New Combined M.A. in AADS/PhD International Relations (Effective Fall 2009)

 

Combined MA in African and African Diaspora (AADS)
PhD in International Relations

 

Combined Degree Description

The combined African and African Diaspora Studies MA/International Relations PhD program allows qualified graduate students to pursue both degrees at the same time

 

To be accepted into this program, students must simultaneously submit applications for the MA in African and African Diaspora Studies and the PhD in International Relations by February 15 in the year in which they wish to begin their studies. To be considered for admission, students must meet the following requirements:

  1. Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 in undergraduate work.
  2. Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 in any prior graduate work.
  3. Minimum score of 1120 in the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
  4. International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 90 on the IBT TOEFL (equivalent to 575 on the paper-based version, or 232 on the computer-based version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required.

Applicants must follow the admission procedures for both programs (see the appropriate sections in this graduate catalog). Only applications to begin studies in the fall semester will be considered. This new designation will appear in the menu of programs in the graduate application, and students must indicate their intention to apply for this combined program.

 

Each applicant must complete an online graduate application form and arrange to send transcripts of all prior college (undergraduate and graduate) work and official reports of the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) and TOEFL (if applicable) to FIU's Office of Graduate Admissions.

 

Each applicant should also submit a separate statement of purpose, along with copies of the above material. The letter of application should include a statement expressing the applicant's academic and professional objectives. Applicants must include writing samples and other relevant professional work that may support their applications. Applicants must request three letters of recommendation from university professors who are able to comment on the various aspects of the student's academic ability. The letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the Director of the African and African Diaspora Studies Graduate Program. AADS will photocopy the recommendation letters once they are all in and send them to the Graduate Program Director of the International Relations department.

 

The application file must be complete before the African and African Diaspora Studies/International Relations Graduate Program Committees will consider the applicant for admission. We encourage applicants to send their application material sooner.

 

Students must fulfill the requirements for both programs. The International Relations PhD program will accept up to 36 credits earned toward fulfilling the requirements of the African and African Diaspora Studies MA program.

 

During their first two years of enrollment in this dual degree program, students will enroll in the following course which fulfills the African and African Diaspora Studies MA methods requirement:

INR 5615 Research Design

The following International Relations courses will also be taken by African and African Diaspora Studies MA students during the first two years of the program and will count toward the MA:

INR 5609 Contemporary Dynamics of International Relations
INR 6706 Political Economy of International Relations

 

Required Credits

Students must fulfill the requirements for both programs. The 36 credits for the MA in AADS earned by students will count toward the 75 credits required for the Ph.D. in INR.

 

Prescribed required courses and other requirements

In addition to the requirements for the two degrees, during their first two years of enrollment in this dual degree program, students will enroll in the following course which fulfills the African and African Diaspora Studies methods requirement:

INR 5615 Research Design

 

The following International Relations courses will also be taken by African and African Diaspora Studies MA students during the first two years of the program and will count toward the MA:

INR 5609 Contemporary Dynamics of International Relations
INR 6706 Political Economy of International Relations

 

Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English according to the nature of their thesis or research paper/proposal and professional interests. The AADS Graduate Program Director will ask a university faculty member fluent in the language of interest to the student, to evaluate the student's fluency by asking her/him to summarize or synthesize the content of a text of between 10 to 20 pages, published in that language, in no more than one page. That exercise will have to take place at the university during a limited period of time. The text will be given to the student at the beginning of the exercise. The chosen text will have some connection to the student's research interest. Once a student has demonstrated proficiency for the MA in African and African Diaspora Studies that proficiency will be recognized by the International Relations PhD program. Therefore, proficiency in a foreign language will not be part of the candidacy exam. Credit hours earned in meeting language requirement will not count towards the 36 credit hours required for the MA degree.

 

Students should apply for graduation with the MA in African and African Diaspora Studies as soon as they have completed all requirements for the degree - including the exit requirements, as specified for the MA in African and African Diaspora Studies. Ordinarily, students will complete these requirements and earn their MA before advancing to candidacy for the PhD in International Relations. The research paper/proposal option is the only option available for students enrolled in this dual MA/PhD program

Masters of Arts in African and African Diaspora Studies Requirements
(36 credits Research Paper/Proposal Option)

Courses to be taken in addition to INR 5615, INR 5609, and INR 6706 (for 27 credits):

  • 3 credits AFA 5005 African and African Diaspora Studies Theory
  • 3 credits AFA 6911 Research Paper/Proposal Writing in African and African Diaspora Studies
  • 3 credits AFA 6851 Advanced Seminar in African and African Diaspora Studies
  • 3x (1 credit) semesters of graduate colloquium AFA 6920 African and African Diaspora Studies Graduate Colloquium (1 credit/semester)
  • 15 credits of elective from the lists of elective courses (see MA in AADS): 6 to 9 credits from the Humanities list and 6 to 9 credits from the Social Sciences list

Total credits for the MA: 36

Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations (75 credits)
(The following courses in addition to all 36 MA credits)

  • 3 credits Space, Place, and Identity (GEO 6473)
  • 3 credits International Relations Theory I (INR 6604)
  • 3 credits International Relations Theory II (INR 6608)

Major and Minor Fields (12 credits)

  • 9 credits in major field of study
  • 3 credits in minor field of study

Electives (3 credits): additional elective course work according to the specific information about elective courses indicated in the Ph.D. in INR section of the catalog.

Comprehensive examinations: once students have achieved 60 credits of course work, they must sit for written examinations on the core sequence of their fields as per the Ph.D. in INR section of the catalog.

Dissertation (15 credits)

See the university catalog for relevant sections of the Ph.D. Program in International Relations for details.