MA in Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs

For additional details about the Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs program, refer to the EPGA Graduate Handbook or consult one of the EPGA co-directors:

Evan Berry, 202-885-2493, berry@american.edu
Julie Mertus, 202-885-2215, mertus@american.edu

Admission to the Program

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

Students may apply to either the Department of Philosophy and Religion or the School of International Service. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is 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 including 6 credit hours of research course work with grades of B or better 
• Comprehensive examination requirement CAS: submission of three qualifying papers 
• Demonstration of research and writing skills through completion of a master’s thesis, graduate seminar requirement, or substantial research paper requirement. All courses taken to fulfill this requirement must be passed with a grade of B or better.
  Thesis: 6 credit hours of thesis credit and submission of the thesis.
  Graduate seminar requirement: one 3 credit hour internship and PHIL-702 Graduate Seminar in Philosophy
  Substantial research paper requirement: one 3 credit hour internship and one 3 credit hour substantial research paper

Course Requirements

Core (12 credit hours)

• PHIL-525 Seminar on Modern Moral Problems (3) 
• PHIL-693 Global Ethics (3) 
• SIS-607 Peace Paradigms (3) 
• SIS-625 International Organizations (3) 

Foundation (6 credit hours)

• PHIL-520 Seminar on Ethical Theory (3) 
• SIS-622 Human Rights (3) 

Research Methodology (3 credit hours)

• SIS-600 Statistics, Research Design, and Research Methods for International Affairs (3) or SIS-619 Special Studies in International Politics: Advanced Statistics, Research Design, and Research Methods for International Affairs (3) or qualitative research seminar (3)
  

Research and Writing (6 credit hours)

• 6 credit hours from the following: the thesis or substantial research paper and internship must relate clearly to the student’s concentration and be supervised by faculty teaching related courses:
  PHIL-797 Master’s Thesis Research (1–6) or PHIL-691 Internship in Philosophy (3) and PHIL-702 Graduate Seminar in Philosophy or SIS-691/692 Internship in International Affairs (3) and SIS-795 Master’s Research Requirement (3) 

• 12 credit hours in one of the following areas of concentration: 

Peace and Conflict Resolution

• SIS-609 Conflict Analysis and Resolution: Theory and Practice (3) 
• Three courses from the following: 

• PHIL-613 Studies in Asian Philosophy (3) (approved topic) 
• PHIL-686 Selected Topics in Philosophy (3) (approved topic) 
• SIS-515 Islamic Peace Paradigms (3) 
• SIS-516 Peacebuilding in Divided Societies (3) 
• SIS-517 Gender and Conflict (3) 
• SIS-540 Conflict and Development (3) 
• SIS-606 Culture and Peace and Conflict Resolution: Alternatives to Violence (3) 
• SIS-611 International Negotiation (3) 
• SIS-613 Reconciliation and Justice (3) 
• SIS-519 Special Studies in International Politics: Human Rights and Conflict (3) 

Human Rights and Social Justice

• Four courses from the following: 

• PHIL-616 Feminist Philosophy (3) 
• PHIL-617 Race and Philosophy (3) 
• PHIL-686 Selected Topics in Philosophy (3) (approved topic) 
• SIS-613 Reconciliation and Justice (3) 
• SIS-517 Gender and Conflict (3) 
• SIS-519 Special Studies in International Politics: Human Rights and Conflict (3) 
• SIS-621 International Law and the Legal Order (3) 

Global Environmental Justice

• SIS-660 Environment and Politics (3) 
• Three courses from the following: 

• PHIL-686 Selected Topics in Philosophy (3) (approved topic) 
• SIS-619 Special Studies in International Politics: Global Environmental Politics and Policy  (3) 
• SIS-649 Environment and Development (3) 
• SIS-663 Washington Workshop: Advanced Studies and Research in Environmental Policy (3) 

Ethics of Development

• SIS-637 International Development (3) 
• Three courses from the following: 

• PHIL-686 Selected Topics in Philosophy (3) (approved topic) 
• SIS-540 Conflict and Development (3) 
• SIS-636 Micropolitics of Development (3) 
• SIS-647 Governance, Democracy, and Development (3) 
• SIS-648 Women and Development (3) 
• SIS-649 Environment and Development (3) 
• SIS-650 Global Economy and Sustainable Development (3)

International Economic Justice

• SIS-616 International Economics (3) (prerequisite:     ECON-603 Introduction to Economic Theory) 
• Three courses from the following: 

• PHIL-686 Selected Topics in Philosophy (3) (approved topic) 
• SIS-587 Globalization: Power, Production, and Culture (3) 
• SIS-650 Global Economy and Sustainable Development (3) (prerequisite: SIS-637 International Development) 
• SIS-665 International Trade and Investment Relations (3) 
• SIS-666 International Monetary and Financial Relations (3) 
• SIS-673 Comparative Political Economy   (3) 

Global Governance and International Organizations

• SIS-621 International Law and the Legal Order (3) 
• SIS-625 International Organizations (3) 
• Two courses from the following: 

• PHIL-686 Selected Topics in Philosophy (3) (approved topic) 
• SIS-587 Globalization: Power, Production, and Culture (3) 
• SIS-605 Theory of Cooperative Global Politics (3) 
• SIS-647 Governance, Democracy, and Development (3) 
• SIS-672 Theories of Comparative and International Studies (3)