Global & International Studies Master’s Degree

Core Knowledge and Skills (9 Hours):

  • GIST 701 Approaches to International Studies
  • GIST 702 Globalization
  • GIST 710 Research Design for International Area Studies

Regional Specialization Cluster (9 Hours):

Students choose 3 courses from one of KU’s area studies programs (African Studies, East Asian Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, Russian & Eastern European Studies) or courses related to another world region (e.g., the Mediterranean, the Middle East, South Asia). Up to 3 language courses (9 hours) at or above the 500 level may also count toward this requirement. Specific courses must be selected in consultation with an advisor. 

Topic Specialization Cluster (9 Hours):

Students choose 3 courses that enable them to specialize in a current global and international theme such as those listed below. Students may also select an appropriate graduate certificate program offered by another department. The topical focus must be approved by the student’s advisor. Specific courses should be selected in consultation with an advisor. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the degree, no more than 3 of these electives may be taken in a single department other than Global & International Studies. 

  • women and development,
  • domestic and international conflict,
  • international politics and policies,
  • globalization, international business and economics,
  • global urbanization,
  • peace studies, or
  • international culture and communication.

Language (Equivalent of 5 academic semesters):

For all students, the M.A. degree also requires evidence of current competence (equivalent to 2 years of successful college-level study) in a modern spoken and written language other than their native tongue; courses taken to complete this requirement generally do not count toward the degree. Students must meet all general requirements as well as program requirements. By the completion of the M.A., students should demonstrate the equivalent of 5 academic semesters of a foreign language, or demonstrate the equivalent of four academic semesters in a foreign language and complete two semesters of an additional foreign language at KU.

Options for Meeting the Language Requirement

  • Ideally, language training will be relevant to regional focus, however, this is not a requirement.
  • There is no requirement that language courses be completed at KU. Students may want to explore language courses offered at local community colleges or any other college that is convenient.
  • KU’s French, Spanish, and German departments offer language reading courses designed to help graduate students meet the requirements of certain doctoral programs. These courses can be counted as part of the 4 semester language requirement.
  • KU’s Office of Study Abroad offers many options for summer language study. Often a student can get credit for the equivalent of 2 semesters of study in a 6-8 week program. If summer travel is possible for you, consider exploring these options.

Thesis and Non-Thesis Options:

Students choose thesis or non-thesis options.

Thesis Option

This is recommended for all students in the program but is particularly important for those who are considering pursuing a PhD in international studies or a related field. Students electing to write a thesis must complete GIST 898 (Thesis and Research Project Writing) and produce an original research project with a range of 50 to 100 pages of text, not including notes, references, tables, figures, or appendices.

  • Working with Your Thesis Committee: The thesis will be supervised and evaluated by a three-person faculty committee; two of these committee members should be tenure-track faculty at KU affiliated with CGIS. Your committee members should be instructors who share your research interests and with whom you have taken previous coursework. Your committee chair will serve as the primary advisor for your project, give you feedback on your thesis, and help you choose your other committee members. Students should work closely with their committee chair to develop a plan for writing, revising, and defending their thesis. The Center recommends that students utilize KU COGA's Mentoring Agreement in early meetings with their committee chairs. Additionally, all MA students who have been enrolled in two or more semesters of thesis coursework (any combination of GIST 898: Thesis Writing and GIST 899: Thesis) must complete a Mentoring Agreement and have it approved by the graduate director each subsequent semester of enrollment.
  • Oral Defense of Thesis: The oral defense represents the final oral examination required of all KU candidates for the MA degree. The student is responsible for scheduling the defense date, time, and location in coordination with the COGA Graduate Program Coordinator according to the committee members' schedules and the College’s deadlines for May, August, or December graduation. At least three weeks prior to the defense date, the date and time of the defense must be established and submitted to the Graduate Coordinator in order to have his/her defense approved by the College Office of Graduate Affairs. (Contact your COGA graduate coordinator for a detailed defense timeline for the current semester.)
  • Additionally, the thesis must be submitted to the defense committee, the graduate director, and the graduate advisor a minimum of 10 days prior to a scheduled defense date. Failure to meet either of these deadlines will result in the defense date being pushed back, even if this changes the student's semester of completion.
  • Questions posed by committee members will focus on, but are not limited to, the thesis topic and are intended to provoke thought and explore challenging issues. Related topics are often probed to evaluate a student's overall knowledge of international studies and ability to formulate independent judgments. The duration of the exam is usually about one hour. The M.A. in Global and International Studies degree will be awarded after the student has passed this oral defense, completed any revisions in the thesis required by the faculty committee, and completed all other College graduation requirements. The committee may elect to give the student honors for the thesis at the time of the defense.
  • Should a repeat of the oral defense be necessary as determined by the student’s committee, this must take place no less than 30 days and no more than 90 days after the first attempt. The faculty committee for the first oral defense also administers the second oral examination. Students who fail the second exam will be dismissed from the program.

Non-Thesis Options

The Center for Global & International Studies offers two non-thesis options. These options are designed primarily for students who do not intend to pursue further graduate study beyond the M.A. in Global and International Studies.

Non-Thesis Option 1: Research Project

Students selecting this option are required to take either GIST 810 or GIST 898 and complete an original research project of between 30-45 pages of text, not including notes, references, or appendices. Like the thesis, the project must involve original and systematic analysis of data/information (i.e. it must utilize a research method) and will include an oral defense.

