Master of Arts in Global Affairs School of Social Sciences and Baker Institute for Public Policy

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1 Master of Arts in Global Affairs School of Social Sciences and Baker Institute for Public Policy I. Introduction The proposed degree program, a Master s of Global Affairs (MGA), a joint effort between the Baker Institute for Public Policy and the School of Social Sciences, seeks to offer graduate students professional education that simultaneously requires high standards of scholarship and offers practical training for global affairs careers in government, the private sector, and international organizations. Increasingly globalized economic, political, and cultural spheres are introducing greater complexity to the marketplace, actions of governments, cultural understanding, and the creation, design, and implementation of public policies. Such issues as international conflict, the stability and instability of markets, terrorism, global warming and other environmental concerns, energy production and consumption, and world health increasingly require global strategies that coordinate across nations, their governments, businesses, and nongovernmental organizations. It is equally clear that the cultural, economic, and political institutions of a country directly affect what is done and what can be done in the international arena. Addressing these matters require a well-educated group of people who have the academic background, analytic skills, and practical knowledge that make them sensitive to problems outside the borders of their own countries and capable of offering solutions. To meet these challenges, the MGA offers a unique educational experience in a 2-year, 36-credit hour degree program. The curriculum is offered in four 7-week terms, with 2 terms run in each semester. There are also two-week pre-term opportunities scheduled in which students may participate in a math boot camp or international travel programs. The third term is reserved for a required internship which is to be concluded abroad or with a major international entity. II. Rationale The study of international affairs began after World War I when universities began to recognize the growing need to train students in the study of other countries and their inter-relationships in ways that transcended the confines of traditional academic disciplines. The oldest program in the United States began at Georgetown University which conferred its first graduate degree in international affairs in The University of Chicago followed in 1928, establishing the Committee on International Relations which formed a graduate program in international affairs. Tufts University founded the Fletcher School of International Affairs in 1933 as a graduate-only school of international study. Renewed attention to international affairs as an area of inquiry occurred during World War II and at the onset of the Cold War. Specifically, the Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies was founded in 1943 and became a part of Johns Hopkins University in Also in 1950, Columbia University founded the School of International and Public Affairs and granted a professional masters degree. Other schools which have developed well-regarded international affairs programs include the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver (founded in 1964), the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University (founded in 1987), the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies named in Beginning in the 1960s, a number of universities added public policy institutes and many of them have international studies masters programs. These include the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas (founded 1965), the John F. Kennedy School of 1

2 Government at Harvard University (founded 1966), the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University (founded 1971), the Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota (founded 1977), and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan (1999). These public policy schools emphasize policy analysis and public administration degree programs and are only secondarily interested in international affairs. Ultimately, as a reflection of the various degree programs offered on international affairs, the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs was founded which serves as a clearinghouse for its 34-member schools. Rice has a unique vantage point from which to launch this Master s of Global Affairs program. While most of the existing programs are based in international affairs or public policy institutes or schools, Rice s master s of global affairs program would be a blend of a rigorous academic curriculum in the field of global affairs with an opportunity to develop rich policy analysis skills in the Baker Institute. Rice has leading scholars in international fields in anthropology, economics, political science, and the Baker Institute who will be involved as instructors and mentors in the program. In addition, students in the program will be able to take additional elective courses across the curriculum in anthropology, economics, history, political science, religious studies, and statistics to deepen their knowledge. Finally, students will be able to work with highly recognized fellows at the Baker Institute who are experts on regions of the world, pressing global problems, and conflict resolution. In combining these three streams, students will be able to take classes, do research, and explore internship possibilities on pivotal international questions including international conflict and cooperation, international political development, global economics, cultural and religious differences, and the historic antecedents to contemporary global issues. Thus, Rice has the necessary elements necessary to fashion a top, unique program. III. Learning Objectives The educational purpose of the Master in Global Affairs program is two-fold: First, it is designed to provide students a deep background about the institutions, structures, and predicaments that unfold in world affairs. Second, it offers actionable learning in the form of both applied research efforts and also internships so students can understand firsthand how international issues arise and are resolved. Third, it provides them an opportunity to explore the formulation and execution of public policy on the world stage how these policies do and do not work under certain circumstances. More specifically, student learning objectives include: To acquire the ability to analyze and develop new and innovative solutions to emerging challenges in the global community To equip students with leadership, communication and research skills to conduct independent studies enabling them to understand and formulate public policy recommendations in the international arena To teach quantitative skills and data analysis To gain exposure in real-life experience in international public policy development by participating in an internship To assess the social responsibilities of governments, non-governmental organizations, corporations, and individuals in the global twenty-first century IV. Degree Requirements The MGA degree will require a minimum of 36 credit hours, including the internship: 2

