School of Global Policy and Strategy

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Building 4, Level 1
Robinson Building Complex

All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. Updates may be found on the Academic Senate website: http://senate.ucsd.edu/catalog-copy/approved-updates/.

As of fall 2014, the name of the Master of Pacific International Affairs (MPIA) has changed to Master of International Affairs (MIA). Anyone who entered prior to fall 2014 must retain the title of MPIA and graduate as such. There were no curricular changes associated with the degree name change.

The Master of International Affairs (MIA)

Requirements for Admission

Students interested in pursuing the MIA degree program at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) must have earned a BA, or its equivalent, from an institution of comparable standing to the University of California. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 or better in undergraduate course work or prior graduate study is required for admission. Undergraduate preparation that includes one or more of the following areas is strongly encouraged: the social sciences (specifically economics and political science), quantitative methods (such as calculus and statistics), foreign language, and related area studies courses. The admissions committee looks for students with previous professional employment, a history of meaningful international experience, and demonstrated leadership ability.

Applicants are required to submit the following: an online UC San Diego application for graduate study (http://graduateapp.ucsd.edu); two official transcripts from each college or university attended; three letters of recommendation; a résumé or curriculum vitae; a personal statement; a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score report. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are also required of international applicants whose native language is not English and whose undergraduate education was conducted in a language other than English. A minimum score of 550 on the paper/pencil version and a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based version of the TOEFL are required. For further details regarding the application process, procedures, and deadlines, please visit http://gps.ucsd.edu and click on “Prospective Students.”

Orientation tours are available for all prospective applicants who would like further information about the MIA program. Tours assist prospective applicants in becoming better acquainted with GPS’s MIA program and in understanding how the program might relate to their long-term career goals. To sign up for a tour, please contact the GPS Office of Admissions at (858) 534-5914 or e-mail gps-apply@ucsd.edu.

The MIA Curriculum

The MIA curriculum (ninety-eight units) is made up of a set of eight core disciplinary and skill-oriented courses (thirty-two units), a capstone (four units), a two-course regional specialization (eight units), the foreign language requirement of second year proficiency (up to twenty-four units), a five-course professional career track (twenty units), and unstructured electives. The MIA is a two-year, full-time program.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum is designed to integrate diverse subject areas such as international management, international relations, applied economics, and comparative public policy. All core courses are taken in the first year. The core is composed of the following:

Globalization, the World System, and the Pacific (IRCO 412)

Managerial Economics (IRCO 401)

Policy Making Processes (IRCO 400)

Quantitative Methods I and II (IRCO 453 and IRCO 454)

Finance and Accounting for Policy Makers (IRCO 415)

International Politics and Security (IRCO 410)

International Economics (IRCO 403)

Capstone Course—To be taken in the second year, following the completion of the GPS MIA core. Students must choose at least one from a list offered every year.

The Regional or Country Specialization

The regional/country specialization is made up of two courses on the student’s chosen country or region. All track choices must be approved by the faculty coordinator for that country or region or chosen from a list published at the beginning of each academic year. All students must complete at least one regional or country specialization in one of the following: China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, the East Asia region, the Latin American region, or the Pacific region. This requirement may be completed in the following ways:

Country Specific Requirement: A student may take two country specific courses approved by the track coordinator. For example:

Japan

IRGN 411. Business and Management in Japan

IRGN 416. Postwar Politics in Japan

Korea

IRGN 484. Korean Politics

IRGN 485. The Korean Economy

China

IRGN 404. Chinese Politics

IRGN 486. Economic and Social Development of China

 

The Regional Requirement Option: A student must take one of the pan-regional courses and a second course approved by an adviser or track coordinator. For example:

Southeast Asia

IRGN 412. Comparative Development of the East Asian Economies

IRGN 462. Economies of Southeast Asia (or any course on Southeast Asia or a Southeast Asian country)

East Asia Region

IRGN 412. Comparative Development of the East Asian Economies

Any second country specific course on China, Japan, or Korea

Latin America Region

IRGN 480. Comparative Development of the Latin American Economies

Any second course on Mexico, Central American, South America, Cuba, or the Latin American Region

Pacific Region (these two courses only)

IRGN 412. Comparative Development of the East Asian Economies

IRGN 480. Comparative Development of the Latin American Economies

The Foreign Language Requirement

GPS considers foreign language competency to be an indispensable skill for international relations professionals. The foreign language requirement is designed to ensure that students achieve a level of competency to assist in their global interactions. The foreign language requirement may be satisfied in any one of three ways: (a) native speaker ability; (b) completing six quarters (four semesters) of college-level language instruction from UC San Diego or a comparable institution, with a grade of B or better in the final course; or (c) passing a special GPS-administered language exam, which is the equivalent of the final exam administered in the sixth-quarter course in the selected language. The foreign language requirement may be partially or wholly completed prior to matriculation at GPS, though unit credit for previous course work is not transferable. Please contact the GPS Student Affairs for additional information.

Students must fulfill the foreign language requirement in a language that corresponds to their elected country or region of specialization. Students specializing in China, Japan, or Korea, must study Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, respectively. Students electing to specialize in Southeast Asia may study Bahasa Indonesian, Chinese, Thai, or another approved regional language. Students choosing to specialize in the East Asia region must take a language specific to the country they choose for their second course. Students in the Latin America region track may take either Spanish or Brazilian Portuguese. Students electing to be a Pacific region specialist may take any GPS approved language. Please contact the GPS Student Affairs for further information.

