Political Science and Public Affairs, M.A. (Madrid)
The Master of Arts in Political Science and Public Affairs provides you with an overview of the key shifts in international politics and the international system today and focuses on lines of fracture and transformation.
M.A. in Political Science and Public Affairs
The world of international politics, shaped by questions of war and peace, social movements and inter-state relations, emerging insecurities and vulnerabilities, global re-orderings and crises of global leadership has seen the number, intensity and impact of crises, emergencies and conflicts increase in recent years. We could say that the international system as a whole is undergoing a profound crisis.
To understand this period of transition and radical re-orientations, Saint Louis University's Master of Arts in Political Science and Public Affairs, with a concentration in International Relations and Crisis, will familiarize you with the key theoretical, political and social dimensions of the global governance of insecurity and the emergence, management and consequences of crises today.
In the course of this program, you will engage a variety of genres of crisis, each with its distinct forms of manifestation, from systemic crises and global re-orderings to institutional crises of effectiveness, crises of global economic governance, crises of global leadership, political crises of representation, crises of the nation-state, humanitarian and environmental crises, and new wars.
Crises are turbulent and uncertain times, but they also constitute an opening, a re-orientation, and provide the terrain on which progressive social forces can emerge and shape events. The program will provide you with the key concepts, methods and critical thinking skills to diagnose, analyze and work towards resolving many of these current and future challenges.
This program will give you the opportunity to contextualize key contemporary crises, understand their complex emergence and manifestation, and diagnose their wide-ranging consequences. The training will focus on providing you with the necessary skills both for scenario-building and complex analysis and for critical leadership, aiming to produce graduates able to imagine and shape a more hopeful future for international politics.
This program is designed for those holding a B.A. in Political Science/International Relations, or a related field, particularly those interested in developing a deeper understanding of key contemporary crises, their complex causality and manifestation, and developing resourceful and imaginative solutions.
For more information about the M.A. in Political Science and Public Affairs contact graduate-admissions-madrid@slu.edu
For information about the assessment of student learning in this program, please see the University-wide website.
The M.A. in Political Science and Public Affairs, with a concentration in International Relations and Crisis, is a 30-credit hour program. These are divided into 18 credits of required courses, three credits of internship and nine credits of elective courses. Students have the option of writing a three-credit M.A. thesis.
Required Courses
- POLS 5020 Advanced Topics in Research Methods
- POLS 5590 Crisis of Leadership
- POLS 5610 International Relations: Theory and Practice
- POLS 5630 The European Union: Politics and Political Economy
- POLS 5662 International Contemporary Challenges
- POLS 5663 Key Contemporary Crises
- POLS 5910 Graduate Internship
Elective Courses
- POLS 5100 Seminar in American Politics
- POLS 5320 Environmental Politics and Policy-Making
- POLS 5661 Shifting Trends in Regional and Inter-Regional Politics
- POLS 5664 International Political Economy in Times of Crisis
- POLS 5665 Historical Perspectives on Crisis: The 30 Years' European Crisis
- POLS 5840 Global Health Politics and Policy
- POLS 5990 M.A. Thesis Research
Students who enter the accelerated B.A./M.A. program may take up to six credits (two graduate classes) in their senior undergraduate year that would count towards both their B.A. and M.A. requirements.
The teaching methods in the program include a combination of lectures, seminars, simulation games and internships with key governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations. The program will comprise a mix of semester-long courses and short, intensive course segments delivered by visiting international experts and practitioners.
Students must complete a three-credit graduate internship course with a national or international, governmental or non-governmental body, such as the Elcano Institute, the American Embassy in Spain, Rescate Internacional, Acción Contra el Hambre, the European Parliament or El País newspaper. This experience will give you valuable professional experience and the necessary contacts to continue in your chosen career field.
The combination of theory, practical insights and analytical skills will prepare you for work in public, civil society or private organizations. After completing the M.A. in Political Science and Public Affairs, you will be able to embark on one of the following career tracks:
- The diplomatic service.
- European institutions and international organizations.
- National and international NGOs and civil society organizations.
- Research in academia (Ph.D. programs in political science) and think-tanks.
Our political science faculty are leading researchers and academics with degrees from top international universities:
SLU-Madrid is committed to providing a quality Jesuit education at an affordable price. Tuition rates at the Madrid Campus are approximately 40% lower than at comparable private universities in the U.S.
If you have questions or would like to speak with a financial aid officer, email us at financialaid-madrid@slu.edu.
Applicants should hold a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/International Relations or equivalent with an excellent academic record.
For further information on the M.A. in Political Science and Public Affairs, please contact Dr. Simona Rentea, simona.rentea@slu.edu (for academic and content-related questions), or graduate-admissions-madrid@slu.edu (for admissions-related questions).
Build Your Network While in School
You'll complete a three-credit graduate internship course with a national or international, governmental or non-governmental body and gain valuable professional experience and the necessary contacts to continue in your chosen career field. Internship opportunities include working with organizations such as the Elcano Institute, the American Embassy in Spain, Rescate Internacional, Acción Contra el Hambre, the European Parliament or El País newspaper.