Institute for World Politics

What you'll study

All courses are four credits unless noted otherwise. Core, statecraft, and concentration work together to reach 52 credits, and the program ends with a capstone plus comprehensive examinations.

• Core requirements (20 credits): includes courses such as IWP 606 Ideas and Values in International Politics (2 credits), IWP 608 Sources of American Political Thought (2 credits), IWP 615 Western Moral and Political Thought (2 credits), IWP 620 Contemporary Politics and Diplomacy, IWP 627 International Relations, Statecraft and Integrated Strategy, IWP 634 Geography and Strategy (2 credits), IWP 642 Economics for Foreign Policy Makers (2 credits), and IWP 799 Capstone Course (2 credits).
• Statecraft requirements (16 credits): choose four courses from options including IWP 601 National Security Policy Process, IWP 605 Intelligence and Policy, IWP 609 Economic Statecraft and Conflict, IWP 625 Peace, Strategy and Conflict Resolution, IWP 628 Military Strategy: Theory and Practice, IWP 631 Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions and Policy or IWP 637 Public Diplomacy, and IWP 636 The Art of Diplomacy.
• Concentration requirements (16 credits): students complete 8–10 credits from restricted electives for their chosen concentration (some marked with an asterisk as more fundamental) plus 6–8 credits of general electives aligned with professional needs. Concentration options and sample restricted electives include:

• American Foreign Policy: IWP 601; IWP 616 U.S. National Security Strategy and Emerging Threats*; IWP 635 History of American Foreign Policy*; IWP 679 Defense Strategy, Planning and Budgeting; IWP 687 U.S. Bilateral Security Agreements (2 credits).
• Asian Studies: IWP 689 North Korea and the Geopolitics of Northeast Asia*; IWP 671 The United States and China in Power Transition: Geography, History and Ideology*; IWP 706 Maoist Revolutionary War Outside China (2 credits); IWP 710 The United States and Taiwan, 1895–Present.
• Comparative Political Culture: IWP 640 Cultural Intelligence for Strategy and Analysis* plus area‑study courses.
• Conflict Prevention & Resolution: IWP 625 Peace, Strategy, and Conflict Resolution*; IWP 649 Mass Murder Prevention in Failed and Failing States*; IWP 670 Counter‑Terror through Full Spectrum Cultural Engagement; IWP 682 International Organizations and Multilateral Diplomacy (2 credits); IWP 687 U.S. Bilateral Security Agreements (2 credits).
• Diplomacy: IWP 635 History of American Foreign Policy; IWP 636 The Art of Diplomacy*; IWP 637 Public Diplomacy*; IWP 672 Crisis Management and Decision‑Making; IWP 682 International Organizations and Multilateral Diplomacy (2 credits); IWP 687 U.S. Bilateral Security Agreements (2 credits).
• International Economics: IWP 707 Economies in Transition*; IWP 730 Public Choice and Public Policy*; IWP 731 Foundations of Political and Economic Freedom (2 credits); IWP 732 Globalization and International Economics (2 credits).
• Middle Eastern Studies: IWP 645 Islam in Contemporary Global Politics*; IWP 659 Enemy Threat Doctrine of Global Jihadism; IWP 685 The Turks: Relations with the MENA, Europe and America, Then and Now; IWP 688 Energy Security and Energy Diplomacy.
• Nonviolent Conflict: IWP 609 Economic Statecraft and Conflict*; IWP 625 Peace, Strategy and Conflict Resolution; IWP 631 Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions and Policy; IWP 637 Public Diplomacy*; IWP 670 Counter‑Terror through Full Spectrum Cultural Engagement.
• Strategic Soft Power: IWP 631 Foreign Propaganda, Perceptions and Policy; IWP 637 Public Diplomacy*; IWP 640 Cultural Intelligence for Strategy and Analysis; IWP 670 Counter‑Terror through Full Spectrum Cultural Engagement*.

Entry requirements

Students may enroll full‑time (9+ credits/semester) or part‑time (<9 credits/semester) but must finish within five calendar years. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in a strategically important foreign language before the degree is awarded; recognized languages include Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. The Institute offers Arabic, Chinese, and Russian on campus. Non‑native English speakers admitted to the program are exempt from the language‑proficiency exam. After completing coursework, students must pass a one‑hour oral exam and a three‑hour written comprehensive exam.

Career prospects

Graduates work across government, international organizations, NGOs and the private sector. Sample employers of alumni include U.S. federal agencies and departments (e.g., FBI, NSA, NGA, NNSA, Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, USAID), multinational and consulting firms (Accenture Federal Services, Amazon Web Services, Kroll, Palantir Technologies, Raytheon/RTX), research and international organizations (IREX, WHO), the Peace Corps, and legislative or advisory bodies (U.S. Congress, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Helsinki Commission).

Scholarships & funding angle

The program page does not list specific scholarships. Prospective students should contact admissions or the Institute's financial aid office to learn about available fellowships, scholarships, employer tuition assistance, and other funding options that may apply to graduate study.