Course Type: Postgraduate (taught)
Training Provider: Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS)
School/Institute/Dept./Centre: Graduate School of International Policy Studies

Do contemporary global issues such as humanitarian aid, trade and development, gender empowerment, weapons of mass destruction, sustainable environmental development, nonproliferation, terrorism, conflict transformation, international negotiation, and international and nonprofit management attract your interest? If so...the MAIPS is the degree for you!

The MAIPS degree program offers maximum flexibility in tailoring your studies to suit your particular interests and career aspirations. The emphasis is on acquiring the applied knowledge and skills needed to navigate complex issues and organizations. The challenging curriculum offers students the opportunity to develop a specialization in key global policy areas that reflect each student's specific interests, and which also targets their professional career goals.

A combination of elective courses, seminars, workshops and internships enables students to develop the skills, substantive knowledge, and language abilities to meet the challenges of entering a wide variety of public, private, and nonprofit/non-governmental organizations around the world.

MAIPS Degree Requirements - 60 credits

The MAIPS degree is a two-year professional program that begins with a set of core courses, designed to build a foundation in the key knowledge areas of international policy and to provide students with the fundamental skills required of policy professionals. They include:

Core (26 credits):

• Policy Analysis and Communication (2 credits)
• Data Analysis and Research Methods (4 credits)
• International Economics (4 credits)
• International Politics (4 credits)
• Advanced Second Language (12 credits)

Seminar Course Requirements (12 credits):

For the MAIPS degree, students are required to complete three seminar-level courses (12 credits in total). These courses can be part of your specialization requirements and/or can be met through elective courses approved by your faculty advisor.

Specialization (minimum of 20 credits):

In addition to the "core", MAIPS students focus 20 credits on their specialization. Your specialization will guide your course selections. Virtually all courses offered in the Graduate School of International Policy Studies (GSIPS) are open to you, including some courses taught by faculty and staff members of other graduate schools and the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). Some courses are defined as survey courses, while others are seminars and workshops. You may also undertake a directed study under the supervision of a GSIPS faculty member.

Electives (14 credits):

Beyond a specialization, many students recognize a need for additional coursework that offers specific issues, skill or regional expertise, to supplement the specialization or to provide variety and the opportunity to broaden their knowledge areas.

Portfolio Requirement for GSIPS Core Curriculum:

To graduate from a GSIPS MA program, each student is required to develop and complete a professional Portfolio as part of the GSIPS core curriculum. The purpose of the Portfolio is to demonstrate a mastery of the core competencies for the degree and specialization of the student. This portfolio will be completed two months before graduation and will be prepared in hard copy, or in electronic format.

Faculty advisers and Career Development staff will assist the student in compiling the items that demonstrate mastery of the core competencies built into the GSIPS curriculum, according to guidelines established by GSIPS staff. Workshops will be held every semester on Portfolio development.

Using the Portfolio and the study plan of the student, a faculty member will conduct an oral exam for each student, within the last two months of the student’s final semester, to ascertain how well the student has mastered the core competencies in his/her degree program or specialization. This exam is graded on a Pass-Fail basis. Students who do not Pass this exam by graduation, or have not completed a Portfolio, will not graduate until both requirements have been met.

For additional information about the MAIPS degree, please contact:
Enrollment Manager (GSIPS)
831-647-6543
gsips@miis.edu

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Entry Requirements:
- US Bachelor's degree or the equivalent from an accredited college/university

- Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0. scale

- Low Grade Point Average (GPA): Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 should consider submitting official GRE scores and/or taking several graduate level courses at an accredited college/university to demonstrate their ability to perform well at the graduate level.

- Economics: A basic understanding of economics is a prerequisite to enrolling in the required International Economics core course. Applicants to GSIPS are strongly encouraged to demonstrate proficiency in economics prior to enrolling.

- Language Requirement for Native Speakers of English: Two years of recent successful college-level language or the equivalent (except for Arabic)

Arabic: 1 year for fall entry (1 ½ years for spring entry) of recent successful college-level language or the equivalent.

- Language Requirement for Non-native Speakers of English: It is presumed that non-native speakers of English will study English as their second language. Non-native speakers of English are required to provide proof of English proficiency by submitting scores from either the TOEFL or IELTS examinations.

Course Duration:
The Master of Arts program is completed over the course of four semesters (two academic years). There are opportunities for Accelerated and Advanced Entry.

Language(s) of Instruction:

• English

Mode of Study:

• residential

Thematic Focus:

• Civil Society/NGO Management
• Development Studies
• Environmental Issues
• Gender Issues
• Globalisation
• Governance
• Human Rights
• International Relations
• International Trade
• Participatory Approaches
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Project Planning
• Research Methods
• Rural Development
• Social Policy and Development

Country(ies):

• USA

Town(s) or City(ies):
Monterey, California

Course fees:
Tuition for the 2007/2008 academic year is approximately US$27,750. Student and technology fees are approximately US$200.

Scholarships & Awards:
A limited number of partial-tuition, merit-based scholarships are offered to prospective students applying to degree programs at the Monterey Institute. Monterey Institute Scholarships are administered through our Admissions Office. If you are admitted, you will be automatically considered for a merit based scholarship. A separate application is not required. Scholarship amounts range from $4,000 to $14,000. However, funds do run out, so you are encouraged to apply early for optimal scholarship consideration.

Further Funding Information:
http://www.miis.edu/finaid/index.html

Course's Webpage:
http://policy.miis.edu