The one-year Diploma in International Studies, offered at SAIS Europe in Bologna, Italy, gives students the flexibility to select courses based on their academic interests. The school’s multidisciplinary curriculum is rooted in economics, political science, history, and foreign language proficiency and students are taught under the American system of graduate education.
The close-knit international academic environment of SAIS Europe fosters a sense of community and collaboration and enables students to learn to communicate across borders and cultures.
Johns Hopkins SAIS graduates are sought after by employers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Their knowledge of economics, analytical abilities, regional expertise, diplomatic skills, international experience, language proficiency, as well as capacity to apply theory to real-world problems, give students a distinct professional advantage.
Degree Requirements
Campus: Bologna, Italy
Credits: 32
Duration: One academic year, Full-time
Course delivery: In-person
In order to earn the Diploma, students must fulfill all requirements and earn a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or above.
Curriculum
Students pursuing the one-year Diploma in International Studies must complete a minimum of eight non-language courses (32 credits) over two consecutive semesters. Students must also demonstrate competence in one of the foreign languages offered at SAIS Europe.
The curriculum emphasizes international economics and international relations with options to focus in a broad range of policy areas and geographic regions. Students who wish to pursue economics courses must have completed introductory level Micro- and Macroeconomics prior to the start of the program.
Each year, approximately 70 courses are offered at SAIS Europe on topics such as:
- American Foreign Policy
- Conflict Management
- Energy and Sustainability
- International Development
- International Law
- International Political Economy
- Strategic Studies
- Global Risk
- European and other Regional Studies
Language Requirements
Native English speakers must pass a foreign-language proficiency examination or successfully complete two semester-long courses in one of the foreign languages offered at SAIS Europe:
- Arabic
- French
- German
- Italian
- Russian
- Spanish
Non-credit language courses do not count toward the number of courses or credits needed for the Diploma.
During the application process, non-native speakers of English will be required to submit a score from one of the following English competency exam: TOEFL, IELTS or the Cambridge C2 Proficiency. This requirement may be waived for individuals who have completed their undergraduate degree in English in a country where English is an official language. However, at the start of the academic year, all non-native English-speaking students at SAIS Europe must take the English proficiency exam, regardless of previous test results, to ensure an adequate level in all skills.