MSGA Degree Requirements

The maximum number of credits a graduate student should take per semester is 12 (4 classes). In order for students to have good academic standing, they must maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the course of the program.  

Most Fall and Spring Semester courses meet for a total of 14 sessions for 2 hours and 40 minutes each.

Summer courses are divided into 2 sessions.  Most courses meet 12 times per session – 2 times a week for 6 weeks.  Each class session lasts up to 3 hours.  Students are advised to take only one class per summer session. Note: In order to qualify for federal financial aid during the summer semester, students must take a minimum of 6 credits or 2 courses.

Some of our courses meet on intensive and special schedules during Fall, Spring, January Term, and Summer.  These courses have been designed to meet the required number of hours to fulfill 3-credits and are announced as available. 

Download the Degree Requirements Worksheet 

Overview of MSGA Degree (approved as of Fall 2015)

4 Core Courses (12 Credits)
6 Concentration Courses (18 Credits) – each concentration has one required course
3 Electives (9 Credits)
1 Capstone or Thesis Project (3 Credits)

Total: 14 Courses (42 Credits)


MSGA Core Courses (All courses are required)

MSGA Core Courses are offered every semester and limited sections are often offered in summer sessions, with at least one evening section during the fall and spring semesters. International Relations and International Political Economy are not offered in the summer sessions.  The Core is the foundation for the global affairs degree and careers in the field.

Core Courses

 International Relations in the Post Cold War Era  GLOB1-GC 1000
 International Political Economy  GLOB1-GC 1030
 International Law  GLOB1-GC 1040
 Analytical Skills for Global Affairs  GLOB1-GC 3035



MSGA Concentration Courses (6 required)

A minimum of 6 courses or 18 credits are required in your chosen concentration. In addition to the courses specified below by concentration, Global Field Intensive courses can be applied towards any concentration, upon successful application and approval. A solid research argument must be made in the proposal/application statement; information about Global Field Intensives can be found on the academic website and this information is updated throughout the academic year.

Use the comprehensive course list to help you with planning.

Most concentrations have a non-core prerequisite. See the chart below.

Concentration      Required Concentration Course Semester Typically Offered
 International Relations/Global Futures The Future of International Relations / GLOB1-GC 2045  Spring
 Transnational Security Transnational Security / GLOB1-GC 2000 Fall & Spring
Global Economy Fundamentals of Corporate Finance / GLOB1-GC 2295

Alternative: GLOB1-GC 2130 Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, and Purpose-driven Leadership in the 21st Century (offered in Fall)

Spring

 

 International Development & Humanitarian Assistance Developing Countries in the Global Economy / GLOB1-GC 1020 Fall & Spring
 Environment/Energy Policy Energy & the Environment / GLOB1-GC 2430 

(Alternative: GLOB1-GC 2405 Energy, Environment and Resource Security)

Fall

 

 Human Rights & International Law  International Human Rights / GLOB1-GC 2240 Spring
 Peacebuilding  Peacemaking and Peacebuilding / GLOB1-GC 1010 Fall & Spring
 Global Gender Studies  Gender and International Affairs / GLOB1-GC 2340 Fall


Electives


A student is required to take 3 courses or 9 general elective credits. The elective requirement may be fulfilled by any course within the MSGA curriculum including Global Field Intensives and Regional Study courses, or 2 other courses through another NYU graduate program such as Wagner, Stern, or the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.  Non-MSGA courses can only be applied toward general elective requirements and transfer credits must be pre-approved by department administration.  Students must follow specific NYU school cross-registration procedures. 


MSGA Regional Study Courses

Regional courses count as electives. One regional course can be used to fulfill a concentration requirement if the student produces written work that is relevant to his or her concentration. Note:  MSGA Regional Study Courses are offered in alternating semesters whenever possible.

From the Mughals to Modernity: India’s Democracy and Its Discontents
GLOB1-GC 1060
Inside Latin America GLOB1-GC 1100
Europe in the 21st Century GLOB1-GC 1105
Inside Africa Today GLOB1-GC 1110
Asia Today: An Introduction GLOB1-GC 1115
A Global Context: Transformation in Central Asia GLOB1-GC 1125
Russia and the World GLOB1-GC 1130
National Security, Politics, and Society: The Middle East GLOB1-GC 1135
Vietnam and ASEAN at the Vortex of Geopolitics and the World Economy in the 21st Century GLOB1-GC 1140