A variety of language courses is offered by UC San Diego. Subject to demand, GPS offers four-unit language courses for international relations professionals in Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and Bahasa Indonesian. 

Students are placed in foreign language courses based on prior preparation and on the results of a placement test administered during orientation.

Career Tracks

Beyond the core curriculum, the regional specialization, and the foreign language requirement, students are offered an array of career tracks from which to choose. The career tracks provide an opportunity to focus on a specialized professional career path and to work closely with other students and faculty who share similar interests. All students must choose a career track. A career track consists of five courses (twenty units). Each track combines two required courses and three electives chosen from a prescribed list. Courses not on the track elective lists may be petitioned to the track coordinator for consideration. Currently, GPS offers the following career tracks:

International Management

Required Courses

IRGN 470. International Business

IRGN 438. Operations and Technology Management; Analysis and Control (IRCO 453 and 454 or consent of the professor)

Elective Courses (choose a total of three from the two lists below)
Management Methods

IRGN 419. Risk Management (prerequisite: IRCO 415 or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 420. Marketing (prerequisites: IRCO 401, IRCO 403, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 421. Financial Institutions

IRGN 422. Investments (prerequisites: IRCO 415, 453 and 454, or consent of instructor)

IRGN 424. Corporate Finance

IRGN 440. Managerial Accounting and Control (prerequisites: IRCO 415 or consent of instructor)

IRGN 444. Product Development

IRGN 446. Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III” (prerequisites: IRCO 453 and 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 447. Organizations

IRGN 474. Applied Financial Accounting

IRCO 463. Strategy and Negotiation (if not counted as a capstone) (prerequisites: IRGN 474 or consent of instructor)

Global Business and the Economy

IRGN 406. Finance and Development

IRGN 410. Corporate Governance

IRGN 411. Business and Management in Japan

IRGN 413. Corporate Strategy and the Environment

IRGN 415. Economics of Trade Policy

IRGN 417. Microfinance

IRGN 423. Corporate Social Responsibility

IRGN 426. Doing Business in the Pacific Rim

IRGN 427. International Law and Regulation

IRGN 431. Fiscal and Monetary Policy

IRGN 435. Topics in International Trade

IRGN 436. Doing Business in Latin America

IRGN 441. Government and Regulation

IRGN 443. GIS and Spatial Data Analysis

IRGN 462. Economies of South East Asia

IRGN 461. Doing Business in China

IRGN 467. Chinese Environmental and Energy Policy

IRGN 473. Political Economy of Energy in Asia

IRGN 486. Economic and Social Development of China

IRGN 488. Environmental and Regulatory Economics

IRCO 468. Evaluating Technological Problems (if not counted as a capstone) (prerequisites: IRGN 446 or consent of instructor)

International Politics

Required Courses

IRGN 400. International Relations of Asia-Pacific OR IRGN 454. US–Latin America Relations

IRGN 427. International Law and Regulation

Elective Courses (choose a total of three)
International Security

IRGN 408. Korean Security

IRGN 403. Rise of China

IRGN 429. State Building

IRGN 482. International Strategies Toward Fragile States

IRGN 401. Civil Wars: Theory and Practice

IRGN 433. Political Communication and Foreign Policy

IRGN 429. After Civil Wars State Building

IRGN 442. Strategic Studies

IRGN 469. Comparative Grand Strategy and Defense Policy

IRGN 477. Cyber Security

IRGN 490. Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism

IRGN 490. Conflict, Terrorism, and the Media

IRCO 467. Policy Responses to Global Problems (if not counted as a capstone)

US and Comparative Foreign Policy

IRGN 400. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific (if not counted as the required track alternative)

IRGN 449. Making US Foreign Policy

IRGN 405. U.S.-China Relations

IRGN 432. Immigration and Immigration Policy

IRGN 454. Current Issues in U.S.-Latin American Relations (if not counted as the required track alternative)

IRGN 478. Japanese Foreign Policy, or IRGN 460. The Politics of U.S.-Japan Economic Relations

IRGN 463. Politics of Southeast Asia

IRGN 490. American Foreign Policy

IRGN 490. Cuba: Revolution and Reform

International Political Economy

IRGN 434. NGOs

IRGN 435. Topics in International Trade (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 403 and IRGN 446, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 402. International Political Economy: Money and Finance

IRGN 473. Political Economy of Energy in Asia

IRGN 428. International Politics of Energy Policy

IRGN 430. Human Rights, Public Policy, and International Politics

IRGN 490. Political Economy of Authoritarian Regimes

IRGN 490. Multinational Corporations

Methods for Analysis

IRGN 443. GIS and Spatial Data Analysis

IRGN 446. Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III” (prerequisites: IRCO 453 and 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRCO 468. Evaluating Technological Problems (if not counted as a capstone) (prerequisites: IRGN 446 or consent of instructor)