3 Global Affairs, International Conflict, International Economics courses- 12 hours Statistics/ Research Design courses- 3 hours Global Decision-Making, Communication/Negotiation-3 hours Elective courses- 9 hours Capstone project and internship- 9 hours Optional: pre-program math boot camp or topical international travel program TOTAL- 36 Recommended Background Applicants for the Master in Global Affairs are encouraged to have: B.S. or B.A. degree (except those Rice students enrolling in their junior or senior years as described below) Approved scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Good critical thinking and communication skills Three letters of recommendation Approved TOEFL scored for applicants whose native language is not English and who did not receive a degree from a country in which English is the official language of communication Foreign language proficiency Students who expect to complete their degree program with a particular regional focus in mind are expected to be proficient in one of the primary languages of that region. Proficiency is defined as the ability to read and speak the language. This requirement can be met in one of three ways: By passing a language proficiency exam administered by the Rice Language Center By achieving a grade of B or better in an intermediate language course at Rice. Taking this class does not count toward the 36 credit hours total for degree completion. By graduating from a high school or university where a language other than English was the primary language of instruction. Term Schedule The curriculum involves a unique schedule. Rather than built around the traditional semester, the program will run on a series of 7-week terms. This provides an intensive, sequenced set of modules moving through introductory topics on global systems and international economics to more detailed courses on international conflict, and finally (in the traditional semester format) a series of electives on topics within one of three concentrations. Semester 1, Term 1 and Term 2: 9 credit hours core courses in complex global systems, development, decision-making, culture, and statistics. Semester 2, Term 3 and 4: 9 credit hours of core courses in international conflict and cooperation, macro-economics, and global negotiation and communication. Semester 3, Terms 5 and 6: 9 credit hours of elective courses in a single concentration among international political economy, international security, regional cultural, economic or political development, including the domestic aspects of development. In the first concentration, students may choose to focus on a single policy area such as health or energy. In the third concentration, students must choose a specific region of the world, such as Africa, Asia, 3

4 Europe, Latin America, or the Middle East. In this concentration, the language proficiency requirement discussed above is applicable. Semester 4, Terms 7 and 8: 6 credit hours of internationally-focused internship. 3 credit hours of required capstone workshop on topic of interest from one of the concentrations. Students may also participate in two additional program: a math boot camp (prior to the start of the first semester) and a two-week topical international travel program (prior to start of second or third semester) Core Requirements The first year offers rigorous theoretical and methodological training to provide students a firm grounding in modern scientific approaches to global affairs. It includes required courses in complex global systems, international conflict, domestic institutions, micro and macro economics, and research methods. Elective-Capstone Sequence In the second year, students select a topic of concentration and pursue in-depth course work on this topic (among three categories: international political economy, international security, regional cultural, economic and political development). This concentrated course work is combined with a capstone workshop on this topic which delves into the real-world, policy aspects of the topic. Only 3 credit hours of courses from the 300-level may be applied to the course of study. Field experience/internship In the final phase of the degree program, students will be involved in an extensive field experience in which they intern for a semester in one of a variety of internationally-based or internationally-focused governmental and non-governmental organizations, international commissions, embassies, agencies, and corporations. Facilitated by the Baker Institute, these internships will provide students invaluable entrée to international entities or internationally-focused entities with the goal of facilitating their employment in these organizations. Students summarize their internship experience in a final paper. All internships must be approved by the internship coordinator and must be conducted after the student has completed a minimum of 18 credit hours in the program. Fifth-Year Master s Degree Option for Rice Undergraduate Students Rice undergraduate students may apply to the MGA program in the first semester of their junior year and hear about their acceptance in the second semester of their junior year and, if accepted, take courses towards the master s degree in their senior year, while they complete requirements for their baccalaureate degree. Undergraduate students may count up to 9 hours of credit toward the master s degree for courses taken during the baccalaureate if they are taken at the graduate (500) level or above or 6 hours of credit for courses taken during the baccalaureate if they are taken below the 500- level. The students would work on the concentration electives for the program while completing their baccalaureate and then move on to complete the required modular courses, the internship, and the capstone paper. Outline of Degree Completion for a Typical Student There will be two types of students working through the program. A student who is admitted to the program without a Rice undergraduate degree would begin the program by taking the required modular courses in the first year, the elective concentration in the Fall semester of the second year, and the capstone paper and internship in the Spring semester of the second year. A student who is admitted to the program while finishing the Rice baccalaureate degree would reverse this sequence. 4