  • Graduate Defense Committee: The Research Project will be supervised and evaluated by a three-person faculty committee; two of these committee members should be tenure-track faculty at KU affiliated with CGIS. Your committee members should be instructors who share your research interests and with whom you have taken previous coursework.
  • Your committee chair will serve as the primary advisor for your project, give your feedback, and help you choose your other committee members. Students should work closely with their committee chair to develop a plan for writing, revising, and defending their research project. The Center recommends that students utilize KU COGA's Mentoring Agreement in early meetings with their committee chair. Additionally, all MA students who have been enrolled in two or more semesters of either GIST 810 or GIST 898 must complete a Mentoring Agreement and have it approved by the graduate director each subsequent semester of enrollment.
  • Oral Defense of Research Project: The oral defense represents the final oral examination required of all KU candidates for the MA degree. The student is responsible for scheduling the defense date, time, and location according to the committee members' schedules and the College’s deadlines for May, August, or December graduation. At least three weeks prior to the defense date, the date and time of the defense must be established and submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator in order to have his/her defense approved by the College Office of Graduate Affairs (Contact your graduate advisor for a detailed defense timeline for the current semester). Additionally, the research project must be submitted to the committee, the graduate director, and the graduate coordinator a minimum of 10-days prior to a scheduled defense. Failure to meet either one of these deadlines will result in the defense date being pushed back, even if this changes the student's semester of completion.
  • Questions posed by the committee members will focus on, but are not limited to, the research topic and are intended to provoke thought and explore challenging issues. Related topics are often probed to evaluate a student's overall knowledge of international studies and ability to formulate independent judgments. The duration of the exam is usually about one hour. The M.A. in Global & International Studies degree will be awarded after the student has passed this oral defense and completed all other College graduation requirements.
  • Should a repeat of the oral defense be necessary as determined by the student’s committee, this must take place no less than 30 days and no more than 90 days after the first attempt. The faculty committee for the first oral exam also administers the second oral examination. Students who fail the second exam will be dismissed from the program.

Non-Thesis Option 2: Oral & Written Exam

This option is only available under extenuating circumstances. Students considering it must receive the written, advance approval of the GIST Director of Graduate Studies and their faculty advisor. Students choosing this option must take an additional 3 credit hours, corresponding to one of their two coherent clusters. In the final semester, the student must successfully complete a written examination over the course content and the student's regional and substantive area of focus. Students receive comprehensive questions over the areas mentioned above and are given 72-hours to respond to each of the three questions with a minimum of ten pages of text per question. Students considering this option must receive the advance approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

  • Graduate Exam Committee and Procedures: The exam questions will be written and evaluated by an examination committee of 3 faculty members. It is up to the student to identify, with the advice of their committee chair and the program director, who will serve on the committee. Generally, the student should select faculty members with whom they have already taken a class and who represent at least one of the content areas of the written exam; one committee member should be familiar with the core course content, one committee member should be an expert in the region of the student’s specialization, and one committee member should be an expert in the student’s topic of specialization. The final composition of the exam committee must be approved by the program director at least six weeks prior to the date of the first written examination.
  • The student should plan to meet with each committee member individually early in the semester during which s/he intends to take the exam. It is recommended that the student brings copies of all relevant syllabi reflecting coursework completed in the examiner’s specialty area to these meetings; these syllabi will guide the committee member in determining the scope and content of the exam questions.
  • Each committee member shall use the course syllabi and his/her conversation(s) with the student to draft questions for the written exam; s/he may also consult with other faculty in the student’s focus area in drafting the questions. Examiners should draft two questions that synthesize the material covered in the student’s coursework in that area and forward these questions to the committee chair. Students may request study guides from each of their committee members on their topics.
  • Students who commence the oral and written exam but are unable to finish it for highly unusual extenuating circumstances, such as documented medical issues, must retake the exam within 90 days. Students should inform the Director of Graduate Studies at the earliest possible time if an exam must be stopped.
  • The written exam will be graded on a pass/fail basis by the student's graduate committee. The committee will notify the chair of their decision, and the chair will contact the student.
  • If the student passes, they will move on to the oral exam, which can take place two weeks after the student has completed the written portion. The student must take the oral exam in the same semester as the written exam, according to the College's deadlines for graduation.
  • Should a repeat of the written exam be necessary as determined by the student’s committee, this must take place no less than 30 days and no more than 90 days after the first attempt. The faculty committee for the first oral exam also administers the second oral examination. Students who fail the second exam will be dismissed from the program.
  • Should a repeat of the oral exam be necessary as determined by the student’s committee, this must take place no less than 30 days and no more than 90 days after the first attempt. The faculty committee for the first oral exam also administers the second oral examination. Students who fail the second exam will be dismissed from the program.
  • Exam Timeline: Essentially, students should plan on taking their written exams near the middle of the semester and to complete their oral exams at least a month before classes end. The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences sets a deadline each semester by which all graduation requirements must be completed in order to graduate that term. In order to have all graduation requirements completed during the student's final semester, he/she must complete the written exams early enough to allow the oral exam to be scheduled by this deadline (Please contact the graduate advisor for a detailed timeline for completing written and oral exams for the current semester.) The student is responsible for scheduling the oral exam date, time, and location according to the committee members' schedules and the College's Deadlines for May, August, or December graduation. At least three weeks prior to the oral exam date, the date and time of the exam must be established and submitted to the graduate advisor in order to have his/her exam approved by the College Office of Graduate Affairs (Contact your graduate advisor for a detailed timeline for the current semester).

Requirement for Continuous Enrollment

Students in any KU master's program are required to be continuously enrolled during the regular academic year (fall and spring semesters) from the time all courses are completed until all graduation requirements are completed. This means that if a student doesn't defend during his/her last semester of coursework, the student must keep enrolling in each subsequent spring and fall semester (and summer if the student will be graduating during the summer semester) until s/he finishes, usually enrolling in one credit hour of GIST 899: Thesis.