ECON 109. Game Theory (consent of instructor; requires GPS petition)**

International Environmental Policy

Required Courses

IRGN 458. International Environmental Policy and Politics

IRGN 488. Environmental and Regulatory Economics (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 453 and 454, or consent of the instructor)

Elective Courses (choose three)

IRGN 413. Corporate Strategy and the Environment 

IRGN 414. Economics of Energy Policy (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 453 and 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 418. Green Technology: Policy and Science

IRGN 423. Corporate Social Responsibility

IRGN 428. International Politics of Energy Policy

IRGN 443. GIS and Spatial Data Analysis

IRGN 446. Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III” (prerequisites: IRCO 453, 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 453. Sustainable Development

IRGN 457. Cost-Benefit Analysis

IRGN 467. Chinese Environmental and Energy Policy

IRGN 472. Latin American Environmental and Energy Policy

IRGN 473. Political Economy of Energy Policy in Asia

IRGN 489. The Economics of Nonmarket Valuation (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 453, and 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 468. International Health Economics

IRCO 468. Evaluating Technological Problems (if not counted as a capstone) (prerequisites: IRGN 446 or consent of instructor)

ECON 133. International Environmental Agreements**

ECON 266. Economics of Natural Resources**

SIO 273B. Science and Marine Environmental Policy**

SIO 286. Marine Science, Economics, and Policy**

SIO 295. Introduction to Marine Biodiversity and Conservation**

Public Policy

Required Courses

IRGN 441. Government and Regulation (prerequisite: IRCO 400)

IRGN 456. Program Design and Evaluation

Elective Courses (choose a total of three from the following lists)
Policy Design, Implementation, and Evaluation

IRGN 407. Policy Implementation Process (prerequisites: IRCO 400)

IRGN 437. Policy Design

IRGN 464. Designing Field Experiments

IRGN 457. Cost-Benefit Analysis

IRGN 446. Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III” (prerequisites: IRCO 453, 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 448. Civil Society and Development

IRGN 450. Social Justice, Public Policy, and Development

IRGN 428. International Politics of Energy Policy

IRGN 490. Climate Change, Law and Policy

Comparative Policy Processes

IRGN 404. Chinese Politics

IRGN 416. Postwar Politics in Japan

IRGN 463. Politics in Southeast Asia

IRGN 484. Korean Politics

IRGN 490. Mexican Society: Development, Institutions, and Policy

IRCO 468. Evaluating Technological Problems (if not counted as a capstone) (prerequisites: IRGN 446 or consent of instructor)

International Economics

Required Courses

IRGN 431. Fiscal and Monetary Policy

IRGN 435. Topics in International Trade (prerequisites: IRCO 401 and 403, and IRGN 446 or consent of the instructor)

Elective Courses (choose three)

IRGN 402. International Political Economy: Money and Finance

IRGN 406. Finance and Development (prerequisites: IRCO 401 and 403, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 409. Economic Policy in Latin America (prerequisites: IRCO 401 and 403, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 410. Corporate Governance

IRGN 412. East Asian Economies

IRGN 445. Legal Aspects of International Business (IRCO 403, 420, 421, 453, 454)

IRGN 446. Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III” (prerequisites: IRCO 453 and 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 451. Economic Development (prerequisites: IRCO 401 and 403, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 452. Quantitative Methods for Advanced Analysts

IRGN 457. Cost-Benefit Analysis

IRGN 458. International Environmental Policy and Politics

IRGN 462. Economies in Southeast Asia (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 403, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 485. The Korean Economy

IRGN 486. Economic and Social Development of China

IRGN 436. Doing Business in Latin America

IRGN 426. Doing Business in the Pacific Rim

IRGN 461. Doing Business in China 

IRGN 421. Financial Institutions

IRGN 415. Economics of Trade Policy

IRCO 468. Evaluating Technological Problems (if not counted as a capstone) (prerequisites: IRGN 446 or consent of instructor)

International Development and Nonprofit Management

Required Courses

IRGN 451. Economic Development (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 403, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 456. Program Design and Evaluation

Elective Courses (choose three)

IRGN 406. Finance and Development (prerequisites: IRCO 403, IRCO 421, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 417. Microfinance

IRGN 423. Corporate Social Responsibility

IRGN 424. Corporate Finance (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 403, 415, 453, and 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 443. GIS and Spatial Data Analysis

IRGN 440. Managerial Accounting and Control (prerequisites: IRCO 415 or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 446. Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III” (prerequisites: IRCO 453 and 454, or consent of the instructor)

IRGN 448. Civil Society and Development

IRGN 453. Sustainable Development

IRGN 457. Cost-Benefit Analysis

IRGN 458. International Environmental Policy and Politics

IRGN 465. Management of Nonprofit Organizations (must be taken in second year)

IRGN 450. Social Justice and Public Policy

IRCO 468. Evaluating Technological Problems (if not counted as a capstone) (prerequisites: IRGN 446 or consent of instructor)

Electives

Students may use remaining units to take electives across the range of GPS courses in management, political science, economics, regional studies, and language, as well as (with approval) courses offered elsewhere on campus (noted with **). The number of elective units available to a student will vary depending on factors such as prior language study. Prospective students are advised to consult the GPS Office of Admissions for a full list of elective courses currently offered. No more than four non-GPS courses will be allowed to count toward the MIA degree; of these four, only three may be undergraduate courses. All must be petitioned for formal approval.

