twelve units must be completed in the School of International Relations and 12 units in the School of Public Administration. The remaining 12 units may be taken in international relations, public administration or in other programs with the approval of the M.S. faculty and the school or department offering the course(s).
The international relations courses are to be selected from the following: IR 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 547, 548 or other courses approved by the academic advisor. Students may be required to select an area course that links to their language preparation and their intended internship experience. With the approval of faculty advisors, students may opt for another field of concentration in international relations.
Unless they have completed equivalent courses, students must take three core courses in public administration, including: PUAD 500, 597 and 558 (or 585). It is possible to take additional courses in public administration after consultation with faculty advisors.
Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995