Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations

Program Description

The International Relations program at Webster Vienna prepares students for leadership and service in the international diplomatic, professional, and academic communities. Led by a team of internationally recognized researchers, lecturers, and scholar-practitioners, students examine great powers politics, humanitarian issues, and the dynamics of the international political economy, learning how to employ competing theories, methods, and approaches.

Coursework provides exposure to the key subfields of the discipline and relevant issues such as International Security, European Integration, EU-Asia Relations, Terrorism and Energy Security. The program can help prepare students to compete for work with a governmental agency, an intergovernmental organization, a nongovernmental organization, or a multinational corporation. This program is also recommended for students planning to pursue a PhD or an academic career at another institution.

Degree Requirements

The 36 credit hours that are required for the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree with a major in International Relations must include all Core Courses and minimum of 5 Cluster and 2 Elective Courses:

• All Core Courses
• 1-2 Courses from the Comparative Politics Cluster
• 3-4 Courses from the International Politics Cluster
• 3 Elective Courses (INTL 6000) or* 2 Elective Courses (INTL 6250)

*Effective entry term Fall 1, 2016 all Vienna students are obligated write a thesis (INTL 6250). The thesis has to be written in the two consecutive, final terms, it counts as two courses (2 x 3 credits hours).

Note: the International Relations curriculum at Webster Vienna Private University differs in some aspects from other Webster campuses due to Austrian accreditation requirements. Find the general Webster University curriculum here.

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Core Courses

(mandatory)

• INTL 5000 Introduction to International Relations (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5100 Research Methods and Perspectives (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5900 Advanced Research Methods (3 credit hours)
• INTL 6250 Thesis (6 credit hours)
  OR*
• INTL 6000 Capstone (3 credit hours)
  Optional for students who entered before Fall 1, 2016 only.

*Effective entry term Fall 1, 2016 all Vienna students are obligated write a thesis (INTL 6250). The thesis has to be written in the two consecutive, final terms, it counts as two courses (2 x 3 credits hours).

 

Comparative Politics

(select 1-2)

• INTL 5050 Comparative Politics (3 credit hours)
  recommended
• INTL 5580 Politics of Development (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5625 Middle East Area Studies (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics: EU Foreign Policy (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics: The European Union and Asia Pacific (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics: The State and the Art in the EU and the US (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5635 Western European Area Studies (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5645 Asian Area Studies (3 credit hours)

International Politics

(select 3-4)

• INTL 5510 Theories of International Relations (3 credit hours)
  recommended
• INTL 5530 International Law (3 credit hours)
  recommended
• INTL 5400 International Political Economy (3 credit hours)
  recommended
• INTL 5540 International Organizations (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5550 War and Diplomacy (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5560 U.S. Foreign Policy (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5590 International Security
• INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics: Energy and Environmental Security (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics: Monetary Relations (3 credit hours)
  builds on INTL 5400
• INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics: The Emerging Field of Geoeconomics (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5870 International Law and Politics of Outer Space (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5890 Terrorism in World Politics (3 credit hours)

Electives

(select 2-3)

Electives can be chosen from any International Relations Cluster Course options (Comparative Politics / International Politics) not used to satisfy the given requirements, or from any pre-approved courses from other departments, such as:

• MRKT 5000 Marketing (3 credit hours)
• MNGT 5590 Organizational Behavior (3 credit hours)
• BUSN 5200 Basic Finance for Managers (3 credit hours)
• INGO 5000 Non-Governmental Organizations
• INTL 5500 Professional Seminars (1-3 credit hours)
• INTL 5610 Non-Thesis Readings/Research (3 credit hours)
• INTL 5300 Field Work** (3-6 credit hours)
• INTL 6500 Internship** (3 credit hours)

**Needs approval by the Vienna International Relations Department Head. Please note that students need to fulfill several conditions before they start their internships or field work if they want to gain credits.
If the requisite course is waived, the student must choose an elective course from this major.
The required courses and electives listed in this core may be taken as directed studies, subject to the conditions stated in the Directed Studies section under Academic Policies and Procedures.