Education Abroad Program

Students are encouraged to participate in the Education Abroad Program (EAP) in their second year of study. Though this may necessitate a third year of study to meet MIA requirements, the opportunity provides unparalleled experience in the selected regional study area and language. By petition, certain credits earned through EAP may be applied to the MIA requirements.

Career Services

The GPS Career Services office provides students with ongoing guidance, expertise, and resources to successfully manage their careers. This personalized process begins before school starts with the Career Development Program, and continues during the two-year program and throughout the students’ careers as alumni.

The Career Services team offers GPSCAREERS, an online system available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, which has a calendar of events, student profiles, online resumes, and a specialized database of employers with job/internship opportunities. Career consultants are available for daily scheduled appointments or quick consultations for resume writing, cover letters, effective job search strategies, interviewing skills (including videotaped mock interviews), labor market trends, job offer evaluation, and negotiation of total compensation packages. Alumni return to campus often for panels, information sessions, and employer interviews.

Internships

Students are strongly encouraged to participate in a variety of internship programs aligned with their career goals in business and industry, federal and state government, and nonprofit and multilateral organizations. The Career Services office works closely with students and alumni to make connections with global employers in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors based on the students’ interests.

To enhance students’ professional skills, GPS strongly recommends that each student participate in an internship during the summer between the first and second year. Students with unpaid summer internships may receive financial support from GPS donors. Internships offer opportunities to explore career options, apply theoretical knowledge to real work situations, and gain experience important to potential future employers.

Master of Advanced Studies in International Affairs (MAS-IA)

Requirements for Admission

Students interested in pursuing the MAS-IA program at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy must have earned a BA, BS, or the equivalent from an institution of comparable standing to the University of California, have a minimum of five years of relevant work experience and relevant international experience.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 or better in undergraduate course work or prior graduate study is required for admission. 

Applicants are required to submit the following: an online UC San Diego application for graduate study (https://gradapply.ucsd.edu); official transcripts from each college or university attended; three letters of recommendation; a résumé or curriculum vitae; and a personal statement. TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson’s Test of English (Academic) scores are required for applicants whose native language is not English and who have not completed a university degree in a country where the language of instruction is English. Minimum required scores are: TOEFL 80 iBT, 500 PBT; IELTS 7.0 band; PTE (Academic) 65.

For further details regarding the application process, procedures, and deadlines please visit http://gps.ucsd.edu and click on “Prospective Students.”

Applicants are encouraged to contact the GPS Office of Admissions at (858) 534-5914 or e-mail gps-apply@ucsd.edu.

The MAS-IA program is offered as a nine-month, full-time course of study, and as a part-time eighteen-month curriculum.

The MAS-IA Curriculum

The MAS-IA curriculum is a forty-eight unit/twelve course program. Each student is required to take two core courses (eight units), two courses focusing on one or more of the GPS regions (eight units), three career track courses from lists compiled specifically for the MAS-IA (twelve units), four elective courses from the GPS curriculum (sixteen units), and a four-unit dedicated capstone course. The specific courses taken to fulfill these requirements will depend on the student’s chosen career track.

Career Tracks

MAS-IA students are offered five career tracks from which to choose. The career tracks provide an opportunity to focus on a specialized professional and academic career path and to work closely with students and faculty who share similar interests. A career track consists of three courses (twelve units). Currently, GPS offers the following MAS-IA career tracks:

International Relations (choose three)

IRGN 400. International Relations of Asia-Pacific

IRGN 401. Understanding Civil Wars: Theory and Policy Implications

IRGN 405. U.S.-China Relations

IRGN 408. Korean Security

IRGN 448. Civil Society and Development

IRGN 449. Making US Foreign Policy

IRGN 454. Current Issues in U.S.-Latin American Relations

IRGN 460. The Politics of U.S.-Japanese Relations

IRGN 427. International Law and Regulation

IRGN 478. Japanese Foreign Policy

IRGN 490. Critical Issues in US Foreign Policy

IRCO 410. International Politics and Security

IRCO 412. Globalization, the World System, and the Pacific

International Political Economy (choose three)

IRGN 435. Topics in International Trade (prerequisites: IRCO 401, 403, or consent of instructor)

IRGN 446. Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III”

IRGN 402. International Political Economy: Money and Finance

IRGN 406. Finance and Development

IRGN 410. Corporate Governance

IRGN 451. Economic Development

IRGN 457. Cost-Benefit Analysis

IRGN 461. Doing Business in China

IRCO 401. Managerial Economics

IRCO 403. International Economics

IRCO 412. Globalization, the World System, and the Pacific

IRCO 415. Accounting and Finance for Policy Makers

IRCO 463. Strategy and Negotiation

International Public Policy (choose three)

IRGN 407. Policy Implementation Process

IRGN 417. Microfinance

IRGN 440. Managerial Accounting and Control

IRGN 456. Program Design and Evaluation

IRGN 457. Cost-Benefit Analysis

IRGN 458. International Environmental Policy and Politics

IRGN 465. Management of Nonprofit Organizations

IRGN 489. The Economics of Nonmarket Valuation

IRCO 400. Policy Making Processes

IRCO 401. Managerial Economics

Environmental Policy and Sustainability (at least two of the three required courses must come from the following)

