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    Apr 18, 2024  
American University Catalog 2016-2017 
    
American University Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs (MA) [SIS]


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The MA in Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs is an interdisciplinary program administered jointly by the School of International Service  and the Department of Philosophy and Religion , College of Arts and Sciences .

Admission to the Program


Students may apply to either the Department of Philosophy and Religion  or the School of International Service . In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for graduate study, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required. Students applying to SIS must apply by January 15 for fall and October 1 for spring to be considered for merit-based aid.

Degree Requirements


  • 39 credit hours of approved graduate work with a cumulative GPA of 3.00, including 18 credit hours in the core, 6 credit hours of research methodology, 3 credit hours of capstone coursework, 9 credit hours in an area of concentration, and 3 credits hours in elective coursework that complements the chosen concentration
  • Capstone experience: demonstration of research and writing skills through completion of a substantial research paper requirement, a thesis, or an integrated professional research experience

Course Requirements


Core (18 credit hours)


Research Methodology (6 credit hours)


Complete two courses from the following:

Capstone Experience (3 credit hours)


Complete one course from the following:

Concentration (9 credit hours)


  • Three thematically related courses in one of the following areas, or in another academically sound concentration approved by the student’s faculty advisor:

Peace and Conflict Resolution

Human Rights and Social Justice

Global Environmental Justice

Ethics of Development

International Economic Justice

Global Governance and International Organizations

Elective (3 credit hours)


  • 3 credit hours from skills workshops, master’s thesis requirement, or other elective courses chosen in consultation with faculty and advisor

SIS MA/MS and MBA


A dual master’s degree program is offered by the School of International Service  and Kogod School of Business .

Admission to the Program


Applications are submitted to both SIS and Kogod. Students must be admitted separately to each program. While students are encouraged to apply for admission to both programs simultaneously, students can apply to the second program after admission and matriculation in the first program. Students must be admitted to the second program and begin their studies prior to conferral of the degree from the first program. Applicants to the MBA program must also have completed two undergraduate courses, one in micro and one in macro economics (or the graduate equivalent), prior to entering the program.

The full-time MBA is a cohorted two-year program. During the first year of the MBA students complete 26 or 29 credit hours in Kogod, and during the second year of the MBA students, including the MBA capstone in the spring semester. Sequencing and timing of SIS coursework depends on the chosen program. Generally, dual degree students begin their academic programs at Kogod, but this is not required. The dual degree between SIS and Kogod may not be completed in conjunction with any other dual degrees at AU.

SIS Degree Requirements


  • Dual degree students may count up to 9 credit hours from their Kogod degree requirements toward their SIS degree requirements with approval of the SIS program director. This typically includes the 6 credit hour methodology requirement and the 3 credit hour elective. Students must otherwise complete all requirements as listed for the SIS graduate degree. The SIS MA degrees are built around a multidisciplinary curriculum focused on preparing students for a wide variety of careers in global service, including public, private, and non-profit semesters. MA/MBA students can specialize in areas at SIS that include international development, security,  global governance, conflict resolution, global environmental policy, regional studies, U.S. foreign policy, and public diplomacy. Students select a specialized concentration that allows them to tailor their studies to their individual interests. See relevant SIS degree requirements for more information.

MBA Degree Requirements


  • 32 credit hours of approved graduate coursework that includes required business core courses, capstone course, and an electives course.
  • Capstone experience: KSB-613 Strategic Decision Making (3) .
  • All students are required to participate in the full-time MBA orientation prior to the start of the program.
  • The MBA degree will be conferred no earlier than the semester in which the SIS graduate degree is completed.

Course Requirements


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