One graduate student gestures to a white board with data so as to discuss it with a professor and a classmate. One graduate student gestures to a white board with data so as to discuss it with a professor and a classmate. One graduate student gestures to a white board with data so as to discuss it with a professor and a classmate.

CURRICULUM

"CIR offers a fast-paced, one-year curriculum that allows its small cohort to build advanced research skills, engage with global issues through an interdisciplinary lens, and create individualized paths toward careers in policy, diplomacy, academia, consulting, and beyond. Students at CIR thrive in seminar-style classes, receive close individualized advising from full-time faculty, and benefit from a supportive cohort embedded in the University of Chicago’s vibrant intellectual environment. This rigorous curriculum in a dynamic setting allows students to complete their degrees with deep expertise in the multifaceted field of International Relations.” Matthew Nanes, Associate Director and Associate Senior Instructional Professor

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Degree Requirements

All students complete:

  • Nine (9) for-credit courses meeting the coursework requirements described below.
  • Three (3) non-credit thesis workshops (1 per quarter).
  • A master's thesis.
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Coursework Requirements

All students in CIR must complete the following course requirements:

  • Research Methods for International Relations (INRE 45020), offered in Autumn quarter, which helps all CIR students build a common foundation in relevant methodologies.
    • Two core seminars selected from the following options, which are only offered in the autumn and winter quarters:
      • INRE 43000—International Order and Security
      • INRE 43800—International Political Economy
      • INRE 43100—Global Governance and Structures of International Power
    • Six electives, which must meet CIR's distribution requirements.
      • All courses must be selected from the approved courses list.
      • Each CIR student must select two of the five fields of study (listed below) and complete three CIR-approved courses in each selected field. Please note that some CIR courses will be listed under more than one field of study but can only be used towards meeting the course count requirement in one field of study.
        • International Security, Conflict Studies and Contentious Politics
        • International Political Economy and Development
        • Comparative Studies in Political Institutions and Identity
        • Human Rights, Environment, and International Law
        • Research Methods in the Social Sciences
    • All CIR students take the non-credit course called INRE 46500—MA Thesis Workshop.
      • This course guides CIR students through the thesis process from conception to completion.

Note that no more than three courses can be completed outside the Division of the Social Sciences.

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The Thesis

All CIR students complete an MA thesis modeled on an academic article in the field of International Relations. To help students in their thesis work, each quarter of the MA Thesis Workshop focuses on a different part of the thesis process.

  • Autumn
    • Students work with their preceptor on developing their question and topic, as well as choosing a faculty advisor for their paper.
  • Winter
    • The goal of winter quarter is complete the thesis proposal. This includes confirming a faculty advisor and securing formal approval of their project from their faculty advisor and their assigned CIR preceptor (note that all UChicago research and teaching appointees with a doctoral degree qualify as potential CIR faculty thesis advisors).
  • Spring
    • The goals of the spring quarter are to draft, revise, and submit the polished thesis, which is typically 10,500 to 14,000 words (all inclusive).
      • Students who wish to receive their degree in the Spring University-wide convocation complete their thesis in May.
      • Students can also choose to complete their thesis over the summer without any additional enrollment (no tuition is charged).
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Second Year Specialization

If you'd like to learn about this competitive and limited--but highly rewarding--option, please visit our "Second Year Specialization" page.