SAIS was a pioneer in regional studies, first offering a Middle East Studies Program in 1946. Since then, the school has developed strong programs in regional studies representing all corners of the globe. SAIS prepares its students with excellent programs in the international relations field and with a thorough understanding of the culture, theory and history required for effective leadership in international affairs. African Studies The African Studies Program seeks to broaden understanding of African societies, policies and economies through central concepts in the social sciences. African experiences serve as useful foundations for comparison and analysis. The program traverses theory and practice. American Foreign Policy Students in the American Foreign Policy Program should understand the history (particularly from the Spanish-American War to the present), culture (ideas, premises and perspectives), process and politics of America’s foreign relations and contemporary issues of American foreign policy. Asian Studies Overview Asian Studies is a broad field that provides an interdisciplinary
approach to understanding the trends shaping Asia in the 21st century. Students in Asian Studies select a concentration in China, Japan, Korea, South Asia or Southeast Asia. China Studies The China Studies Program offers a unique multidisciplinary and historically grounded curriculum on contemporary China. The curriculum reflects China’s increasing international influence— from its foreign policy and presence in international organizations to its importance in the world economy—and the rapid domestic political, economic and social changes associated with China’s recent development. Japan Studies Japan is changing, both in security and economic affairs, after a generation of drift. The Japan Studies Program, with accomplished scholars, policy-experienced professionals and real-world work opportunities for students, is catching the wave. Korea Studies SAIS has offered courses on Korea for many years as part of its Asia offerings. Now, in acknowledgment of the increasing political and economic significance of Korea, educational activities regarding Korea have been enlarged. South Asia Studies South Asia, stretching from Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east, is the most populous and diverse region of the globe. All of the central dilemmas of modern politics, economic development and social change are dramatized across this landscape. The growing interaction of the world community with South Asia requires international affairs practitioners with expertise in the region. Southeast Asia Studies The Southeast Asia Studies Program provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the nations, states, institutions and peoples of Southeast Asia in the 21st century. The program offers a rich menu of courses in Southeast Asia history, politics, economics, development and security, presented in both regional and country-specific formats.
European Studies European Studies covers modern European history, contemporary politics and political economy. It concerns itself with the European Union, member states and other states in Eastern and Mediterranean Europe, including Russia. Middle East Studies The Middle East Studies Program offers policy-oriented courses as well as courses taking a more theoretical approach to the study of the region. Courses do not cover particular countries as much as they examine the traditions and other variables that shape the politics and life of the region. Students are exposed to material from area studies, comparative history, sociology, social psychology and political economy. Russian and Eurasian Studies The Russian and Eurasian Studies (RES) Program prepares students to understand the turbulent developments in Russia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union. Western Hemisphere Studies Overview Western Hemisphere Studies (WHS) brings together the faculty and curriculum of the Canadian Studies Program (CSP) and the Latin American Studies Program (LASP) to offer students an integrated view and understanding of the dynamics of change in North and South America in the 21st century. Canadian Studies Treated in comparison to both other middle-sized open economies and other industrial democracies, Canada is examined by the Canadian Studies Program (CSP) from the perspective of trade, financial and commercial relations as well as from the perspective of unique political and cultural institutions. Latin American Studies The Latin American Studies Program (LASP) offers a range of courses focusing on current political and economic trends in the region, comparative issues in the broader emerging markets context, as well as specialized areas of increasing relevance today such as urban policy and energy challenges.
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