Contacts
Admissions: Emily Rutherford, Associate Director of Admissions, 315-443-2319
maxenroll@syr.edu
Advising: Emily Alber Chase, Associate Director of Student Services, Public Administration of International Affairs 315-443-4000 paia@syr.edu
M.A.I.R. Program Director: Michael Williams, Associate Professor, Public Administration and International Affairs mjwill14@syr.edu
M.P.A. Program Director: Saba Siddiki, Professor, Public Administration and International Affairs ssiddiki@syr.edu
Program Description
The synergy between international relations and public administration allows the approved 58-credit joint degree program combining international relations expertise and public management skills to serve as an invaluable experience for students. Earning a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) and a Master of Arts in International Relations (M.A.I.R.), the joint degree program equips students to confront the management and thematic challenges facing organizations around the world.
The joint degree is completed in two years of full-time study and allows for extended professional development opportunities. Students complete the core curricula for both degree programs, combining advanced training in public policy analysis, quantitative and qualitative methods, organizational management, and field-specific coursework.
Upon completion of the joint degree program, students will also apply academic training to real-world problems through a required consultancy and internship experience.
Requirements
The M.P.A./M.A.I.R. degree requires students to complete core requirements for both individual degrees as part of 58 credits of total graduate coursework.
International Relations Coursework
(6 Credits)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| PAI 710 | International Actors and Issues | 3 |
| 3 |
| Ethnographic Techniques | |
| Research Design for IR Practitioners | |
| Quantitative Analysis | |
| Public Relations Research | |
Public Administration Coursework
(10 Credits)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| PAI 600 | Selected Topics (Public Affairs Colloquium) | 1 |
| PAI 734 | Budgeting and Fiscal Policy | 3 |
| PAI 752 | MPA Workshop | 3 |
| PAI 755 | Public Administration and Democracy | 3 |
Shared Coursework
(9 Credits)
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 3 |
| Managing and Leading Public Organizations | |
| Challenges of International Management and Leadership | |
| NGO Management in Developing and Transitioning Countries | |
| PAI 721 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| PAI 723 | Economics for Public Decisions | 3 |
International Relations Career Track
(12 Credits)
Each student must complete 12 credits of coursework in one of the following career tracks.
- Conflict Resolution
- Data Analysis for International Affairs
- International Development
- International Political Economy
- International Service
- Security Studies
- Regional Concentration
Public Administration Track
(9 Credits)
Each student must complete 9 credits of coursework in one of the following tracks:
- Public and Nonprofit Management
- Public Finance
- Policy Analysis
- Policy Process and Design
Some students may find it beneficial to have a broader or more general course of study. Students who do not select an M.P.A. track will choose three courses (9 credits) from across the track course offerings.
Electives
(12 Credits)
The remaining 12 credits will be elective courses from the Public Administration and International Affairs department or the Maxwell School. A student may take up to 6 credits outside the Maxwell School with consultation from their academic advisor.
International Relations Professional Internship
Dual-degree students develop their professional skills through a graduate internship. The internship requirement for the international relations degree requires 250 hours of service time over a summer, fall, or spring semester. Students have the option to count the internship for up to three credits. Internships can be conducted in the United States and around the world.
