Degree Programs | Introduction to the SAIS M.A.
SAIS offers an interdisciplinary program in which students can concentrate in either a functional area of international relations (General International Relations; Conflict Management; Energy, Resources and Environment; Global Theory and History; International Law and Organizations; Strategic Studies or International Development) or a region of the world (African Studies; American Foreign Policy; China Studies; Japan Studies; Korea Studies; South Asia Studies; Southeast Asia Studies; European Studies; Middle East Studies; Russia and Eurasian Studies; Canadian Studies or Latin American Studies). Additionally, M.A. students must complete a concentration in international economics; pass a foreign language proficiency exam; pass core exams; and complete a capstone. SAIS stands out among the top graduate programs for these unique aspects of its curriculum.
A basic knowledge of economics and analytical tools is essential to understanding international relations. Students develop a familiarity with fundamental concepts in microeconomics and macroeconomics and become conversant in the major issues of international trade and monetary theory. These skills are advanced in the further study of international economic policy, financial markets and economic development. The school expects applicants to complete undergraduate-level courses in economic principles before enrollment, and makes the commitment to then train students in the economic theory, policy and quantitative tools necessary for a career in international relations.
SAIS graduates also are known for their language skills. The SAIS Foreign Language Department offers courses in 16 major foreign languages, all of which are designed specifically for students' needs.
In each of these areas—international relations, international development, regional studies, economics and language—the training at SAIS is rigorous, demanding and correspondingly rewarding.
The M.A. degree requires two years of study during which candidates take four courses each semester and study a modern foreign language. Students must spend a minimum of three semesters in residence as full-time students. Students may choose to spend two years in Washington or, depending on their concentration, one year at the Bologna Center and one in Washington.
Additionally, SAIS M.A. students concentrating in China Studies who are sufficiently advanced in their study of the Chinese language may wish to examine one of the SAIS/Nanjing Options offered in association with the Hopkins-Nanjing Center.