Program Overview

Program Overview

The Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of public and international affairs. The program offers a range of courses and specializations, allowing students to tailor their studies to their interests and career goals.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the MPIA program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum GPA: 3.0
• TOEFL IBT: 105 (with minimum sub-scores of 20 in reading, listening, speaking, and writing)
• IELTS: 6.5 (as an alternative to TOEFL)
• GRE: optional
• Letters of recommendation: 3 required
• Required supplemental materials:
  • Transcript
  • Personal Statement

Admission Terms and Deadlines

The MPIA program offers admission in the following terms:

• Fall
• Spring
• Summer The admission application deadlines are:
• August 1 for Fall
• January 5 for Spring
• May 1 for Summer

Degree Requirements

The MPIA program requires a minimum of 36 credit hours for completion. The degree requirements include:

• Total minimum credit hour requirement of 4000-level courses: 6
• Total minimum credit hour requirement of graded graduate-level courses: 30
• Total minimum credit hour requirement of Project and Report: 3 (if applicable)
• Total minimum credit hour requirement of Research: 6 (if applicable)

Degree Options

The MPIA program offers two degree options:

• Thesis option
• Non-thesis option

Core Courses

Students must choose 4 core courses (12 credit hours) from the following:

• GIA/UAP 5004 Power and Policy in the U.S
• UAP/GEOG/GIA 5264 Global Change & Local Impacts
• UAP/GIA 5164 Collaborative Governance & Civil Society
• GIA/UAP 5274 Comparative Social Movements
• GIA/PSCI 5434 Politics of Developing Areas
• GIA/PSCI 5444 International Politics
• GIA/UAP/PAPA 5034 Global Political Economy
• GIA/PSCI 5484 Contemporary America Foreign Policy

Elective Courses

Students must choose 4 elective courses (12 credit hours) from the following areas of specialization:

• FOUNDATION: at least 3 hours (1 course) selected from:
  • GIA/UAP/PSCI 5254 Global Conflicts
  • GIA 5624 Conflict Resolution & Peace Building
  • GIA 5514 (PSCI 5514) Global Security
• ELECTIVES: 9 hours (3 courses) selected from:
  • GIA/UAP 5274 Comparative Social Movements
  • GIA/PSCI/UAP 5284 Transnational Migration
  • GIA/PSCI 5354 Public Policy Analysis
  • GIA 5404/GEOG 5424 Topics in Political Geography
  • GIA 5414/PSCI 5414 Industrial Democracies
  • GIA/PSCI 5424 Communist & Post-Communist Systems
  • GIA/PSCI 5434 Politics of Developing Areas
  • GIA/PSCI 5484 Contemporary American Foreign Policy

Modes of Inquiry

Students must choose 4 "Modes of Inquiry" (Methodology) courses, including:

• GIA/PSCI 5115 Research Methods
• Major Paper, Practicum, or Thesis (GIA 5904 Project and Report or GIA 5964 Fieldwork/Practicum or GIA 5994 Thesis)
• Two additional courses selected from:
  • UAP 5224 Quantitative Techniques
  • GIA/PSCI 5354 Public Policy Analysis
  • GIA/PSCI 5214 Contemporary Political Theory
  • GIA/PSCI 5224 Alternative Political Theory
  • GIA/UAP/PAPA 5464 Qualitative Methods in Global Studies
  • GIA/PSCI 5474 Global Governance
  • GIA/UAP/PSCI 5504 Discourse Analysis

Program Director and Contact Information

The Graduate Program Director for the MPIA program is Dr. Giselle Datz. The program is offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, with campuses in Blacksburg, Capitol (Richmond), Greater Washington DC Metro Area, and Virtual. The CIP code for the program is 45.1201, and the institution code is 5859.