This 16-month interdisciplinary program is designed for working professionals with five or more years of experience who wish to continue full-time employment while pursuing their degree. Under the guidance of world-renowned scholars, diplomats and policy makers, students move through the program as a cohort and develop strong professional connections with accomplished and diverse colleagues. This degree program is delivered in Washington DC on an alternating weekend (Friday/Saturday) schedule.
During the 16-month program, students complete a series of core and elective courses on campus, in addition to four application seminars and four multi-day residencies. This format delivers a broad overview of global issues, customized to suit the academic interests of students.
Degree Requirements
Campus: Washington, DC
Credits: 40
Duration: 16 Months
Course delivery: In-person
In order to graduate, students must fulfill all degree requirements and earn a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or above.
Curriculum
During the 16-month program, students complete a series of core and elective courses on campus. This format delivers a broad overview of global issues, customized to suit the academic interests of students. It is convenient for working professionals as classes typically meet every other week on Fridays and Saturdays.
The program begins with an optional non-credit foundation course: Introduction to International Economics. This is a self-paced online course offered as a resource to admitted students who wish to gain or strengthen foundational concepts in preparation for future coursework. Mastery of the course material is not required or expected—it is simply offered as a supplemental resource.
The MAGP is conferred upon successfully completing 40 credit hours including thirteen (13) courses plus four residencies (three local and one abroad) and four application seminars (running through the first four modules of the program). The 40 credits are divided as follows:
- Cohort Courses (8 courses worth 16 credits; courses are 2 credits each)
- Elective Courses (4 courses worth 8 credits; courses are 2 credits each)
- Application Seminars (4 courses worth 4 credits; courses are 1 credit each)
- Local Residencies (3 courses worth 6 credits; courses are 2 credits each)
- Leading Change in a Global Environment (Capstone/Global Residency Prep) (1 course worth 4 credits)
- Global Residency (1 course worth 2 credits)
Regular courses are graded using the standard grading scale; application seminars and residencies are graded pass/fail.
Term | Courses | Duration |
---|---|---|
Year 1 | ||
Optional Online Preparatory Course | Introduction to International Economics (0 credits) | Self-Paced |
Residency 1 | International Policy Residency (2 credits) | August/September (3 days) |
Module 1 | International Politics | September – November (10 weeks; 5 Fridays & Saturdays) |
Comparative Politics | ||
Global Trade & Policy | ||
Application Seminar 1 | (online) | |
Module 2 | Strategy & the Use of Force | December – February (10 weeks; 5 Fridays & Saturdays) |
Contemporary Issues in American Foreign Policy | ||
International Monetary Policy & Banking | ||
Application Seminar 2 | (online) | |
Residency 2 | Policy Simulation Residency | February (3 days) |
Module 3 | Conflict Management & Negotiations | March – May (10 weeks; 5 Fridays & Saturdays) |
Topics in International Development | ||
Elective | ||
Application Seminar 3 | (online) | |
Residency 3 | Policy Leadership Residency | May (3 days) |
Module 4 | Elective | June – August (10 weeks; 5 Fridays & Saturdays) |
Elective | ||
Elective | ||
Summer Break | 3 weeks | |
Year Two | ||
Module 5 | Leading Change in a Global Environment: Residency Project Preparation | September – November (10 weeks; 5 Fridays & Saturdays) |
Residency 4 (Abroad) | Global Policy Residency | October (1 week) |
Sample Electives
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Politics and Risk | ||
Economics of Competitor and Adversary Nations | ||
US Intelligence, Oversight, and the Global Context | ||
Governance and Development | ||
Security and Conflict in Latin America | ||
International Law |
Note: Curriculum and dates are subject to change
Application Seminars & Residencies
Experiential learning is an important component of the MAGP. In addition to academic courses, students participate in application seminars and residencies designed to build policymaking, negotiation, and leadership skills.
Application Seminars are designed to expand classroom learning and provide students with the necessary tools to more effectively embark on the capstone research project in Module 5. The Application Seminars are fully online, asynchronous one-credit courses in the first four academic terms (Fall-Module 1, Winter-Module 2, Spring-Module 3, and Summer-Module 4), as follows:
- Fall: Principles of International Politics
- Winter: Principles of International Political Economy
- Spring: Qualitative Research Methods
- Summer: Capstone Research Design
Residencies are immersive, multi-day exercises that take students outside the classroom and challenge them to apply lessons learned from their coursework. Three of the residencies take place locally (in or driving distance from Washington, DC). For the fourth, students travel abroad.
The four residencies are designed as follows:
- International Policy – With instruction from former and current policy makers, students work in teams to research, write and brief policy memos.
- Policy Simulation – Students enhance their understanding of international bargaining and negotiating as they take on the role of international leaders and policymakers in a time of crisis.
- Policy Leadership – Students participate in a leadership exercise and examine the many challenges of decision-making.
- Global Policy – During the final module of the program, students research a policy issue in a target country, conduct one week of intensive field research overseas, and conclude the program by presenting their report and recommendations to policy experts.