Degree Programs | Master of Arts

Master of Arts in International Relations (M.A.)

With the exception of MIPP candidates, all full-time students admitted to the Bologna Center are automatically admitted to the two-year M.A. program. After satisfactorily completing a year of study in Bologna, students spend their second year in Washington, DC. In order to receive the M.A. degree, all candidates must fulfill the following minimum requirements:

Courses: All candidates must complete 16 non-language courses taken for credit, normally within four consecutive semesters of study.

Language Proficiency: All candidates must pass a written and an oral proficiency examination in a language taught at SAIS. Regional studies programs may require a proficiency exam in a language specifice to that region. All non-native speakers of English must also pass written and oral exams in English.

Core Examinations: All candidates must pass written examinations in two core subjects.

Concentration Capstone Requirements: All M.A. candidates are required to complete a capstone in order to graduate. This is an integrative project or experience within the non-economics concentration and requires an assessment. It is at the discretion of program directors to determine what constitutes a capstone. Generally, a capstone should be completed in a student's second year. If the capstone occurred during the first year, the final outcome/product should be submitted in the second year and should be integrative in nature. Some programs may choose to allow the M.A. Oral Exam, to compete for honors, as one of the capstone options. For more information, visit the individual program sites (functional and/or regional) on the SAIS-Washington website.

Research Thesis: No thesis is required for the MA degree.