Master of Science in Global Affairs

The Division of Global Affairs (DGA) offers a master of science (M.S.) degree in global affairs--a multidisciplinary field concerned with theoretically informed, problem-oriented approaches to transnational issues and their interaction with local issues. 

 

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Forty (40) credits are required for the M.S. degree in global affairs. All students must complete:

• six core courses with grades of B (3.0) or better (18 credits)
• two semesters of the Colloquium on Global Change and Governance with grades of Pass (4 credits)
• one methodology course (3 credits)
• three courses in a concentration (9 credits)
  
• two additional or elective credits (6 credits)
• language requirement (no credit)
• Note: M.S. students are encouraged to take both a qualitative and a quantitative methodology course. 
  

Students must maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 or better in all nonlanguage courses taken at Rutgers University in order to acquire the M.S. If a student's academic performance falls below the expected standard, the Graduate School–Newark may refuse the student the right of future registration and terminate studies. Students with an insufficiently high grade-point average may submit an appeal to the DGA director.

 

Course Requirements

 

Core Courses (18 credits)

Students must complete six core courses with grades of B (3.0) or better in each in order to remain in the program. Students who do not receive a grade of B or better in some core course must either retake it or take another core course from within one of the nine topic areas.

 

All core requirements must be completed at Rutgers Newark. Transfer credits may not be used in fulfillment of core requirements.

 

Six of the following courses must be taken:

26:478:537  Global Governance

26:478:541/26:553:607   Global Political Economy

26:478:572/26:510:543   Evolution of the Global System

26:220:518/26:478:518  International Economics I OR 26:220:512 / 26:478:512  Fundamentals of Economics in Global Affairs

26:478:599/26:070:599  Culture and Globalization OR 26:478:585 / 26:920:585  Social Movements and Globalization

26:478:504  International Law  OR  23:600:638  International Law and World Order  (note: dual J.D. / Ph.D. students should take 23:600:638 as the School of Law–Newark will not accept 26:478:504)

26:478:538  Global Environmental Issues

26:553:602/26:478:597  Theory of International Business  OR  26:478:589 /26:553:601 History of International Business

26:478:514  Ethics and Global Affairs

Course numbers may change effective academic year 2014. Please consult the DGA website for updated details.

 

Colloquium on Global Change and Governance (4 credits) 

Students must complete two semesters of the colloquium. Each 2-credit sequence (26:478:570/571) consists of a series of seminars on a topic or geographical area of current significance. The colloquium is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Grades are provided by the professor organizing the colloquium.

 

Students are encouraged to attend--on a noncredit, nonregistered basis--as many Colloquium on Global Change and Governance as possible, but only 4 credits may be counted toward the M.S. degree.

 

Methodology Requirement (6 credits)

Students must complete one 3-credit methodology course, one 3-credit qualitative, or one 3-credit quantitative. As stated above, students are encouraged, but not required, to take both a qualitative and a quantitative methodology course.

 

Please see below for a list of DGA courses that fall within the methodology requirement:   

• 26:790:533  Research Methodology in Political Science (qualitative)
  
• 20:834:561  Analytical Methods (quantitative)
• 26:960:577  Linear Statistical Models (quantitative)
• 26:478:506  Quantitative Methods in Global Affairs (quantitative)
• 26:220:507  Econometrics (advanced; quantitative)
• 26:960:670  Multivariate Analysis (advanced; quantitative)
  

Specializations

M.S. students may choose a specialization in one of the four areas:

• Conflict and Human Rights
• Global Business and Economics
• Global Governance
• Human and Environmental Security

Core courses taken in excess of the required number may be used toward the concentration. Core courses taken within the required amount may not be used toward the concentration requirement.  

For a complete list of courses within the concentration, please consult the DGA website. 

Language Requirement

All M.S. students must demonstrate, at any time during their course of study at Rutgers-

Newark, reading knowledge of at least one modern language other than English. Reading

and writing knowledge involves comprehension of global affairs issues. Students can

demonstrate this knowledge by: 

• completing four semesters of a language at Rutgers University or other approved and accredited institutions;
• passing reading-knowledge examinations at Rutgers University (administered by the DGA or the Rutgers–New Brunswick Language Institute); or
• graduating from a foreign university where courses are offered in a language other than English.

Language course credits do not count toward the requirements necessary for an M.S.

Internship 

26:478:601,602  Internship or Research Seminar

Internships are not required as part of the DGA program; however, upon prior approval from the deputy director of global affairs, students may complete an internship for 3 credits with an approved international organization, NGO, government agency, transnational corporation, media organization, or other institution active in some aspect of global affairs. Internships generally entail one day of work per week for the duration of the semester. Students interested in internship credits should submit a request in writing to the deputy director and include description of their duties with the name and title of the person for whom they report. 

To participate in the Division of Global Affairs internship program, M.S. students must meet the following criteria:

• have a cumulative GPA of 3.25
• have completed 18 credits, including a minimum of 12 credits of core course requirements

Students are responsible for finding their own positions. The DGA does not place students, but will assist students with the process.

Students are encouraged to seek out internships of particular interest to them and/or to consult with the Career Development Center, Rutgers University, Hill Hall 309-B, Newark, NJ 07102-1801 (973 353-5312).

 

Independent Study 

All M.S. students may take up to 3 credits of independent study courses explicitly dealing with topics related to global affairs--a multidisciplinary field concerned with theoretically informed, problem-oriented approaches to transnational issues and their interaction with local issues (26:478:697, 698, 699).

 

In order to embark upon an independent study, students must:

• find a DGA faculty member willing to supervise the research and grade the paper or project;
• register for the course (special permission number necessary); and
• complete the paper or project at the required time given and submit it to the DGA faculty member supervising the independent study course for a letter grade.

Master's Thesis

M.S. students may write a master's thesis in the course of two semesters for 6 credits (26:478:695, 696). Students considering doctoral studies are urged to complete a thesis.

 

Students choose the topic of their thesis in consultation with their faculty adviser. The thesis must focus on some aspect of global affairs--a multidisciplinary field concerned with theoretically informed, problem-oriented approaches to transnational issues and their interaction with local issues.

 

The thesis should be about 100 pages in length (double-spaced; notes, footnotes, and bibliography are extra); they must be written in standard English, adhere to proper academic form, and be free of typographical errors. The final draft of the thesis must be electronically prepared in strict accordance with the instructions given by the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School–Newark, Conklin Hall, Room 241.

 

The student's DGA core faculty and one Rutgers faculty member should examine and grade the thesis. Both must sign and date the cover page of the thesis as well as the Master Candidacy form.