Master of Science in International Relations

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Students should consult the General Regulations section of the Graduate Catalog for additional information regarding Graduate School admission requirements, transfer credit, andother critical policies and procedures.

World politics have undergone a profound alteration over the past two decades. The collapse of the former Soviet Union, the evolution of the European Union, events in the Greater Middle East, the rising power of China as well as other developing countries, the influence of non-state actors such as terrorist groups and NGOs, plus concerns about national and global economic issues demonstrate a paradigm shift in international affairs. The Cold War, which dominated global events for nearly five decades, is over, yet what will replace the norms and institutions of that era is not clear. What is apparent, however, is that the world community is increasingly interdependent, that traditional identities and values are being reexamined, and that new challenges are likely to emerge.

The Master of Science in International Relations (MSIR) degree program is a 12-course, 36-credit-hour curriculum of study designed to provide students with the foundation and knowledge needed to understand the context and conduct of international relations. Students are encouraged to gain a wide-ranging appreciation of the political, historical, cultural, economic, and geographical factors that affect international relations. This appreciation is accomplished through a program of instruction focused on international relations theory and its application but drawing from disciplines such as history, economics, and geography. Students also acquire methodological and analytical skills that improve their understanding and ability to evaluate national and global developments.

The program offers courses covering history, regional studies, comparative government, foreign policy, the global economy, geography, conflict management, national security, global climate change, international organization, international law, intercultural relations, and the politics of developing countries.

Prerequisite Requirements

Candidates for admission must have a baccalaureate degree in any subject area from a regionally accredited college or university. There are no prerequisite course requirements. Students with undergraduate degrees in areas not included in the curriculum are encouraged to inquire about the program.

Graduates of the Master of Science in International Relations program include individuals with undergraduate degrees in the social sciences as well as in such areas as English, foreign language, engineering, chemistry, mathematics, psychology, education, and business administration.

Admission Requirements for the Master of Science in International Relations Degree

Unconditional Admission

Hold a master’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited university. No test score is required. An official transcript showing completion of a master’s or higher degree is required.
OR
Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 (4.0 scale) or a 3.0 grade point average on the last 30 semester hours. All hours attempted in the term in which the 30 semester hours were reached will be used to calculate the grade point average. All transcripts from all colleges or universities attended are required.
AND
Have an acceptable score on the appropriate entrance exam [GRE 294 (920 on the old exam) (verbal plus quantitative), MAT 396, GMAT 490].
The GRE/GMAT/MAT requirement may be waived under the following conditions
1. If the applicant holds a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university or equivalent foreign university with a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale)
  OR
2. If the applicant holds a baccalaureate degree from Troy University with a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (4.0 scale) or a 3.0 on the last 30 semester hours. All hours attempted in the term in which the 30 semester hours were reached will be used to calculate the GPA.
  OR
3. If the applicant is an officer or senior NCO in the U.S. military in good standing and holds a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (4.0 scale) or a 3.0 on the last 30 semester hours. All transcripts from all colleges or universities attended are required.

Conditional Admission

Conditional admission may be granted under certain circumstances to applicants who cannot satisfy all unconditional admission requirements to a graduate program. See conditional admission requirements in the General Regulations section of this Catalog.

Students admitted conditionally only because of a low undergraduate grade point average will be cleared of their conditional status if, at the completion of nine semester hours, they have achieved a 3.0 grade point average or greater on all graduate work attempted. Students must clear the conditional admission requirement of a 3.0 average at the completion of nine semester hours, or they will be dropped from the graduate program for one calendar year after which they may petition the Dean of the Graduate School to re-enter.

Students admitted conditionally only because of a low test score will be granted unconditional admission prior to the completion of nine semester hours provided they have maintained a 3.0 grade point average on all graduate work attempted and have retaken the test and received a satisfactory score.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of four courses (12 semester credit hours) taken at another regionally accredited institution, each with a “B” or better grade, can be applied toward the degree; graduate-level courses completed by U.S. service personnel in Professional Military Education programs may also qualify for transfer credit. These courses must be comparable in catalog description to Troy University courses in the MSIR program and must be recommended for transfer credit by the Chair of the Department of Political Science and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

Unconditional admission
Overall 3.0 GPA
Completion of the curriculum listed below. If the student makes a “D” or “F” in a core course, the course must be retaken. If the student makes a “D” or “F” in an elective course, the course may either be retaken or another elective taken in its place.
Successful completion (“B” or better) of IR 6690 - Capstone or Thesis
Successful completion (“B” or better) of IR 6601 - Research Methods in International Relations , the program research requirement

*The thesis option is not available to Troy Online students.

Curriculum

All courses offer three semester hours credit.

The MSIR curriculum of study consists of three integral components.

Five core required courses with a “B” or better in IR 6601 Research Methods in International Relations
The selection and completion of one program concentration
The successful completion of the capstone course with a grade average of B or higher

Non-Thesis Option

Core Courses	15 sh
Concentration Elective Courses	21 sh
Total	36 sh

Thesis Option

Core Courses	15 sh
Concentration Elective Courses	21 sh
Total	36 sh

Required Core Courses (12-15 sh)

All MSIR students must take the following courses:

Notes:

*IR 6601 must be taken within the first six classes

MSIR Concentration Options

Students must choose ONE of the following concentrations:

Global Studies (21 sh or 18 sh with Thesis)
National Security Affairs (21 sh or 18 sh with Thesis)
Regional Affairs (21 sh or 18 sh with Thesis)

Global Studies Concentration (21 sh or 18 sh with Thesis)

Students may choose any 18-21 sh of the following courses:

National Security Affairs Concentration (21 sh or 18 sh with Thesis)

Students must choose any three of the following courses: (9 sh)

Students must choose 9-12 semester hours from the remaining electives listed for the Global Studies Concentration: (9-12sh)

Regional Affairs Concentration (21 sh or 18 sh with Thesis)

Concentration Relevant Electives Courses: (12 sh)

Students must take 12 hours from one of the following regional groups:

Middle East and North Africa

Asia

Europe

Latin America

Approved Electives Courses: (9 sh)

Non-thesis students must choose three courses from the remaining electives listed for the Global Studies Concentration and thesis students must choose two.

The Third Component of the MSIR Degree Program Is the Successful Completion of One Of the Following Options:

Capstone-Students choosing this option must take the capstone class in their final semester or term and all core classes need to be completed prior to enrolling in the class. Students will complete a research paper that demonstrates their ability to integrate and synthesize information obtained from the course work and also shows their ability to apply the theoretical concepts of our discipline to real world subjects. The paper will be graded by a minimum of two full-time MSIR faculty members.
Thesis *- Students choosing the thesis option must register for IR 6668 (3 credit hours) and IR 6669 (3 credit hours) as their last two courses in the program. They must successfully research, write, and defend their thesis while taking IR 6668 and IR 6669 . This process involves directed research in selected areas of international relations, based on the student’s proposal, related to the student’s needs, with the advice and approval of a thesis adviser and a faculty reader, and culminating in a substantive research paper of appropriate depth and scholarship. Students will receive a Pass or Fail for the two thesis courses, no letter grade.

* The thesis option is not available to Troy Online students. Divisional Chair approval is required prior to enrolling for the thesis option. Students must obtain faculty support for their thesis prior to seeking such approval.

Degree Plan

Master of Science in International Relations Degree Plan/Progress Record