MA in International Relations

International Relations MA Requirements

The following is the list of requirements that apply to all degree programs in international relations, with a few exceptions (noted below). For the requirements of specific degree programs, please refer to the appropriate section below.

Core Course Requirement

The department has established four core areas of study within international relations: Theory and Policy, Political Economy, Security Studies, and Regional Studies. A variety of courses are offered within each of the four core areas. All students must successfully complete (at least) one course in three of the four core areas to satisfy the core course requirement. The core course requirement ensures that students gain exposure to a range of important facets of international affairs.

Core courses are selected using the track course listings for the MA in International Affairs (below). The Functional tracks of the International Affairs degree are identical to the first three core areas (Theory and Policy, Political Economy, and Security Studies). For the Regional Studies core area, students may select a course from any of the Regional Studies tracks.

Exception: The International Affairs, International Relations & Religion, Global Development Policy, and Latin American Studies programs do not use the general core course requirement. These programs each have their own set of core courses.

Statistics Requirement

Students in IR programs are expected to have a reasonable facility working with statistical data. The IR Department requires that students in all of our programs take one course in statistics.

Several of our degree programs include required coursework that satisfies the statistics requirement. These programs, and the classes that satisfy the statistics requirement, are as follows:

  • International Affairs (IR 702)
  • International Relations and MBA (GSM QM 716 or GSM QM 717)
  • Global Development Policy (IR 702, GE 516, or either SPH BS 701 or SPH BS 703, depending on the chosen concentration)

Students in those programs do not need to take an additional statistics course beyond the one that is required for their degree program. Students in other programs may satisfy the requirement in several ways:

  1. A dedicated two-credit (or more) undergraduate-level (or higher) course in statistics. This course may be taken either prior to matriculation at BU or while studying at BU. At BU, either CAS MA 113 or CAS MA 115 can be taken to satisfy this requirement. Comparable courses at other universities may also be used (online courses, however, are not accepted). Please note that while a dedicated statistics class will satisfy the statistics requirement, the credits from the class, whether it is taken at BU or elsewhere, will not be applied toward the IR degree. The course must be taken for a grade, not pass/fail.
  2. Students in any IR degree program may take IR 702 Research Methods for International Relations Practitioners as an elective toward their degree. Students who have not completed the statistics requirement prior to beginning their studies at BU are strongly encouraged to take IR 702 to satisfy this requirement.
  3. Students in the IREP and IRIC programs have courses available to them that fulfill the statistics requirement and also count toward their degree program. For students in the IREP program, GRS MA 614, GRS MA 684, GRS GE 516, or GRS GE 712 will fulfill both the statistics requirement and a CEES elective. For IRIC students, COM CM 722 Communication Research will fulfill the statistics requirement and will also count as either a COM core class or a COM elective.

Exception: Students in the International Relations & Religion and Latin American Studies programs are not required to fulfill the statistics requirement.

Language Requirement

All students in the Department of International Relations are required to demonstrate graduate-level reading proficiency in a foreign language prior to completion of the degree program. Graduate-level proficiency is the ability to accurately understand newspaper and professional journal articles in the field of foreign relations, using standard reference materials. English is considered a second language for non-native English speakers. Language examinations are administered by the department three times each year. All students are strongly encouraged to meet this degree requirement before the last semester of their degree program. Exam instructions: ir/graduate/current/exam.

Exception: The Latin American Studies program requires a different, more rigorous examination, detailed in the description of that program.

Master’s Paper Requirement

All students must complete a master’s paper. The department allows students the option to choose between writing a traditional master’s research paper or writing a policy paper. The requirements for both options as well as examples of both research and policy papers are available at ir/graduate/current/papers.

Exception: Students in the Global Development Policy program do not write an MA paper.

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

All Master of Arts students in the Department of International Relations must orally defend their MA papers before a panel of three professors chosen by the department. Students are permitted to participate in the oral defense examination only after all other degree requirements have been met. The purpose of the oral examination is to test the student’s knowledge in the area of research related to the MA paper and to test the student’s ability to discuss that knowledge at length in a clear and organized manner. You may access the latest schedule for these exams at ir/graduate/current/papers.

Exception: Students in the Global Development Policy program do not conduct an oral defense.