5 S/he would work on the electives during the Fall and/or Spring of the senior year. Upon graduation, s/he would take the required modular courses in the Fall and Spring of the following year. S/he would complete the internship and capstone in the summer or Fall semester of the second year. 5

6 2- Week PT Masters in Global Affairs First-Year Core Curriculum Year 1 FALL Term I (7 weeks) Year 1 FALL Term II (7 weeks) Credit Hours Fall Semester Math Boot Camp Global Systems I (1.5 hours) Decision Making under Uncertainty (1.5 hours) Fall Break Institutions and Development (1.5 hours) Cultural Directions in International Affairs (1.5 hours) Introduction to Statistics for Master's Students (1.5 hours) Intermediate Statistics for Master's Students (1.5 hours) 9 2- Week PT Year 1 SPRING Term III (7 weeks) Year 1 SPRING Term IV (7 weeks) Spring Semester International Learning Experience MacroEconomics and the Global Economy (1.5 hours) International Conflict (1.5 hours) Spring Break MacroEconomics for the Global Economy (1.5 hours) International Cooperation (1.5 hours) Global Communication and Negotiation (1.5 hours) Global Communication and Negotiation (1.5 hours) 9 2- Week PT Masters in Global Affairs 2nd-Year Elective Curriculum Year 2 FALL Term V Year 2 FALL Term VI Fall Semester International Learning Experience Concentration Elective (3 hours, semester long) Concentration Elective (3 hours, semester long) Concentration Elective (3 hours, semester long) 9 Spring Semester 2- Week PT Internship Search Year 2 SPRING Term VII Internship (6 hours) Capstone Paper (3 hours) Note: Terms are 7 weeks long; classes meet once per week for 180 minutes Year 2 SPRING Term VIII 9 TOTAL 36 6

7 APRROVED MGA ELECTIVE COURSES (min. 9 hours) These courses are categorized based on the three concentrations development (DEV) international political economy (IPE), and international security (IS). Only courses at the 400-level or above are eligible for elective status. To ensure that students will be able to take appropriate course in a timely fashion, the course list identifies only those courses taught at least once since Fall The course list will be updated regularly to reflect courses offered. Some courses may count for more than one concentration. Students may request that other courses count toward the concentration based on a petition to the faculty advisor of the program. Course Number Course Title Concentration Area ANTH 319/519 Symbolism & Power DEV ANTH 340/540 Neoliberalism & Globalization DEV ANTH 366/566 Science, Local and Global DEV ANTH 413/613 Culture after Communism DEV ANTH 572 Cultures of Capitalism DEV ECON 450 World Economics & Social Development **** Pre Reqs DEV ECON 451 Political Economy of Latin America **** Pre Reqs DEV ECON 455 Money and Financial Markets DEV ECON 480 Environmental Economics DEV ECON 481 Health Economics DEV ECON 483 Public Finance: Tax Policy DEV HIST 495 Modernization of China and Japan DEV HIST 572 America in the Middle East DEV POLI 450 Elections in the Americas DEV POLI 457 Conditions of Democracy DEV POLI 462 Comparative Public Policy DEV POLI 477 Domestic Politics and International relations DEV POLI 520 Approaches to Comparative Government DEV POLI 563 Coalition Politics and Parliamentary Government DEV POLI 564 Political Economy of Development DEV POLI 568 Comparative Political Institutions DEV POLI 572 Foreign Policy Decision Making DEV POST 411 Integrated Approaches to Sustainable Development DEV POST 430 The Shaping of Health Policy DEV POST 455 United States Middle East Policy DEV RELI 534 Religion and Politics in Africa DEV ANTH 322/522 Cultures & Identity: Race, Ethnicity, & Nationalism IPE ASIA 488 Asia & Energy IPE ECON 421 International Finance ***Pre Reqs IPE ECON 437 Energy Economics ***Pre Reqs IPE ECON 447 Advanced Topics in energy Economics **** Pre Reqs IPE ECON 450 World Economics & Social Development **** Pre Reqs IPE 7

