AN APPLIED INTERDISCIPLINARY
APPROACH TO THE WORLD
In SPE we have a high level of curricular integration between the departments of Politics and Policy and Economics. This enables our students to engage in interdisciplinary study, which teaches them to understand political developments, economic trends, and challenges to national interests.
The MAIS requires completion of 9 or 12 courses (36 units and a research paper, or 48 units with no research paper).
The goals of the program include the development of substantive knowledge in comparative and/or world politics; an understanding of the linkage between politics and economics in the international arena; an ability to use a variety of tools in the study of comparative and/or world politics; and, a capacity to use theoretical knowledge for practical purposes.
Each MAIS student works out an individualized curriculum in consultation with her or his advisor. The career path a student wishes to pursue upon graduation heavily influences the selection of elective courses and research tools. A student intending to work in an international NGO might include courses thematically related to the work of the NGO and about the area(s) within which the NGO operates. A student planning a career in investment banking would be advised to develop a concentration in international political economy and political risk. A student who wishes to be employed by an agency working on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction might concentrate on course offerings in defense and foreign policy.
For those undertaking the 36-unit degree, the capstone project for students is the Master’s Research Paper. It should focus on a topic related to the sequence of courses the student has studied. It offers an opportunity to explore a topic of interest in depth and to bridge the worlds of “theory” and practice. For those undertaking the 48-unit degree, there is no Master’s Research Paper required.
Core Courses (8 units)
- PP411 International Political Economy, OR
- SPE410 Foundations of Political Economy
- PP350 Comparative Political Systems, OR
- PP400 World Politics
Expertise in Depth (20-32 units)
Five (5) to eight (8) approved courses in Comparative Politics, or World Politics depending upon focus of study. Research Tools (8 units): PP481 Quantitative Research Methods AND ONE of the following courses:
- Qualitative or field research methods*
- Advanced level foreign language**
- PP471 Decision Making Models
- PP354 Political Risk Analysis
- PP482 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods
- PP483 Legal Research Methods
- PP487 Computer Applications for Data Analysis
*course approval required by faculty advisor ** see “Use of foreign language as a research tool” under the “General Requirements” section.
The MAIS builds expertise in international studies, political economy and foreign and defense policy. It hones a student's analytical skills in assessing the interaction between political objectives and the working of international markets. For example, economic and strategic interdependence can promote closer ties among states, or they can promote vulnerability and insecurity. Economic liberalization can bring new opportunity and prosperity to millions of people, but it can also create new distributions of political winners and losers. Economic and political reforms are often blamed for financial crises experienced in the same emerging markets once regarded as models to be emulated. The analytical tools developed in the MAIS program give students a greater capacity to understand and forecast these developments.
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