13 MA Degree Programs in Costa Rica

The Master of Arts in Development Studies and Diplomacy is an interdisciplinary and holistic program that will not only broaden student’s knowledge in the field of development studies, sustainability, and diplomacy but it will also equip them with the required soft skills for a successful international career in any of these areas of expertise. It is offered both online and face-to-face on the UPEACE campus in Costa Rica. During this program, students will analyze the different dimensions of development including, environmental, social, economic, and human dimensions as well as the theory and practice of diplomacy in the 21st century. Students will also attend skills development sessions that are designed to support their professional careers and employability. Careers in this field can be very broad. Prospective employers include governments, international organizations, development agencies, academia, and the private sector.

The Master of Arts Degree Program in Gender and Peace Building offers critical knowledge and training in gender studies, which is a crucial aspect of any and all peace efforts.

The Master of Arts Degree in Environment, Development, and Peace (EDP) provides comprehensive training in issues of sustainable development, environmental governance, natural resource management, and environmental conflict management from both ecological and social perspectives. It encompasses a broad range of subjects and themes, including Food Systems, Water Management, Forestry, Coastal Resources, Climate Change, Urban Ecology, and Social Movements. The program focuses on the human dimensions of the environment-development nexus, highlighting the connections between local perspectives and broader processes at the national, regional and global levels and emphasizing the importance of political, economic structures and inequality in access to resources as key drivers in environmental conflict and global environmental change. The program prepares students for a wide range of careers in both environmental and development policy and programming in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

The Master of Arts Degree in International Law and Human Rights Degree offers students an in-depth review of the procedures and practice of international human rights bodies, at the global and UN level as well as at the regional level. Students will gain an understanding of the various judicial and non-judicial bodies that are at the frontline of questions of interpretation, the development of international human rights standards, and enforcement. In addition, students receive training in hands-on skills in the realm of reporting, monitoring, and evaluation of human rights. Finally, as the globalization of business and investment is increasing in force and speed, with important human rights implications, this specialization explores the interaction between economics and rights, asking critical questions about this process and potential solutions.

The Master of Arts in International Law and Diplomacy (online and hybrid formats) is a graduate program permitting students to specialize in the interface between international law and diplomacy. It will not only broaden students' knowledge in the field of international law and its various foundational dimensions but will also equip them with knowledge and skills to work in the field of diplomacy and related international careers. During this program, students will analyze the different dimensions of international law including those related to law-making, armed conflicts, human rights, economic relations, territorial and maritime disputes, and environmental disputes as well as those related to the theory and practice of diplomacy in the 21st century including dispute settlement and conflict resolution. Students will also attend skills development sessions that are designed to support their professional careers and employability.

The Master of Arts in Gender and Development offered by UPEACE, jointly with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), aims to equip students with critical knowledge about gender studies in its intersections with development studies. Gain the skills to advance gender equality with this graduate program focused on the crucial role of women in diplomacy and development.

The Master of Arts Degree in International Law and the Settlement of Disputes (face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats) offers students an understanding of the role that international law and institutions play in the settlement of international and transnational disputes. This specialization examines the role of national and international courts and tribunals in contributing to the settlement of disputes. As international and transnational adjudication has acquired a more prominent role in international relations, it is essential to understand how these global and regional courts are responding to the challenges of the early 21st Century. Students will examine the role of law in traditional and not-so traditional territorial and boundary disputes, and acquire an overview of the law of the sea. And finally, they will be examine the increasingly important field of dispute settlement in international economic relations, which will include investment arbitration.

The Master of Arts in International Law and Diplomacy (online and hybrid formats) is a two-year. graduate program permitting students to specialize in the interface between international law and diplomacy. It will not only broaden students' knowledge in the field of international law and its various foundational dimensions but will also equip them with knowledge and skills to work in the field of diplomacy and related international careers.

The Master of Arts in International Law and the Settlement of Disputes (online, onsite and hybrid formats) offered by UPEACE in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a graduate programme that offers students an understanding of the role that international law and institutions play in the settlement of international and transnational disputes. This specialization examines the role of national and international courts and tribunals in contributing to the settlement of disputes. As international and transnational adjudication has acquired a more prominent role in international relations, it is essential to understand how these global and regional courts are responding to the challenges of the early 21st Century.

The Master of Arts in Gender and Development (hybrid) is a graduate programme that offers critical knowledge in gender studies in its intersections with development studies. In addition, this programme equips students with the required soft skills for a successful international career in this field.

All students enrolled under this program will take most of the courses within the International Peace Studies program, however, this specialization will include 12 credits focused specifically on Media, Peace, and Conflict Studies.

The Master of Arts Degree in Peace Education seeks to develop and strengthen the capacity of formal and informal educators to build a peaceful world on all levels and in all dimensions of life. Through coursework and independent research or internship experiences, complemented with a unique and cooperative learning environment at UPEACE, students will enhance their values formation, knowledge and skills for living in and building cultures of peace. An understanding of the roles education, educators and institutions can play in resolving and transforming conflicts and violence towards holistic cultures of peace is explored.

The Master of Arts Degree in International Peace Studies provides an interdisciplinary and critical analysis of the causes and consequences of a wide range of contemporary conflicts and violence that impact on global, international and human security. Topics to be explored include militarization, armed conflicts, violent extremism, economic, social and gender injustices, cultural and religious identity conflicts, and competition over environmental resources. An in-depth understanding of peacebuilding and peace processes in response to these issues is built.