The University of Chicago Committee on International Relations

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Frequently Asked Questions

• When do we choose classes and register? When will the course list be available?
• If I do not finish my thesis by the end of spring quarter, do I have to keep paying tuition to the University until it is finished?
• I'm interested in a Ph.D. at some point in the future. Will my CIR coursework transfer to a Ph.D. program elsewhere?
• What if I want to take more than nine courses?
• What is Second-year Specialization, and how does one apply for it?
• If I do especially well in my first quarter of work in CIR, can my financial aid be increased?
• How difficult is it to find part-time work on campus?
• Can I get a teaching assistantship or research assistantship?
• How do I get information about loans?
• As an international student, am I eligible for loans or term-time employment?
• What do CIR graduates do after they complete the degree and graduate?

Q: When do we choose classes and register? When will the course list be available?

You will not need to worry about course selection or registration until you arrive on campus for orientation week (September 17-21, 2007). The course list will be distributed on the Monday of orientation, and you will meet with your preceptor to register for courses on Wednesday.

The CIR Approved Course List changes from year to year. However, for illustration purposes ONLY, you may wish to examine this sample course list.
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Q: If I do not finish my thesis by the end of spring quarter, do I have to keep paying tuition to the University until it is finished?

No. Your tuition is billed each quarter for the nine courses required for your degree. And after that you pay no further tuition. However, there may be additional fees for use of university facilities.
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Q: I'm interested in a Ph.D. at some point in the future. Will my CIR coursework transfer to a Ph.D. program elsewhere?

That depends on the university and department in question. If a Ph.D. is your goal, we recommend you contact departments with this question. In the past, many of our students who have applied to Ph.D. programs at the University of Chicago and elsewhere have had most of their CIR coursework transfer over to the Ph.D. program.
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Q: What if I want to take more than nine courses?

The full-time load for a graduate student at the University of Chicago is three courses per quarter. You cannot register for any more than that, except for the three mandatory, noncredit courses required to graduate. (See What are CIR's graduation requirements? above.) Naturally, your intellectual engagements will extend beyond the formal courses you are taking, and some students choose to informally audit additional classes, but you cannot register for or receive formal course credit for more than nine courses during your CIR academic year. Nor would you wish to, or would anyone expect you to; due to the rigorous expectations of all courses and the pacing of the 10-week quarter system, 9 courses throughout the year offer an ample challenge.

It is possible, although very few CIR students do it, to stay at the University for a second year and register for additional courses while finishing their theses. However, in such cases, one must register not as CIR program or Social Science Division students, but as Graduate-Students-at-Large (GSAL). You apply for admission to the Graham School of General Studies and must pay full tuition for such courses, from your own or an outside agency's funds.
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Q: What is Second-year Specialization, and how does one apply for it?

The Second-year Specialization program is designed for a select few students who wish to pursue a particular research topic in greater depth than is possible in our 1-year MA program. Specialization is best designed for students who plan to continue with graduate studies in a Ph.D. program at Chicago or elsewhere.

There are two kinds of M.A. programs with Specialization:

• The Sub-Disciplinary Specialization is for students who want to conduct advanced research in one of the Committee's non-regional sub-fields (i.e., security, international history and IR Theory; international political economy and development; international law, human rights and the environment).
• The Regional Specialization is for students who want to conduct advanced research about a particular region: African studies, Latin American studies, East Asian studies, Middle and Central Europe and Eurasian studies, South Asian studies, Middle Eastern studies, or Western European studies.

Applications for specialization are made at the end of the second quarter of the first year. On average 4-6 apply and approximately 2-4 are accepted. The specialization application, which is normally 3-to-5 pages, must include:

1. A cover letter with name, address, phone number, e-mail address and a statement of the nature of the specialization (i.e., specific sub-disciplinary field or regional focus);
2. An M.A. proposal related to the objectives of the specialization-including a tentative bibliography and a statement of research methods;
3. A list of the six courses to be taken in the second year as the basis of specialization (students should make an effort to determine whether faculty may be away on leave next year, and plan accordingly); and
4. A letter of recommendation from a faculty sponsor who is either a member of the Committee or approved in advance as eligible for this role.

In addition, all six grades for Fall and Winter Quarters must be on record with the University Registrar. For missing grades (i.e., for uncompleted multi-quarter courses), students must submit a written evaluation by the instructor, assessing student performance. Admission to the M.A. with Specialization requires a minimum GPA of 3.50 for the six courses taken in the first two quarters of residence.

A CIR faculty committee meets early in the spring quarter to recommend which students will be permitted to specialize. Admission is competitive. Typically, students recommended for second-year specialization receive assistance toward tuition, though these grants are at the discretion of the Committee and the Dean of Students.
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Q: If I do especially well in my first quarter of work in CIR, can my financial aid be increased?

No. The Division of Social Sciences does not increase tuition scholarships during the academic year.
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Q: How difficult is it to find part-time work on campus?

It is not difficult at all. There are plenty of campus jobs available, both work-study and not. For some time now every student who has sought work on campus has found it, though naturally, some jobs are more desirable and pay better than others. Some students prefer to work off campus and the city of Chicago offers a large market for part-time employment. Some CIR students also take part-time internships or contract work with companies or public institutions they have targeted as potential full-time employers after graduation, particularly in the winter and spring quarters.
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Q: Can I get a teaching assistantship or research assistantship?

The University of Chicago does not believe in appointing first-year graduate students to teaching assistantships and never makes assistantships a part of any financial aid package. Research assistantships, on the other hand, are widely available and approximately 20% of any CIR cohort will hold an R.A. position at one time or another during their CIR year. Research assistantships are not arranged in advance of the student's arrival on campus or through any central office or application mechanism. Faculty members obviously prefer to hire graduate students they have met and evaluated directly.
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Q: How do I get information about loans?

Upon receipt of your acceptance of admission to the University, you will be sent a packet of information on loans, health insurance, and other related matters. You may also contact the Student Loan Administration office. The Social Sciences Dean of Students office will also provide general information on loans during Spring Campus Days or by phone at (773) 702-8414.
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Q: As an international student, am I eligible for loans or term-time employment?

Loans are not available to international students. Generally speaking, international students are limited to certain types of on-campus employment. The Dean of Students office, at (773) 702-8414, can provide more detailed information. Also, international students should consult the website of the Office of International Affairs.
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Q: What do CIR graduates do after they complete the degree and graduate?

CIR students are a diverse group and their goals vary from year to year. In general, one third of our students go on to do policy-related work in government or in non-governmental organizations. One third go on to work in the private sector. The final one third go on for additional graduate work, usually for a PhD or a J.D.
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