UC San Diego Offers New Master’s Degree
in International Affairs for Professionals

January 21, 2010

By Rex Graham

UC San Diego’s School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS) is launching a one-year executive master’s degree program beginning fall 2010, and is now accepting applications for the new Master of Advanced Studies in International Affairs.

Professor Stephan Haggard, faculty director of the new Master of Advanced Studies in International Affairs program, says companies will reap benefits from the participation of their professional employees in the program.

The program provides a rigorous curriculum designed to complement the experience of working professionals from the United States and the countries of the Pacific region. The course of study begins with seminars on the politics and economics of the region, including East and Southeast Asia and Latin America, and offers three career track options: international security; international political economy; and international public policy.

Students can customize half of the curriculum around their professional interests. The degree program can be completed in one academic year at a full-time pace. A part-time track that can be completed in two years is also available for working professionals.

“We are responding to the needs of professionals seeking to advance their careers through a deeper understanding of the dynamic political, economic and business environment of the Pacific region,” said Acting Dean Peter Gourevitch.
Candidates qualify with a four-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a minimum GPA of 3.0 from an institution of comparable standing to the University of California and five years of relevant work experience.

“The School not only has a strong academic reputation, but provides an opportunity to network with professionals in the private and public sectors from throughout the region,” says Professor Stephan Haggard, faculty director of the new degree program. “Employers should also reap benefits from the program.”
Complete program details, admission requirements, application and fee information can be found at http://irps.ucsd.edu/mas.

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About UC San Diego’s School of International Relations and Pacific Studies
Founded in 1986, the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies is the only graduate school of international affairs in the UC system as well as the only such program in the U.S. focused on the Pacific region – Asia and the Americas. IR/PS established a new blueprint for international affairs, public policy and international management education. Students receive comprehensive training on the economics, politics and financial markets of the Pacific. The UC San Diego Departments of Economics and Political Science have been ranked in the top ten in the United States and the influential journal Foreign Policy has ranked IR/PS in the top ten for foreign affairs. For more information, please visit http://irps.ucsd.edu.

Media Contact: Rex Graham, 858-534-5952 or ragraham@ucsd.edu