The Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR) program mixes academic and professional instruction in an effort to connect theory and practice, both substantively and pedagogically. Our courses are all organized in seminar or semi-seminar format, with close faculty-student interaction.
- Classic academic seminars survey the rich theoretical traditions in international relations and comparative politics. They are normally offered by the permanent faculty in the department, all with PhDs from distinguished universities.
- Professional seminars and workshops focus on empirical and policy challenges and are typically led by guests from outside the university.
- The research design short course adds a methodological component to the academic side of the program.
- Short course workshops and some of our semester long seminars (not to mention our international courses) bring accomplished professionals into the program.
The MAIR program's 30 unit academic curriculum offers students a strong core of required survey courses (POLS535, POLS550, POLS570), a wide range of subject-focused courses, and a final capstone course (POLS595) to bring together the skills and knowledge they have acquired in the program. Course offerings vary from semester to semester depending on instructor availability, though required courses are offered at least once per academic year.
- Requirements
- Combined degree program (BA/MA)
- Affiliated program electives
Degree Requirements
POLS 530 | Research Design & Analysis | 3 |
or POLS 330 | Thinking Like a Political Scientist | |
POLS 550 | Politics & Policies Around the World: Foundations of Comparative Politics (The requirements for POLS 550 and 570 will be satisfied by POLS 350 and 370, respectively, only for students in the BA/MA combined degree program) | 3 |
or POLS 350 | Theories of Comparative Politics | |
POLS 570 | Global Conflict & Cooperation: Foundations of International Relations (The requirements for POLS 550 and 570 will be satisfied by POLS 350 and 370, respectively, only for students in the BA/MA combined degree program) | 3 |
or POLS 370 | Theories of International Relations | |
POLS 593 | International Relations International Travel Course (Please consult the Program Director for additional information) | 1 |
POLS 595 | MAIR Capstone Seminar | 3 |
Electives, to be chosen from: | 17 | |
500-level POLS courses | ||
Up to 6 units of courses from outside the Political Science and International Relations department These require approval of the Program Director: - USD graduate-level coursework on topics related to international relations. - USD upper-division undergraduate courses with a strong international component. - Transfer courses from other institutions on topics related to international relations. | ||
Total Units | 30 | |
No courses with a grade below B- will count toward the degree requirements, although all grades for USD courses are calculated in the GPA.
No online courses may count toward the graduate degree.
JD/MAIR Dual Degree Program
This dual degree program offers students the chance to pursue both a JD degree and a Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR). Since these programs allow the concurrent pursuit of two degrees, with some courses credited toward both a JD degree and a master's degree, students can generally save time and expense. With proper planning, the dual degree program takes approximately four years to complete.
Students interested in this dual degree program must apply to, and be accepted by, both programs. Students generally begin at the School of Law, and start their master's program in their second year. Regardless which program a student enrolls in first, graduate school credits may not be transferred to the law school until after completion of the entire first year of law study.
Students in the dual JD/MAIR degree program may, with the prior permission of the law school, apply up to six units of their MAIR coursework toward their JD degree. Additionally, dual JD/MAIR students may apply, with permission of the MAIR program director, up to 12 units of coursework in international law at the law school toward their MAIR degree requirements.
BA/MAIR Combined Degree Program
Through the Combined BA/MAIR Degree Program, undergraduates who are completing a degree in Political Science or International Relations at the University of San Diego may apply for admission to the Master of Arts in International Relations degree program while completing the requirements for their Bachelor’s degree.
With graduate director approval, undergraduate students admitted to the combined degree program are permitted to take up to 12 units of 500-level coursework to count towards the requirements for both degrees, with 500-level courses also counting as undergraduate electives. USD undergraduate students may begin the Master’s program during their junior or senior year, provided that they have a 3.5 GPA within the major and have completed at least two 300- or 400-level political science or international relations courses. Since these programs allow the concurrent pursuit of two degrees, with courses credited toward both the BA and the MAIR, students can generally save time and expense.
Students admitted to the Combined Degree Program will have undergraduate status until they complete their BA degree requirements, and will become graduate students in the term after graduation from the undergraduate program. Combined degree students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 at both the undergraduate and graduate level, or be subject to academic probation and/or expulsion from the graduate program. Combined degree students must complete a minimum of 18 units while they have graduate student status in order to satisfy the graduate program requirements.