IRGN 458. International Environmental Policy and Politics

IRGN 488. Environmental and Regulatory Economics

IRGN 453. Sustainable Development

Security of the Asia-Pacific (at least two of the three required courses must come from the following)

IRGN 403. The Rise of China: Security and Technology

IRGN 442. Foundations of Strategic Studies

IRGN 449. Comparative Grand Strategy and Defense Policy

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation in the study of international affairs and is devoted to the politics and economics of the region. Depending on career track choice, the core courses are the following:

For the tracks in International Relations, International Political Economy, International Public Policy, and Security of the Asia Pacific

The Politics of International and National Policy Making (IRCO 481)

Comparative Economies of the Pacific Rim (IRCO 482)

Capstone: Workshop on Policy Issues in the Pacific Rim (IRCO 483)

For the Environmental Policy and Sustainability track

The Politics of International and National Policy Making (IRCO 481)

Managerial Economics (IRCO 401)

Capstone: Workshop on Policy Issues in the Pacific Rim (IRCO 483)

Regional Electives

The regional requirement consists of two courses covering one or more of the GPS regional specialties. For the career tracks in International Relations, International Political Economy and International Public Policy, course choices are made from lists compiled for the MAS-IA that allow students several options. You may speak with the program director for the MAS-IA for a complete list of regional electives.

Students in the Environmental Policy and Sustainability career track must take at least one of the following to fulfill their two course regional requirement:

Chinese Energy and Environmental Policy (IRGN 467)

Environmental Issues in Latin America (IRGN 472)

Students in the Security of the Asia-Pacific track must take at least one of the following regional courses:

IRGN 404. Chinese Politics

IRGN 405. US-China Relations

IRGN 408. Korean Security

IRGN 416. Postwar Politics of Japan

IRGN 460. US-Japanese Relations

IRGN 463. Politics of Southeast Asia

IRGN 484. Korean Politics

If both courses do not come from the above list, the second regional elective may be chosen at the student’s discretion, provided it is a course on China, Japan, Korea, or Southeast Asia. Please see a faculty or academic adviser for help choosing the third course.

Electives

Students in the career tracks in International Relations, International Political Economy and International Public Policy may use the remaining sixteen units (four courses) to take electives across the range of GPS courses in international management, international economics, comparative public policy and politics, international environmental policy, development, nonprofit management, and regional studies. Students are advised to consult the MAS-IA program coordinator for a full list of elective courses currently offered.

Students opting for the career track in Environmental Policy and Sustainability must take at least two of their four elective classes from the specially defined list of courses below. The remaining elective course(s) may be any existing GPS courses.

IRGN 489. The Economics of Nonmarket Valuation

IRGN 428. International Politics of Energy Policy

IRGN 457. Cost-Benefit Analysis

IRGN 415. Economics of Energy Policy

IRGN 418. Green Technology

IRGN 490. Environmental Law

IRGN 473. Political Economy of Energy in Asia

Econ 133. International Environmental Agreements**

SIO 273B. Science and Marine Environmental Policy**

SIO 286. Marine Science, Economics and Policy**

(Courses noted with ** require consent of faculty and a petition to the MAS-IA program director.)

For students opting for the career track in the Security of the Asia-Pacific, at least two courses must be chosen from the following list. The remaining two courses may be chosen from the broader GPS curriculum.

IRCO 410. International Politics and Security

IRGN 400. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific

IRGN 401. Civil Wars: Theory and Practice

IRGN 427. International Law and Regulation

IRGN 429. State-Building after Civil Wars

IRGN 430. Human Rights, Public Policy, and International Politics

IRGN 433. Political Communication and Foreign Policy

IRGN 482. International Strategies Toward Fragile States

IRGN 477. Cyber Security

The Doctorate of Philosophy in Political Science and International Affairs (PhD)

Requirements for Admission

Applicants who seek admission to the highly competitive joint PhD program must have earned a BA, or its equivalent, from an institution of comparable standing to the University of California. Preference will be given to students with prior academic records of distinction and to those who have a background in one of the fields of emphasis and/or geographical areas covered by the program.

Applicants are required to submit the following: an online UC San Diego application for graduate study (http://graduateapp.ucsd.edu); two official transcripts from each college or university attended; three letters of recommendation; a résumé or curriculum vitae; a personal statement; a writing sample; a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score report. A minimum score of 550 on the paper/pencil version and 213 on the computer-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all international applicants whose native language is not English and whose undergraduate education was conducted in a language other than English.

The minimum criteria required for admission to the extremely selective joint PhD program can be found at http://gps.ucsd.edu/programs/phd-in-political-science-and-international-affairs-phd/admissions-information/. Admission is offered to zero to two applicants per year.

The PhD Curriculum

Program of Study

The PhD in political science and international affairs prepares students for research careers in political science, with an emphasis in international policy and comparative policy analysis. The program combines the analytical skills of political science with political economy, institutional analysis, policy analysis (especially economic policy) and regional training, with special attention to East Asia and/or Latin America.

Course Requirements

The PhD curriculum in political science and international affairs is designed to provide students with basic training in the disciplinary skills of political science, as well as applications to specific policy areas and countries or regions.

