Programs of Study
One-Year MA Program
CIR offers students a focused curriculum. CIR faculty and preceptors work closely with students in crafting their Master's thesis. As a result, most students are able to earn their Master's degree in one year. The academic pace of the University of Chicago is challenging and rigorous to be sure, but CIR's staff works closely with students to help them in achieving their goals. Students find that their success within the program is itself an impressive credential for potential employers.
The Curriculum
Coursework
Within the framework of distribution requirements, students may choose from a wide selection of courses across the academic divisions and professional schools of the University. CIR's distribution requirements encourage students not only to focus on the persistent economic, political, security, and social factors that shape international affairs, but also to craft critical and creative responses to the challenges of the present from globalization to terrorism.
The CIR Curriculum is organized into four fields:
- International Relations Theory, Security and History;
- International Political Economy and Development;
- Regional Studies and Nationalism, and
- Human Rights, Environment, and International Law
To build an intellectual foundation for their thesis, students take courses throughout the University. Advised by CIR faculty and preceptors, and within the constraints of distribution requirements, students choose from a wide selection of courses in the academic divisions, the Graduate School of Business, the Divinity School, the Law School, and the Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies. Many other students will take a three-quarter sequence in Human Rights, a course incorporating the work of scholars from all parts of the University, including the Divinity and Medical Schools.
By allowing students to take nine courses in the year, the University of Chicago's quarter system provides the opportunity to take a broader array of tightly-focused courses than would be possible in similar institutions on the semester system. For more information about the coursework and program requirements, see a sample CIR course list or consult the Frequently Asked Questions. All students take the Core IR Theory seminar in the fall quarter, which provides a foundation for the other coursework at the University.
The Master's Thesis
Here are some MA theses recently completed by students in the Committee on International Relations. The diversity of topics represented reveals the range of research opportunities permitted by the Committee's interdisciplinary program of study, supported by a faculty rich in far-reaching expertise.
- Nikolas Win Myint, ASEAN After the Cold War: Relic or Rejuvenation?
- Brian Keith Lessenberry, The Rise of the Rogues: Reassessing Twenty-First Century Nuclear Proliferation.
- Marie Anne Ramos, Can Microenterprise Opportunity Help Mitigate Labor Migration in the Philippines?
- Carla Jane Stuart, The New Balancing Act: Soft Balancing at the United Nations in the 1990s.
- Rosemarie Anne Kelanic, Rethinking Offense-Defense Theory: The Offensive Advantages of Terror.
- William Wanderer, What's Plugging the Russian Nuclear Dam? Explaining the Dearth of Former Soviet Fissile Materials Leakage.
- Kenneth Gay, The Role of the State in the Growth of Fund Management Centers.
- Thomas Vessella, The Futility of Force: Why Interventions Fail to Increase Great Power Security.
- Jeffrey Maurer, An I.Q. Test for Smart Sanctions.
- Pak Shun Ng, From 'Poisoning Shrimp' to 'Porcupine': An Analysis of the Change of Singapore's Defense Posture in the Early 1980s.
- Yen-Chun Lin, International Non-governmental Organizations and State-Society Relations in China: Environmental Issues and the Three Gorges Project.
- Jesse Zink, Judging War's Ends: Ius Post Bellum and Iraq.
- Devin Polster, Revolution or Participation: Identity, Intractable Minority Conflict, Secessionist Ambitions, and the Rise of the Modern Nation-state in Southern Thailand.
- Prajakti Kaira, The (Unchanging) Borders of Central Asia: Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
- Alexandra Croswell, Systemic Change and Terror: Understanding the Causal Mechanisms of 9/11.
- Jillian Dungan, Differing U.S. Response to Japanese and Chinese Rapid Economic Growth.
- Nikhil Patel, Explaining Reluctant Great Powers: The Role of Ideology.
- Thomas Michels, Weakness in Power: Legitimacy and the Limits of Unipolar Power in the Iraq War.
- Nicholas Brand, Preventive War and the Domestic Legitimacy Program: The Impact of Domestic Factors on the Outcome of Preventive War.
- Dejan Duzevik, Uncertainty and Evolution of International Regimes: The Emergence and Collapse of the Law Merchant.
- Alexandra Depledge, Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and the European Union: A Statistical Analysis.
- Leslie Mueller Fletcher, Theoretical Motivations for Merger Control Regime Convergence.
- Kenneth Lukas, After Anarchy: Relative Gains and Human Nature.
Joint and Dual Degree Programs
The Committee on International Relations offers three joint degree programs: BA/MA (for undergraduates entering their final year in the College at the University of Chicago), MBA/MA with the Graduate School of Business, and the JD/MA, with the Law School. In addition, there is the option of a joint M.A. degree in CIR and in Public Policy Studies. Joint and dual degree students must satisfy all CIR degree requirements, including course distribution requirements and registered attendance at an M.A. workshop. Information on entrance and degree requirements is available from the admissions office of the relevant school and from the Committee office.
The M.A. with Specialization-Second Year
Each year a number of students find that they wish to pursue their graduate study in greater breadth and depth. For them there is the opportunity to apply for the MA with specialization. The Specialization-Second Year Program has very limited admission and restrictive requirements. The program allows outstanding students the opportunity to return for a second year of study built around a program of their own design. This option allows students to build a deeper rapport with CIR faculty and to focus and expand their research for the MA. Students who wish to specialize apply after their second quarter as a student in CIR. The application process for specialization is extremely competitive and before applying for the Specialization-Second Year, students should discuss their plans in depth with their preceptor.
Meet two of our current Second Years! Frutuoso Santana from Brazil and Jie Pan from China!
Admissions
Application Information
Applications are due by December 28 for admission to the autumn quarter of the next academic year. In addition to the University of Chicago's standard application form, all applicants must submit a Graduate Record Exam score from all three sections. Applicants must also submit a ten to twenty page writing sample (perhaps from a seminar paper or senior thesis). Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must also submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Each TOEFL section score must be a minimum of 60 (paper exam), 25 (computerized 4-section “new” exam). IELTS section scores must be 7 or higher.
In its admissions process, the Committee on International Relations considers many factors: academic background, intellectual interests, work experience, and the fit of the candidate with the strengths of the program. For more specific information about our admission process, please read the Frequently Asked Questions.
Cost of Study and Financial Aid
The cost of study changes slightly every year. For the most updated information, please visit the Student Loan Administration site for more information.
The CIR program offers merit-based tuition scholarships (full and partial) on a highly competitive basis. Aid is offered at the same time as admission. Over the years, a number of international students have been selected as International House Fellows, allowing them a significant discount in the cost of living at International House. Contact the International House for more information at (773) 753-2270. For students who are U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status, other sources of financial support include area and language fellowships, low-interest loans, and work-study programs. The Career Advising and Planning Service may be able to assist students, including those on student visas, in finding on-campus employment.
Contacting the Committee on International Relations:
Please read the Frequently Asked Questions prior to contacting the department. The Committee on International Relations can be reached by phone, fax, e-mail, or standard mail. The relevant addresses are below:
Tel: (773) 702-8073
Fax: (773) 702-5140
E-Mail: cirstaff@uchicago.edu
5828 S. University Ave, Pick 301
Chicago, Illinois, 60637
USA
Requesting An Application for CIR:
To request an application for admission to the Committee of International Relations, visit the Online Application for Graduate Studies.