8 ECON 455 Money and Financial Markets IPE ECON 479 Economic Modeling and Public Policy **** Pre Reqs IPE ECON 480 Environmental Economics IPE ECON 481 Health Economics IPE ECON 483 Public Finance: Tax Policy IPE POLI 461 Politics, Risk, and Energy IPE POST 401 Energy Policy IPE AFSC 401 National Security Affairs I IS AFSC 402 National Security Affairs II IS POLI 472 American Foreign Policy IS POLI 473 The Craft of Intelligence Analysis, Prediction and Connecting the Dots IS POLI 474 International Organizations: Theories & Practice IS POLI 477 Domestic Politics and International relations IS POLI 540 International Relations IS POLI 570 Seminar in International Conflict IS POLI 572 Foreign Policy Decision Making IS POLI 595 Directed Reading-International Relations IS POST 455 United States Middle East Policy IS **** Students should check for ANY pre-requisites on these courses V. RESOURCES Faculty members advising students of this new track include: TBA Existing MGA Oversight Committee: Dr. Lyn Ragsdale, Dean of School of Social Sciences, Radaslov Tsanoff Professor of Public Affairs, Department of Political Science Dr. Alan Matasow, Academic Director James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy Dr. Chris Bronk, James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy Dr. Bryan Brown, Department Chair of Economics Dr. Nia Georges, Department Chair of Anthropology Dr. Mark Jones- Department Chair of Political Science, Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies MGA Board of Affiliates TBA VI. QUALITY ASSURANCE a. Program Assessment Plan Upon completion of the Masters of Global Affairs, students are able to describe, explain, and analyze world events, international organizations, and global processes. They understand the current theoretical, empirical, and methodological debates in the fields of international 8

9 research and policy analysis. They have an in-depth knowledge of specific topics, including but not limited to international political economy, international conflict and security, global economic and political development. The assessment review will follow the best practices established by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Rice. This will begin with students evaluating individual courses and other program features. A MGA steering committee will establish specific learning outcome benchmarks based on the general requirements above to judge the effectiveness of the overall program through exit surveys and interviews with students. b. Internship Assessment Students will receive evaluations from their supervisors in the internship setting. In addition, those organizations and entities which participate in the internship portion of the program will be surveyed to better understand the level of preparation needed of students in the specific organizations, including language skills, business skills, interpersonal skills, analytic skills and others. The survey of internship providers will also seek comments on the nature of the internship program overall. c. End of Program Assessment Students must complete a major paper which combines course work and theoretical material with the hands-on, applied learning they gained from the internship experience. The paper is evaluated by the supervising faculty member. d. Exit interviews All students who complete the Masters of Global Affairs participate in an exit interview which includes both a questionnaire about the program an in-depth interview to gauge student satisfaction with the program and build information to ascertain what is working well and what could be improved about the program. Results from the exit interviews will be used to improve curriculum, instruction, and the internship experience. e. Assessment measures On an annual basis, the program will gather and assess the following data: (1) percent of students who finish the degree within the 2-year time period, (2) percent of graduates who are employed in the field, (3) the type of career advancement the alumni of the program achieve, (4) the additional advanced degrees sought by alumni of the program, and (5) length of time between graduation and first employment in the field. 9

10 VIII. INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES No additional library or information resources are anticipated to launch the program. Library Resources IX. LAUNCH f. Timeline Fall 2015 X. ADDENDUMS g. Letters of support h. Program Assessment Plan 11