Eighteen courses are required prior to advancement to candidacy at the end of the second year. There is a common core sequence made up of six courses in the Department of Political Science: Political Science 200A-C and 204A-C. No other courses may be used to substitute for these courses. The remaining course work in research skills, language, regional expertise and/or a field of specialization may be taken at GPS or in Political Science with the approval of the faculty adviser. Two of the elective courses must be in international relations and/or comparative politics/policy of an Asia-Pacific country or region.

Requirements:
First Year

Fall
• 200A. Foundations in Political Science
• 204A. Research Design
• Field requirement or skills course

Winter
• 200B. Democracy
• 204B. Quantitative Methods I
• Field requirement or skills course

Spring
• 200C. States and Markets
• 204C. Game Theory I
• Field requirement or skills course

Second Year

Fall
• Field requirement
• Skills course
• Substantive course

Winter
• Field requirement
• Skills course
• Substantive course

Spring
• Field requirement
• Skills course
• Substantive course/directed reading

General Examination

By the end of the second year, a student must stand for the general examination. The general examination consists of written examinations in each of two fields and an oral examination. It is expected that students complete their field requirements prior to sitting for the general examination. By the first day of spring quarter of the second year, each student must submit to the graduate coordinator a general examination plan identifying the two fields within which exams will be taken. The general examination will normally take place during the seventh week of spring quarter. Normally each written examination will be taken on a separate day within a one-week period, and the oral examination will be given within two weeks of the completion of the written examinations.

Written Examinations

Written field examinations last six hours. These examinations cover major theoretical approaches in a field. They are structured so that passing requires general knowledge and understanding of important work in the field as a whole. These examinations cover in greater depth one subfield within a major research literature. Written examinations are open note and open book. Students are expected to do their own work and to compose their answers on the day of the examination. Text from computer files may not be downloaded into these answers.

Oral Examinations

The oral examination normally lasts between one and two hours and covers two written examinations and the student’s seminar paper. A student must take the oral examination, even if one of the written examinations or the seminar paper is such that it is deemed impossible to pass the entire examination.

Each field has a designated field coordinator, appointed by the department chair in consultation with the director of graduate studies. The field coordinator, in consultation with the faculty in the field, prepares the written examinations. Each general examination is graded by a committee of four faculty members, with two from each of the student’s examination fields. These examiners are nominated by the field coordinator and appointed by the department chair. Students are normally informed of the composition of general examination boards during the fourth week of the spring quarter.

Each general examination is graded in its entirety. A student passes or fails the entire examination, not simply parts of it. The examination committee may assign a grade of fail, pass, or distinction. A student passes the general examination if at least three examiners vote to assign a grade of pass or better. A student receives a grade of distinction by vote of at least three examiners. The student will receive written notification of the examination committee’s decision. A student who fails the general examination must retake it at least one week prior to the start of the fall quarter of the third year. A student who fails the general examination twice will not be permitted to continue in the graduate program in political science.

Good progress toward the PhD requires that a student complete the general examination by the end of the second year. A student who has not attempted all parts of the general examination by the end of the second year may not continue in the program.

Seminar Papers

A student must complete one seminar paper in one of his or her examination fields. This paper may be written as part of the requirements for a regularly scheduled seminar course or in an independent research course.

Guidelines for the Seminar Paper

Papers may draw from papers originally written for courses. However, it is generally the case that course papers will need substantial revision before being suitable seminar papers. Students may write papers in fields other than their first or second exam fields.  

Students must identify an adviser for the seminar paper. Seminar paper advisers may be the first-year adviser but are not required to be. Seminar paper advisers may go on to supervise dissertations but are not required to do so. Advisers must agree (certified in writing, to the graduate program coordinator) to serve this purpose by 4:00 p.m. on Friday of the eighth week of fall quarter. Penalties for failing to identify an adviser by this due date are at the discretion of the director of graduate studies. Students are advised to contact the director of graduate studies or their field chair if they are having difficulty identifying an adviser.  

Students must submit a rough draft of the seminar paper (in hard copy and electronic form) to the graduate program coordinator by 4:00 p.m. on Friday of the first full week of spring quarter. The graduate program coordinator is responsible for ensuring that a copy of the paper is provided to the seminar paper adviser. Students failing to submit a draft of the paper by this deadline will not be permitted to take the Comprehensive Exam in the spring quarter. Please note that this implies leaving the program.

Students should submit a penultimate draft of the paper to the seminar paper adviser one week prior to the final draft due date. Students must submit a final draft of the seminar paper (in hard copy and electronic form) to the graduate program coordinator by 4:00 p.m. on Monday of the week prior to the written exams. Students failing to submit a final draft of the paper by this deadline will not be permitted to take the Comprehensive Exam in the spring quarter. Please note that this implies leaving the program.  

Departmental Workshops

During the third year, a student must be enrolled in a departmental workshop (course numbers 280–89). Departmental workshops are intended to introduce students to advanced research in political science and to facilitate the completion of the doctoral dissertation. Workshops typically meet biweekly and include discussion of common readings, public talks, and student presentations. Each field is responsible for maintaining or identifying a workshop for students writing a dissertation in that field.

