The International Affairs program offers two degrees:

Master of Arts in International Affairs (MA)
The 42-credit MA degree is for recent college graduates and career changers, i.e., for people who have not yet established international careers.

Master of Science in International Affairs (MS)
The 30-credit MS degree is for people with at least five years of post-university professional experience in international affairs or a related field.

Both programs of study combine a set of core courses with a wide range of electives and opportunities for hands-on experience. Students can pursue the MA or MS degree on a full- or part-time basis, and courses are offered days and evenings.

Graduates of the program will be in a position to begin or advance careers in public service, non-governmental organizations, academe, media, and the private sector. The goal of the program is to produce well-trained, public-spirited citizens who are proficient in their specialties and knowledgeable about crucial issues that confront the evolving global society.

The New School believes that practitioners of international affairs require four skills to work effectively in this rapidly changing arena:

  1. Global Context Analysis: Ability to locate world, national, and local forces affecting specific problems. This requires political, economic, and sociocultural understanding within a historical framework and knowledge of regional and local specificities.
  2. Comparative Development Assessment: Ability to assess national and local problems in light of the comparative experience of socioeconomic development, including why some societies and countries have managed to reduce poverty and inequality while others have not. This includes an understanding of development policies, programs, and projects in their geographical and cultural environments, taking into account sectors such as infrastructure, urban development, education, and environmental management.
  3. Institutional Evaluation: Ability to evaluate particular institutions—how they work or don't work and how they might be strengthened.
  4. Understanding Media: Appreciation of the role and processes of information technology and media discourses and representations as an integral part of the international affairs context.

All courses offered by the International Affairs program carry 3 graduate credits. Credits for field experience, independent study, and courses offered by other departments may vary.