CMU Launches New International Relations and Politics Accelerated Master Program
By Shilo Rea
The 21st century’s ambiguous and changing global political structure is creating a demand for skilled experts who can examine and understand domestic and foreign government institutions and processes. To train the next generation of political scientists, Carnegie Mellon University has launched a new International Relations and Politics Accelerated Master Program.
Open to CMU undergraduates and offered through the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Institute for Politics and Strategy (IPS), the program will prepare students for competitive doctoral programs and careers in international relations, government service, American politics and related fields. Students accepted into the program will complete four courses during their senior year, a summer internship following their senior year, plus an additional year of eight classes focused on international relations, international security, political institutions and politics.
“War has been a constant in our current students’ lives, and that unfortunately does not look like it will change soon. But what is changing is the political landscape of war — from wars between nations to non-state actors like ISIS and al-Qaeda becoming aggressors. Coupled with an increasingly globalized world, international relations and politics is extremely important, and students need to be prepared and trained to analyze and deal with uncertainty and transformation in many different cultures and areas of the world,” said Kiron K. Skinner, IPS director and a leading expert in political strategy, international relations and U.S. foreign policy.
The accelerated Master of Science in international relations and politics has admitted its first class for the fall of 2016. CMU students interested in political science with a major or minor in international relations and politics and who participate in CMU’s Washington Semester Program or receive special permission are encouraged to apply for admission during their junior year.
IPS was established in July 2015 and serves as a center for research, undergraduate and graduate education and university-wide initiatives in the fields of political science, international relations and national security.
Learn more about the International Relations and Politics Accelerated Masters Program.