During the third year, each student is required to present a draft dissertation prospectus or an original piece of research to a workshop at least once. A form indicating completion of this requirement must be submitted to the graduate coordinator by the end of the third year.

By October 15 of the third year, each student must identify a prospectus adviser and the tentative topic of the prospectus. Each student is responsible for submitting the appropriate form, indicating the adviser’s name, to the graduate coordinator.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student must complete one seminar paper in one of his or her examination fields. This paper may be written as part of the requirements for a regularly scheduled seminar course or in an independent research course.

Certification that a paper fulfills the seminar paper requirement is at the sole discretion of the faculty member supervising the work (i.e., the instructor of the course for which the paper was written).

A student may not take the general examination before fulfilling the seminar paper requirement. A final draft of the paper, along with the appropriate form certifying that the paper meets the seminar paper requirement, must be submitted to the graduate coordinator before the written portion of the general examination may be taken. Copies of the seminar paper will be distributed to the general examination committee.

Dissertation

By the end of the sixth year good progress requires completion of the dissertation. A student who fails to complete the dissertation by the end of the sixth year may be denied all departmental financial assistance.

Language Competency

Students intending a field specialization in comparative politics and/or policy should assume that fluency in a relevant regional language, sufficient for the conduct of research, will be expected. Language training will be credited toward the degree.

Advising and Evaluation

Each incoming student to the PhD program in political science and international affairs will be assigned a faculty adviser in GPS. By the beginning of the third year, each student must select a faculty member from the department to serve as prospectus adviser. The prospectus adviser will help guide the student in writing the prospectus and selecting a dissertation committee. The prospectus adviser will not necessarily become the chair or a member of the dissertation committee.

During the spring quarter, each student is evaluated by his or her adviser in consultation with the departmental faculty. The student will receive a written evaluation from the adviser each year. The student must sign this evaluation for it to become an official part of the student’s departmental file. As part of the first-year review, each student must complete a plan of study that identifies a faculty seminar paper supervisor, two examination fields, a focus area, and intended preparation in each. This plan must be signed by the student’s faculty adviser and submitted to the graduate coordinator by the end of spring quarter of the first year.

Doctoral Committee

The dissertation committee must have at least five members, made up of both GPS and Department of Political Science faculty and one tenured professor from outside those programs. For students whose research is intended to establish a regional or country specialization, it is expected that at least one member of the committee will have such an expertise. At least two members of the committee shall represent academic specialties that differ from the student’s chosen specialty.

Student Petitions

To contest an evaluation or any departmental action a student must do so in writing. A petition should be submitted to the director of graduate studies no later than the end of the quarter following the evaluation (or other action) contested by the student.

Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Master of International Affairs BA/MIA

Requirements for Admission

Students interested in pursuing the BA/MIA program at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) must be currently enrolled in UC San Diego’s International Studies (IS) undergraduate major. Students who meet the admissions requirements listed below may apply for admission to the combined degree track of the International Studies major in the fourth quarter (spring quarter of junior year) prior to receipt of the BA.

  1. Completion of fall and winter quarters of the junior year with a minimum overall GPA of 3.00 and a minimum 3.4 GPA in International Studies upper-division course work.
  2. Satisfactory completion of the foreign language requirement for the undergraduate International Studies major. The foreign language must be one of the Pacific Rim languages required by GPS.
  3. Satisfactory completion of the International Studies core courses, INTL 101 and 102.
  4. Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to the applicant’s academic promise and depth of interest in professional training in international affairs.
  5. Students will also be required to complete a noncredit, professional internship in the field of international affairs during the summer prior to matriculation in the MIA program.
  6. Some admitted students may be required to attend summer prep courses in quantitative methods and managerial economics prior to the beginning of their first year in the program.

Applicants will be admitted to the combined degree program on the basis of demonstrated academic excellence in upper-division course work in the International Studies major, Pacific Rim language proficiency, strong support from UC San Diego faculty in letters of recommendation, international experience, leadership, and community involvement.

The BA/MIA Curriculum

International Studies (IS) students are required to declare a primary track (eight upper-division courses) and a secondary track (five upper-division courses). IS majors must also successfully complete two upper-division gateway courses (lNTL 101 and 102) and a senior research seminar (INTL 190). In addition to these required courses, IS majors admitted to the combined degree program must also complete two quantitative methodology courses (IRCO 453 and 454).

IS majors admitted to the combined degree program will complete all of these requirements for the International Studies degree in either IS-Economics/Secondary Track in Political Science or IS-Political Science/Secondary Track in Economics in years one through four of their study at UC San Diego. Transfer students may also apply to the BA/MIA after declaring their major and successfully completing at least one quarter of course work at UC San Diego.

BA in International Studies–Economics

Economics Primary Track (eight courses)

The following courses are required:

IRCO 401. Managerial Economics

IRCO 403. International Economics

IRCO 415. Finance and Accounting for Policy Makers

In addition, students are required to take five additional economics courses chosen from the IS-Economics course list or from GPS economics courses, for a total of eight courses.

Political Science Secondary Track (five courses)

The following courses are required:

IRCO 400. Policy-Making Processes

IRCO 410. International Politics and Security

IRCO 412. Globalization, the World System, and the Pacific

Two additional courses from the approved IS-Political Science course list or GPS electives in regional politics, comparative public policy, or international politics. Of the thirteen track courses, three must focus on one country or region.

