Accelerated Master of Science in International Relations and Politics (MS IRP-AMP) Curriculum
The MS IRP-AMP requirements include 186 units (including prerequisite courses), divided as follows:
Curriculum (186 units, including prerequisite courses)
Prerequisite Courses: (42 units)
Must be completed before the end of the fourth year.
- 84-104 Decision Processes in American Political Institutions (9 units)
- 84-275 Comparative Politics (9 units)
- 84-326 Theories of International Relations (9 units)
- Two 84-300/400 level IPS electives, one of which may be a 6-unit mini course (15 units total)
Core Courses: (78 units)
Students must complete all of the following core courses.
- 84-701 Regression Analysis for Political Science I (12 units)
- 84-702 Regression Analysis for Political Science II (12 units)
- 84-710 Thesis Proposal Tutorial (6 units)
- 84-711 Qualitative Methods in Social Science Research (6 units)
- 84-791, 84-792 Policy Seminar (6 units total, 3 units per semester)
Students must complete three of the four graduate seminar courses offered.
- 84-720 International Security Graduate Seminar (12 units)
- 84-721 American Politics Graduate Seminar (12 units)
- 84-722 Comparative Political Institutions Graduate Seminar (12 units)
- 84-726 International Relations Graduate Seminar (12 units)
Internship: (84-705): (0 units)
Summer between Fourth and Fifth Year
Students are required to complete a summer internship in a related field between the fourth and fifth year of the program. The internship will allow students to synthesize the program’s studies in the context of practical and hands-on experiential learning opportunities. IPS has dedicated staff to support students in all aspects of the internship process.
IRP Graduate Thesis (84-799): (18 units)
Spring of Fifth Year
All students must complete a graduate-level thesis paper. Students must submit a proposal by November of the fifth year. Students will work independently with a faculty member in the Institute for Politics and Strategy to complete the IRP Graduate Thesis. The final paper will be reviewed and approved by the faculty adviser for the thesis and the faculty director of the Institute for Politics and Strategy. Please view the Thesis Proposal Guidelines for further details.
Concentration Coursework: (48 units)
Students must complete a minimum of 48 units (approximately four courses).
International Relations
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- 84-600 Security War Game
- 84-610 International Political Economy
- 84-616 Political Economy of Transatlantic Partnership
- 84-618 Politics of Developing Nations
- 84-622 Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution
- 84-623 War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East
- 84-624 The Future of Democracy
- 84-625 Contemporary American Foreign Policy
- 84-627 Repression and Control in Dictatorships
- 84-662 Diplomacy and Statecraft
- 84-665 The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation
- 84-669 Decision Science for International Relations
- 84-680 US Grand Strategy
- 84-725 International Organizations and International Law Graduate Seminar
International Security
- 84-600 Security War Game
- 84-605 The Future of Warfare
- 84-612 Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa
- 84-623 War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East
- 84-628 Military Strategy and Doctrine
- 84-665 The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation
- 84-670 Nuclear Security and Arms Control
- 84-672 Space and National Security
- 84-673 Emerging Technologies and the Law
- 84-680 US Grand Strategy
- 84-686 The Privatization of Force
- 84-687 Technology and Policy of Cyber War
- 84-688 Concepts of War and Cyber War
- 84-689 Terrorism and Insurgency
- 84-690 Social Media, Technology, and Conflict
Comparative Politics
- 84-606 Latin American Politics
- 84-608 Political Economy of Latin America
- 84-618 Politics of Developing Nations
- 84-621 Autocrats and Democrats
- 84-624 The Future of Democracy
- 84-663 Comparative Legal Systems
- 84-664 Comparative Presidential Behavior: Leadership, Personality, and Decision Making
- 84-680 US Grand Strategy
American Politics
- 84-602 Judicial Politics and Behavior
- 84-609 Political Behavior
- 84-619 Civil-Military Relations
- 84-625 Contemporary American Foreign Policy
- 84-652 Representation and Voting Rights
- 84-665 The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation
- 84-666 The American Presidency
- 84-680 US Grand Strategy
- 84-693 Legislative Decision Making: US Congress
Undergraduate courses taken in the Institute for Politics and Strategy (84-xxx) may not also count toward the MS IRP course requirements except as listed in the prerequisite course category. A maximum of 48 units of graduate courses out of the 186 units required to complete the accelerated master’s degree will be permitted to count toward an undergraduate degree at Carnegie Mellon. (This allowance may be restricted further by the double-counting policies of one’s undergraduate major and department.) Exceptions are made only with prior approval of the faculty director and the deputy director.