Along with its one-year MA program, CIR offers two joint degree programs: an MBA/MA with the Booth School of Business, and a BA/MA for undergraduates entering their final year in the College at the University of Chicago. CIR also offers dual degree options: a JD/MA with the Law School, and an MA/MA with the Harris School of Public Policy. Joint and dual degree students must satisfy all CIR degree requirements, including course distribution requirements and registered attendance in our non-credit MA thesis paper workshop sequence. For specifics regarding joint degree and dual degree programs in the social sciences, please see the Division’s Joint/Dual Masters Programs page here.

Joint BA/MA Program
Joint MBA/MA Program
Dual JD/MA Program
Dual MA/MA Program in CIR and Public Policy Studies

Joint BA/MA Degree: The BA/MA joint degree program with CIR is intended for rising fourth-year students enrolled in the College at the University of Chicago who want to pursue graduate education in international relations. During the Autumn Quarter of their third year, prospective BA/MA students must consult with their College adviser, the Director of Undergraduate Studies in their College major, and the Assistant Dean of Students for Admissions in the Social Sciences (Lindsey Weglarz, lweglarz@uchicago.edu). 

  • Students graduating with the BA/MA are expected to fulfill all of the regular requirements for graduation from CIR.

  • Applicants are expected to have a GPA of 3.55 or higher. Applications are due February 1.  A finished application should contain the following:

  1. A completed online graduate application is available here.
  2. A candidate statement exploring your motivations and preparation for undertaking graduate study in CIR specifically.
  3. Three letters of recommendation, preferably from academic writers familiar with your work as a student and/or supervisors familiar with your work as a researcher.
  4. A double-spaced solo-authored writing sample of 4,500 to 8,000 words, ideally from a single seminar paper or research project.
  5. A Proposed Curriculum document that identifies (1) up to three courses completed as part of the BA degree that will be petitioned to count toward the MA degree distribution requirements, and (2) the graduate-level courses the applicant intends to take during their year in the program. Applicants should contact the Associate Director of CIR (Matthias Staisch, mstaisch@uchicago.edu) for the most recent list of approved courses. 
  6. BA/MA applicants must provide their Director of Undergraduate Studies approval form (fillable PDF available here, printable version here). For individuals with more than one declared major, multiple forms are required. Individuals seeking to count MA courses towards a College Minor must also provide a separate approval (fillable PDF here, printable version here). You do not need to provide the College Minor approval form if you are not planning to count MA courses towards the minor.  For questions, please contact Lindsey Weglarz (lweglarz@uchicago.edu) in the Dean of Students office. 
  7. BA/MA applicants should not pay the application fee. Email ssd-admissions@uchicago.edu to ask how to receive the fee waiver. 

Joint MBA/MA Program: Students applying to the MBA/MA must apply for admission to the Booth School of Business, clearly indicate that they are interested in the MBA/MA with CIR, and provide the additional materials requested for joint-degree consideration.

  • Students take a reduced course load of 14 courses in the Booth School of Business, and the full 9 graduate courses required by CIR (in addition to the non-credit course commitments and required MA thesis paper project). Individual courses cannot be double-counted towards the requirements for both degree programs.
  • To facilitate the writing of the MA thesis paper, students must complete both CIR core seminars and all required non-credit CIR courses in a single academic year. The MA thesis paper must also be submitted and approved no later than the end of Summer Quarter of said chosen academic year. Students who plan to complete the degree on an eight-quarter schedule typically opt to complete these requirements during their second year in residence. Students who are on a three-year schedule to completion have the option of deferring enrollment in these courses until their final year in residence.
  • Students in the MBA/MA joint degree program may choose to have their MA thesis paper approved by two faculty readers — one CIR faculty reader and one reader from the Booth School of Business – in addition to their assigned preceptor.

Dual JD/MA Program: Students must apply to both the Law School and CIR separately and receive offers of admission to both programs.

  • To complete the CIR program requirements as outlined above, students take 9 graduate for-credit courses in an academic year of their choosing: 3 in the Law School and 6 in the Division of the Social Sciences, satisfying CIR’s field distribution requirements. To facilitate the writing of the MA thesis paper, students must complete all required non-credit CIR courses and have their MA thesis paper approved no later than Summer Quarter of said chosen academic year.
  • Students in the JD/MA joint degree program may choose to have their MA paper approved by two faculty readers — one CIR faculty reader and one reader from the Law School – in addition to their assigned preceptor.

Dual MA/MA Program in CIR and Public Policy Studies: Students interested in a second (one-year) Master’s degree offered by the Harris School of Public Policy must apply separately to the Harris School, either before the start of the CIR program, or more commonly during the first quarter of their CIR year.

  • Students in this dual program always start their studies with CIR and are strongly encouraged to complete all CIR degree requirements no later than the Summer Quarter of their first year in residence.