BA in International Studies–Political Science

Political Science Primary Track (eight courses)

The following courses are required:

IRCO 412. Globalization, the World System, and the Pacific

IRCO 400. Policy-Making Processes

IRCO 410. International Politics and Security

Five additional courses selected from the approved IS-Political Science course list or from GPS electives in regional politics, comparative public policy, or international politics.

Economics Secondary Track (five courses)

The following courses are required:

IRCO 401. Managerial Economics

IRCO 403. International Economics

IRCO 415. Finance and Accounting for Policy Makers

In addition, students are required to take two additional economics courses chosen from the IS-Economics course list or from GPS economics courses, for a total of five courses. Of the thirteen track courses, three must focus on one country or region.

ALL BA/MIA students will also take the following two classes in Quantitative Methods before finishing the first-year core at GPS:

IRCO 453. Quantitative Methods I

IRCO 454. Quantitative Methods II

Additional Requirements

In the final year of the combined degree program, students will complete the requirements for the one-year MIA. The MIA requires a minimum of forty-eight units of 400-level course work completed at GPS, including a regional specialization (two four-unit courses), a professional career track (five four-unit courses), a capstone requirement (one four-unit course), elective course work (four four-unit courses), and a summer internship requirement (noncredit) between the completion of the BA and matriculation into the MIA.

The combined degree program includes the following additional requirement:

  1. Language requirement: All International Studies majors must complete a language requirement equivalent to four quarters of undergraduate training in a Pacific Rim language (as defined by GPS) prior to admission to the combined degree program. In order to receive the MIA at the end of the fifth year, students must complete at least two additional quarters in the same Pacific Rim language, for a total of six quarters. As an alternative to the six-quarter language requirement, students may demonstrate proficiency at the level currently required by GPS.

Programs and Research Centers

Global Leadership Institute Program

The Global Leadership Institute (GLI) is a renowned executive education program for public, private and nonprofit sector professionals and a study abroad destination for graduate researchers and students. Since 1989, professionals have advanced their careers and organizations through learning experiences provided by our exceptional faculty.

GLI offers educational opportunities through nondegree certificate programs. Certificates are available to individuals on an open-enrollment basis, or can be customized for groups with specific learning objectives and varied lengths of study. As preparation for degree studies or as a supplement to the certificate programs, intensive English courses are also offered year-round to enhance an international professional’s ability to communicate in a global society.

Customized group programs are uniquely structured to provide the optimal combination of course work that focuses on topics relevant to each group’s goals. GLI is well positioned to provide sponsoring organizations and participants access to more than eighty academic departments and programs across the university. Drawing on its vast resources within the educational community and its relationships with successful industry and government leaders, GLI offers a tailored educational experience for program participants in a wide variety of disciplines based on the special needs of the professionals in each cohort. GLI staff work with your group to determine the program duration and daily schedule.

Integral to GLI’s program are professional tours to prominent multinational industries and influential government agencies. Available to participants in all programs, these tours provide insight into an organization’s operations and business practices.

For more information, please contact the Global Leadership Institute via e-mail at gps-gli@ucsd.edu or call (858) 822-3875 or (858) 534-4019.

The Korea-Pacific Program

The Korea-Pacific Program was formed in September 1989 in recognition of the growing importance of Korea in the world, of Korean-US relationships, and of the Korean model of social and economic development.

Directed by GPS Professor Stephan Haggard, the program promotes the understanding of Korea in an international context and encourages the study of Korea by offering courses on the country’s economics and politics. Research is supported on contemporary Korean political economy. Outreach to the community is offered through seminars, lectures, courses, and cultural events.

In comparison with other Korean studies programs in the United States, the GPS Korea-Pacific Program is distinctive in several respects: it concentrates on contemporary Korea, focuses on policy questions, stresses the foundations of Korean economic growth, explores Korea’s international relations, and seeks to understand Korea in a broad regional context.

The ASEAN-Pacific Project

The ASEAN-Pacific Project is one of several major regional and theme-based nodes of activity within the School of Global Policy and Strategy. Its mandate is to support students and to serve as a catalyst for the development of Southeast Asia-related teaching and research activities within the school.

The ASEAN-Pacific Project extends the success of the school’s original Vietnam-Pacific Project, with scope being broadened to embrace the other countries of Southeast Asia.

The project is built upon private donations to the school, with this resource being supplemented by resources obtained from external grant agencies and the university. The project supports the activities of students at GPS with an interest in Southeast Asia through fellowships (for summer travel and internships) and visiting guest speakers.

The project also serves as a catalyst and facilitator for research projects within the school relating to Southeast Asia. It seeks to promote disciplinary-driven work on political and economic topics pertaining to Southeast Asia, as distinct from more traditional area studies scholarship. Examples of this include recent work on national political institutions and policy-making, the dynamics of regional cooperation, food and agricultural policies, and the relocation of the global magnetic disk-drive industry to Southeast Asia. Other recent research-related initiatives include a major international workshop for PhD students in political science working on Southeast Asia, and a workshop for the US Agency for International Development on political conflict in Indonesia.