M.A. Program Requirements

Contact Information

Graduate Program Coordinator
Jessica Beauchesne
520-621-4833
Director of Graduate Studies
Paulette Kurzer
520-621-1726
Graduate College Degree Counselor
Tammy Tran
520-621-0119

The Masters of Arts in International Security Studies requires 34 graduate credit hours, which includes 11 regular courses and the final professional colloquium. The colloquium (POL 695A) is the only required course; all other courses are electives.

Elective Coursework

All ISS courses, with the exception of the colloquium (POL 695A) are considered elective courses.

Minimum Credit Units

34

Additional Requirements

For select students, a 4-unit thesis is an option instead of doing the colloquium (POL 695A). The thesis can be approved by the program director after the student has completed half of the required course work (18 units/6 courses).

Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

Course List

PA 561A - Climate, Policy, and Security
POL 501A - International Security
POL 502A - International Strategy
POL 511A - The Psychology of Group Conflict and Cooperation
POL 516A - Strategic Nonviolent Conflict
POL 519 - Terrorism and Counterterrorism
POL 520A - How Terrorism Ends
POL 521A - Transnational Organized Crime and National Security
POL 523A - Immigration and Border Security
POL 530A - Dynamics of Civil Wars
POL 540A - Global Political Economy
POL 542A - European Politics and Society
POL 544A - International Relations of Sub-Saharan Africa
POL 545A - Security in New Democracies
POL 546A - Politics of Islamism
POL 547A - Crime & Violence in Latin America
POL 548A - Politics and Security in Central Asia
POL 551 - Russian Foreign and Security Policy
POL 553A - Media and International Affairs
POL 554A - Constitutional Law and American Foreign Policy
POL 555 - American Foreign Policy
POL 556A - Issues in Cybersecurity and Cyberwar
POL 557A - The Politics of Cybersecurity
POL 558A - Politics in the Digital Age
POL 559A - Democracy Promotion Policy in the MENA Region
POL 561A - Concepts of Human Rights and Security
POL 562A - Natural Resources and International Security in Latin America
POL 563A - Gender and International Security
POL 564 - International Relations of East Asia
POL 565A - International Politics of the Middle East
POL 567A - Emerging Powers in the Global System
POL 569A - Armed Conflict
POL 578A - Geospatial Intelligence
POL 579 - Intelligence and U.S. National Security
POL 580A - National and Civil Security in Mexico
POL 581A - Domestic Politics and U.S. Foreign Policy
POL 582A - International Law and Organizations
POL 583A - Global Health Security
POL 588A - The Politics of Energy Security
POL 589A - Arming the State: The Global Arms Trade
POL 593 - Internship
POL 599 - Independent Study
POL 695A - Colloquium Final Project
POL 910 - Thesis