Selected Majors, BA/International Relations, MA

4+1 MA International Relations Combined Degree

This program combines two existing degrees - the Bachelor’s degree (from the list of eligible majors below) together with the MA in International Relations in the Maxwell School’s Department of Public Administration and International Affairs (PAIA). Please note that students’ “home college” must be Arts & Sciences/Maxwell to be eligible to apply for the combined program.

Admission Contact

Emily Rutherford
Associate Director of Admission
MaxEnroll@syr.edu
315-443-2319

Advising Contact

In addition to the graduate advising contact below, current undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to speak with their undergraduate advisor regarding their course planning and preparation for the combined bachelor’s/master’s program.

Emily Alber Chase
Associate Director of Student Services
PAIA@syr.edu
315-443-4000

Admission Requirements

Students considering this program are strongly encouraged to speak with an academic advisor as early as possible during their undergraduate program. While all students who apply and are approved for the combined program can begin taking graduate courses early, completing both degrees in an abbreviated timeline requires careful planning.

To be eligible for admission to the combined program, students must have earned a minimum of 75 credits towards their bachelor’s degree (typically during the junior year or 3 semesters before graduating). The admission decision is based on each student’s undergraduate academic record, personal statement, resume, and two letters of recommendation. In particular, students that show successful completion of writing-intensive courses and courses requiring quantitative analysis. Examples of such courses include (but not limited to) MAX 123 , MAX 132 , and MAX 201 .

Program Requirements

Students in this combined program will complete all the requirements for the Bachelor’s degree as well as for the MA in International Relations degree. Students will receive both degrees, typically receiving the Bachelor’s after four years and the Master’s after the fifth year. The primary benefit of this program is the ability to take up to a maximum of 12 graduate-level credits that will count towards the degree requirements for both degrees, thus providing significant savings in terms of graduate tuition charges. The program can also allow for an accelerated completion of both degrees through careful course planning.