A degree designed for the globalized world, offering an interdisciplinary and practical understanding of international policymaking.
Master of Global Policy Studies
Training professional policymakers for the global arena.
The Master of Global Policy Studies program provides the professional skills, applied academic training and effective networking to move students quickly into international careers. Through the combination of a rigorous, interdisciplinary core and a wide array of customizable specializations, we prepare our graduates for a variety of policy jobs in areas including national security, intelligence and diplomacy, international development, global governance and international law, energy, trade and global environmental policy.
Graduate Advisor Lorinc Redei on what sets the MGPS program apart
We Bring Policy to Life
Core Program
The core curriculum in global policy provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of global policy issues, as well as a grounding in analytical and professional communication skills.
Analytical Methods for Global Policy Studies
Students are exposed to the core quantitative and qualitative techniques of research design and analysis widely used by professionals in the global policy environment.
Microeconomics for Global Policy Studies
Using contemporary examples, students learn about the principles of markets and market failure relevant to global policy studies and gain basic tools of economic analysis.
The Nature of the International System
Students are introduced to the systematic analysis of global affairs from the perspective of international relations theory and through the study of contemporary international problems.
International Economics
Students are exposed to frameworks for understanding the contemporary global economy, including the costs and benefits of trade in goods and services, technology diffusion and exchange rates.
Policymaking in a Global Age
Students learn to both analyze and implement policy through an exploration of the constraints and dilemmas faced by decision makers, from both a theoretical and practical viewpoint.
Writing and Communication for Global Policy
Students develop the written and oral communication skills necessary for policy professionals by focusing on various genres of writing and presenting that students may encounter in their careers.
Global Policy Crisis Simulation
Students role-play a set of global actors in a simulation of an international crisis, offering hands-on experience in negotiation, teamwork and crisis management. This is a one-credit course.
Policy Research Project
Students work in groups on a real-world problem under a faculty mentor, delivering a final research product to a client (topics vary year to year). This is a six-credit course.
Internship Requirement
All students are required to complete a 400-hour internship at a global policy-relevant organization of their own choosing. The LBJ School offers stipends to offset unpaid internships.
Foreign Language Requirement
All students are required to show advanced intermediate proficiency in a foreign language in order to graduate. This can be done via proof of four semesters of college-level language study, or by passing a placement exam at one of UT Austin's foreign language departments.
Customize Your Degree
With a plethora of courses cross-listed with other units on campus every semester, students have a great degree of flexibility in designing a program of study that meets their interests.
All MGPS students supplement core requirements with at least 15 credits of courses taken toward a specialization of their choice and nine credits of freely chosen electives. Students may choose from a list of existing specializations or create their own, providing a uniquely flexible degree plan. These non-core courses can be taken at the LBJ School or at a number of other departments across the university. Students may further customize their degree by either enrolling in a dual-degree program or adding a portfolio program to their course of study.
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