Master of Arts in International Economic Relations
American University
Key Information
Campus location
Washington, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 - 6 years
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
USD 1,922 / per credit
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
Introduction
The MA in International Economic Relations (MAIER) combines international economics and political economy in a uniquely integrated fashion to position you for a professional career in international business and finance, government, or the nonprofit sector. Your core courses will cover international trade and finance, which you’ll supplement with a concentration in development or environmental policy, political economy, further work on trade and finance, or a specialization you design yourself.
MAIER embraces the ongoing, evolving, and ever-present impacts of climate change and digital technology as extensions of the treatment of trade and finance. If you’re interested in emerging-market and developing areas, our faculty will engage with you on relevant subjects including international investment and debt restructuring. Also, all MAIER students develop skills in quantitative methods and econometrics that are particularly useful for policy analysis.
Based in Washington, DC, and housed in the Top-10-ranked School of International Service, the MAIER program allows students to take internships in organizations that can bridge to permanent job opportunities after graduation. Students can pursue the MAIER degree on a full- or part-time basis. Combining these features, MAIER and its companion STEM degree are unique among Washington-area programs.
The MA in International Economic Relations (MAIER) degree integrates international economics with analysis of politics and institutions for careers in global and regional institutions, government agencies, and the private sector. The IER degree is ideal for students who wish to combine hard quantitative skills with a strategic understanding of the institutions and policy environment in which they are or will be working. Embracing development, environmental policy, and issues related to emerging markets and low-income countries, MAIER offers students the opportunity to supplement their studies in the School of International Service with courses in the Department of Economics, Kogod School of Business, and Washington College of Law.
Faculty
As top scholars and practitioners in their fields, International Economic Relations professors regularly publish books and articles, appear in national and international media, and interact with students both inside and outside the classroom. Our distinguished international faculty includes economists, political scientists, and international relations experts.
Prime Location
With residents and visitors drawn from all over the world, Washington, DC, is a vast campus that extends far beyond the SIS classroom. The International Economic Relations degree’s academic content is complemented by internship, research, mentoring, and policy-oriented opportunities available to students in DC. These opportunities make American University the ideal place to study international economic relations and to jump-start a career after graduation.
Student Cohort
The MA in International Economic Relations (MAIER) degree is part of the International Economic Relations Program at the School of International Service. Students pursuing this degree will collaborate with their cohort and will work closely with students pursuing the MA in International Economic Relations: Quantitative Methods, MAIER’s sister degree.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Need-based Aid
Awards go to students with demonstrated financial need. AU determines your need based on the information you provide on the required financial aid applications.
Merit-Based Aid (Scholarships)
All students who apply to AU are considered for most merit awards, including Deans' and Presidential, on the basis of their admissions application.
Student Employment
Income from work-study jobs is to be used exclusively for educational purposes. Award amounts vary; hourly wages are determined by the employer and job category.
What you will need
- Financial Aid School Codes (FAFSA 001434 and CSS Profile 5007)
- Parent and Student Federal Student Aid Identification
- Parent and Student Social Security Numbers
- Federal Tax Forms to include W2s, 1099, etc.
- Non-Custodial Parent Contact Information
Curriculum
The MA in International Economic Relations (MAIER) degree requires 36 credit hours of graduate coursework, including a capstone, that can be completed in two years (full-time) or up to six years (part-time). Students take four courses in the core curriculum and three courses in quantitative research methods and then diversify by choosing one of four specialty concentrations or designing one of their own. Major themes that MAIER students explore include economic globalization, currency and debt crises, trade and investment agreements, emerging-market country strategies, climate risk confronting corporations and financial institutions, and strategic economic competition among the US, China, and the European Union.
Core (12 credit hours)
- SIS-616 International Economics (3)
- SIS-665 International Trade Relations (3)
- SIS-666 International Financial Relations (3)
- SIS-751 International Political Economy (3)
Quantitative Research Methods (9 credit hours)
Complete one of the following options:
Option I: Standard Track
- ECON-623 Applied Econometrics I (3)
- ECON-624 Applied Econometrics II (3)
- SIS-600 Statistics, Research Design, and Research Methods for International Affairs (3)
Option II: Accelerated Track
- ECON-623 Applied Econometrics I (3)
- ECON-624 Applied Econometrics II (3)
- 3 credit hours from the Approved International Economic Relations (IER) Third Methods Course List
Concentration (9 credit hours)
Complete 9 credit hours of approved coursework from one of the following concentrations:
- Development Policy
- Environmental Policy
- International Trade and Finance
- Political Economy
- Self-designed concentration approved by the student's advisor and related to the student's field of inquiry. Examples include: a regional specialization, Foreign Economic Policy, or Quantitative Methods
Capstone (3 credit hours)
Complete one of the following:
Note: The thesis or substantial research paper must relate clearly to the field of international economic relations.
Practicum
Complete 3 credit hours from the following with a grade of B or better:
- SIS-793 Practicum in International Affairs (3) (topics)
Substantial Research Paper
Complete 3 credit hours from one of the following with a grade of B or better:
- SIS-794 Substantial Research Paper with Coursework (3)
- SIS-795 Master's Research Requirement (1-3)
Thesis
- SIS-797 Master's Thesis Supervision (1-6) (6 credit hours required; may include 3 elective credit hours)
Elective (3 credit hours)
Complete 3 credit hours from the following, or other approved courses:
- ECON-603 Introduction to Economic Theory (3)
- SIS-691 Internship in International Affairs (1-6)
- SIS-692 International Internship (1-6)
- SIS-730 Skills Institutes in International Affairs (1) (topics)
- SIS-797 Master's Thesis Supervision (1-6)
Career Opportunities
The International Economic Relations program prepares graduates for careers in,
- US and foreign government agencies
- Regional and multilateral organizations
- Financial and other multinational corporations
- Trade associations
- Regulatory authorities
- Think tanks
- International consulting firms.
Our graduates have found rewarding careers in governmental organizations that include the US Commerce Department, European Central Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, US State Department, US Treasury Department, and the World Bank and private-sector firms such as AIG, Booz Allen Hamilton, Chemonics, Credit Suisse, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, IBM, S&P Global, Summit Consulting, and Wells Fargo Bank.