International Relations (MA) |
2026-2027 DRAFT GRADUATE STUDIES CATALOG
Effective 1 June 2026 through 31 May 2027
Please see the Graduate Catalog Archives for PDF versions of past catalogs.
This program is offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is available at Tbilisi, Georgia
Program Description
The master of arts (MA) in international relations enables students to analyze the complexities and processes involved in world politics and international affairs. Coursework provides exposure to the key subfields of the discipline and relevant issues such as globalization, human rights, humanitarian action and economic development. The program can help prepare students to compete for work with a governmental agency, an intergovernmental organization, a nongovernmental organization, or a multinational corporation. This program is also recommended for students planning to pursue a PhD or an academic career at another institution.
The degree requires satisfactory completion of 27 credit hours of the INTL curriculum and 9 credit hours of graduate electives for a total of 36 credit hours.
Learning Outcomes
Students who complete this program will be able to:
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of several subfields of the international relations discipline.
- Demonstrate strong research skills.
- Critically analyze international events and issues.
- Apply theories of international relations.
- Demonstrate effective written communication skills.
Program Curriculum
The 36 credit hours required for the master of arts (MA) in international relations must include the following courses:
- IRSS 5000 Introduction to International Relations (3 hours)
- IRSS 5100 Research Methods and Perspectives (3 hours)
- IRSS 6000 Capstone (3 hours)
or IRSS 6250 Thesis* (6 hours) and INTL 6900 University Thesis Requirement* (0 hours) - Two courses from the Comparative Politics Cluster (6 hours)
- Four courses from the International Politics Cluster (12 hours)
- Additional graduate elective credit hours (9 hours)
*Students taking IRSS 6250 Thesis (6 hours) must also register for INTL 6900 University Thesis Requirements (0 hours). INTL 6900 acknowledges successful completion of all thesis requirements including conforming to university and departmental guideline as well as depositing the thesis in the University library.
*Students completing their degree at either the Vienna or Geneva campuses are required to complete INTL 6250 Thesis and INTL 6900 University Thesis Requirements to meet this requirement.
Comparative Politics Cluster (2 courses)
- IRSS 5050 Comparative Politics (3 hours)
- IRSS 5580 Politics of Development (3 hours)
- IRSS 5570 Comparative Foreign Policy (3 hours)
- IRSS 5600 Area Studies (3 hours)
- IRSS 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics (3 hours)
- IRSS 5625 Middle East/West Asia Area Studies (3 hours)
- IRSS 5635 Western European Area Studies (3 hours)
- IRSS 5645 Asian Area Studies (3 hours)
- IRSS 5655 African Area Studies (3 hours)
- IRSS 5665 South and Central Asian Area Studies (3 hours)
- IRSS 5675 Central and Eastern European Area Studies (3 hours)
- IRSS 5685 Latin American Area Studies (3 hours)
International Politics Cluster (4 courses)
- INGO 5000 Introduction to International and Nongovernmental Organizations (3 hours)
- IRSS 5400 International Political Economy (3 hours)
- IRSS 5510 Theories of International Relations (3 hours)
- IRSS 5530 International Law (3 hours)
- IRSS 5535 International Disaster Law (3 hours)
- IRSS 5540 International Organizations (3 hours)
- IRSS 5545 The United Nations in International Politics (3 hours)
- IRSS 5550 War and Diplomacy (3 hours)
- IRSS 5560 U.S. Foreign Policy (3 hours)
- IRSS 5585 Food and Water Security (3 hours)
- IRSS 5590 International Security (3 hours)
- IRSS 5595 Energy Security (3 hours)
- IRSS 5700 Humanitarian Issues in International Politics (3 hours)
- IRSS 5800 Globalization (3 hours)
- IRSS 5860 Issues in International Politics (3 hours)
- IRSS 5870 International Law and Politics of Outer Space (3 hours)
- IRSS 5890 Terrorism in World Politics (3 hours)
- NTSC 5000 Introduction to National Security Studies (3 hours)
International Relations Elective Courses (3 courses)
Any additional courses from the two clusters above, or any of the following:
- IRSS 5300 Field Work (3-6 hours)
- IRSS 5500 Professional Seminars (1-3 hours)
- IRSS 5610 Non-Thesis Readings/Research (3 hours)
- IRSS 5900 Advanced Research Methods** (3 hours)
- IRSS 6500 Internship (3 hours)
- Any other graduate elective course (3 hours)
Not all of the courses listed above will be available to students at all locations.
If a requisite course is waived, the student must choose an elective course from this major.
**Advanced Research Methods may be substituted for a course in the Comparative cluster or in the International Politics cluster.
The required courses and electives listed in this core may be taken as directed studies, subject to the conditions stated in Directed Studies under the Academic Policies section of this catalog.
Admission
See the Admission section of this catalog for general admission requirements. Students interested in applying must submit their application online at www.webster.edu/apply. Transcripts should be sent from your institution electronically to transcripts@webster.edu. If this service is not available, send transcripts to:
Office of Admission
Webster University
470 E. Lockwood Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63119
Advancement to Candidacy
Students are admitted to their graduate program upon completion of all admission requirements. Students are advanced to candidacy status after successfully completing 12 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. In specialized programs, courses required as prerequisites to the program do not count toward the 12 credit hours required for advancement.
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