Interdisciplinary Master of Arts in International Affairs

Program Overview

With support from the Texas Tech University Graduate School, students may pursue a new specialization within the TTU graduate Interdisciplinary Studies program. This new specialization allows students to pursue a course of study leading to the degree of Master of Arts in International Affairs. There is no time in world history where the demand for individuals knowledgeable about the political and economic issues that define international affairs has been greater. Indeed, in all areas of politics and economics, an understanding of international issues is essential. This program fills this need by offering a 36 credit hour Master of Arts degree that will give students the opportunity to enhance their understanding of contemporary world. Upon completion of this program students will not only have a broader knowledge of the political and economic issues that define global relations today, they will also be able to offer clear, logical, and objective assessments of how they affect public and private organizations today.

This new interdisciplinary program will combine advanced academic training with practical problem solving by allowing students to complete the program through one of two tracks.

TRACK 1: International Affairs: International Relations Focus

The International Relations track will allow students to specialize in one of three functional problems in international relations, specifically, international security, international political economy, or international organization.

REQUIRED COURSES: 18 Hours

All Students: 12 Hours

Political Science 5360: International Relations Theory (3)

Political Science 5370: Comparative Politics (3)

Political Science 5382: Introduction to Data Analysis

Political Science 5365 Special Topics in International Relations (3)

(To serve as the MA in International Affairs Capstone Seminar

For Students following the International Relations Track) (3)

International Relations Track Students: 6 Hours

Political Science 5369: International Security Studies (3)

Political Science 5367: International Political Economy (3)

Political Science 5363: International Organization (3)

ELECTIVES: 18 Hours

Political Science 5361: Interdependence and World Order

Political Science 5371: Area Studies in Comparative Politics

Political Science 5378: Politics of Developing Areas

History 5322: Studies in American Diplomatic History

History 5328: Studies in American Military and Naval History

History 5344: Readings in European Nationalism

History 5345: Studies in the History of Fascist….Movements in Europe

History 5346: Studies in Modern European History

Geography 5303: Advanced Human Geography

Geography 5307: NAFTA, Western Hemisphere Trade, and Regional Integration in the Americas

Economics 5315: Natural Resource and Environmental Economics

Economics 5332: Advanced International Finance

Economics 5333: Advanced International Economics

TRACK 2: International Affairs: Regional Affairs Focus

The second track has the student following a Regional Affairs focus where he/she emphasizes contemporary global problems by examining in depth a particular region of the world. The regions that available for emphasis in this program are as follows: Asia, Africa, Latin American, Europe, and Post-Soviet Europe. Students following an Regional Affairs track are recommended to have proficiency in a language relevant to the region of the world on which they focus. Students without such a proficiency should include language instruction as part of their program, but language credits will not count toward the program’s required 36 hours.

REQUIRED COURSES

All Students: 12 Hours

Political Science 5360: International Relations Theory (3)

Political Science 5370: Comparative Politics (3)

Political Science 5382: Introduction to Data Analysis (3)

Political Science 5365 Special Topics in International Relations

(To serve as the MA in International Affairs Capstone Seminar

For Students following the International Relations Track) (3)

Regional Affairs Track Students: 6 Hours

History 5344: Readings in European Nationalism (3)

History 5345: Studies in the History of Fascist….Movements in Europe (3)

History 5346: Studies in Modern European History (3)

History 5349: Readings in Modern East Central European History (3)

History History 5350: Studies in African History (3)

History 5352: Studies in Asian History (3)

History 5356: Studies in National Latin American History (3)

Geography 5303: Advanced Human Geography (3)

Geography 5300: Geographic Information Systems (3)

Geography 5307: Seminar in Geography of Arid Lands (3)

ELECTIVES: 18 Hours

Political Science 5371: Area Studies in Comparative Politics (3)

Political Science 5378: Politics of Developing Areas (3)

Political Science 5361: Interdependence and World Order (3)

Geography 5307: NAFTA, Western Hemisphere Trade, and Regional Integration

in the Americas (3)

Geography 5303: Advanced Human Geography (3)

Geography 5300: Geographic Information Systems (3)

Geography 5307: Seminar in Geography of Arid Lands (3)

Economics 5315: Natural Resource and Environmental Economics (3)

Economics 5332: Advanced International Finance (3)

Economics 5333: Advanced International Economics (3)

History 5344: Readings in European Nationalism (3)

History 5345: Studies in the History of Fascist….Movements in Europe (3)

History 5346: Studies in Modern European History (3)

History 5349: Readings in Modern East Central European History (3)

History History 5350: Studies in African History (3)

History 5352: Studies in Asian History (3)

History 5356: Studies in National Latin American History (3)

Admissions Requirements

Students seeking admission to the Texas Tech University Interdisciplinary Studies program to obtain a Master of Arts specialization in International Affairs must meet all TTU Graduate School requirements for admission. This means applicants must submit GRE scores and undergraduate transcripts. Eligibility for admission will be determined by members of the advisory committee for the International Affairs Specialization Admissions Committee. Members of this committee will give all applications full consideration. Reviews of applications will consider all academic variables, including undergraduate GPA and scores on GRE exams, as well as candidates’ personal experience or any other factors that committee members may deem appropriate. Based on this review, students will be recommended for one of three levels of admission.

1) Full Admission:

It is recommended that the student have a 3.00 or higher GPA on the last sixty hours of letter graded courses from an institution awarding a accredited baccalaureate degree; 3.00 or higher GPA on at least twelve letter graded hours of graduate level coursework for this level of admission.

2) Conditional Admission:

It is recommended that the student have a 2.75 – 2.79 GPA on the last sixty hours of letter graded courses from an institution awarding a accredited baccalaureate degree for this level of admission. Once conditionally admitted, the student must complete the first twelve hours in the program with a grade of B or better. No grades of I’s, W’s, or U’s will be permitted during the period of conditional admission except that an I may be received in the case where the instructor verifies that the student’s final grade will be a B or better.

3) Alternative Admission:

It is recommended that students with less than a 2.75 grade point average on the last sixty hours of letter graded courses from an institution awarding a accredited baccalaureate degree be given this level of admission. In such cases the admissions committee may decide that the applicant can be admitted conditionally upon meeting certain criteria applied to that student. Once the special criteria are met and the student is admitted conditionally, all requirements for conditional admission will then be met.

Contact: Dr. Frank Thames, Graduate Studies Director