The School of International Service (SIS) is proud to be a leader in preparing graduates for careers of impact in the private sector, governments, nonprofits, and beyond. In our rapidly changing world, SIS continues to evaluate our curriculum and make updates that prepare our students with the skills to respond to the global challenges of our time and the needs of the international workforce.

That’s why, starting in the fall 2025 semester, several master’s degree programs within SIS will launch enhanced curricula. These programmatic updates will provide graduate students with increased flexibility, more opportunities to accelerate their degree programs, tailor their focus areas, and gain the skills necessary to make a difference in our evolving world.

“We recognize that students these days have lots of opportunities to get experience outside the classroom, so we want to provide the flexibility so that they can do that,” said Nina Yamanis, SIS professor and associate dean for graduate education. “Many of our master’s students are working full time, so we want to make sure that we streamlined the degrees to give them the maximum time for experiential and professional experiences.”

Keep reading for details on the updates across each master’s degree as well as a new graduate certificate that is launching this fall.

Master of Science in Development Management (DM)

The DM program at SIS prepares professionals for leadership roles within organizations, governments, companies, and communities that strive to make the world a better place. It prepares students with skills in project management, economics, and quantitative research methods with an ethics-driven approach and prepares students in management, leadership, and research.

Updates to the program launching as early as this summer will give students the opportunity to accelerate their program by receiving credit for relevant experience.

The newly streamlined Development Management program will require students to have at least four years of professional experience before starting the degree. Additionally, the degree requirements will be shortened to 30 credits, with the option for professionals with significant, relevant managerial or technical experience to waive up to six credits and complete their degree in 24 credits. For students who are able to take advantage of this and begin classes in the summer session, they can opt to complete their degree in as little as twelve months.

“We are excited to offer the new Development Management degree as a rigorous and accelerated training opportunity for professionals committed to poverty alleviation, social equity, and leadership,” said Lauren Carruth, SIS professor and chair of the Department of Environment, Development, and Health.

Master of Arts in Global Governance, Politics, and Security (GGPS) and GGPS: Quantitative Economic Methods (GGPS:QEM)

The GGPS program is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and analytical skills necessary for careers in public service and international affairs. Starting in fall 2025, the Global Governance, Politics, and Security (GGPS) program will roll out several new curriculum updates as well as a redesigned STEM degree—GGPS: Quantitative Economic Methods.

The curricular revisions to the GGPS degree are designed to offer students enhanced flexibility, allowing them to tailor their degree to their realm of interest in international affairs. The GGPS degree will launch four new specialized tracks for students to choose from: Global Security; Multilateral Diplomacy & Global Governance; States, Society, & Politics; and International Economic Policy. Students will also take a required data analytics course, providing graduates with highly marketable skills in the global workforce.

Additionally, students can choose to pursue our newly-named STEM degree—GGPS: Quantitative Economic Methods (QEM). This STEM designation reflects SIS’s commitment to train students with the economic tools and data analytics for evidence-based solutions to today’s most critical policy issues.

Learn more about these exciting updates.

Master of Arts in International Affairs: United States Foreign Policy and National Security (USFP)

The USFP program at SIS prepares graduates with the skills and knowledge for careers in government, the private sector, NGOs, and beyond. Updates to the program will provide increased flexibility for students and a simplified path to completing the degree program in four semesters of full-time coursework.

Programmatic changes rolling out to students entering this fall will reduce the total number of credits in the USFP degree to 36—down from the present requirement of 39-42 credits. Students will then be able to finish the degree in four semesters with full-time coursework, allowing students to use their summer breaks to gain professional experience through internships.

Other changes to the degree include a streamlined course schedule and curriculum that will train students with foundational quantitative analytical skills, as well as an understanding of encomics and contemporary statecraft.

“We were prescient in redesigning the USFP degree, building in greater flexibility, at a time when the global situation requires a broader range of approaches and students are pursuing more varied professional paths,” said Piper Campbell, chair of the SIS Department of Foreign Policy & Global Security. “The program's structure allows students to go broad—exploring security and policy across various domains—or to specialize via coursework and professional development opportunities.”

Graduate Certificate in Global Migration

SIS is unveiling a new Global Migration Graduate Certificate that will launch its first cohort of students this fall. This 12-credit certificate will provide students with a holistic understanding of the factors shaping global migration and prepare them with the tools to influence and shape future global migration policy and practice.

As demand for professionals in the global migration sector grows, this certificate will equip students with an in-depth understanding of global migration dynamics, impacts, policies, and interventions that they can apply in careers with international organizations, NGOs, government agencies, research institutions, and advocacy groups focused on global migration issues.

"This certificate empowers students to become leaders in global migration,” says SIS professor Maria de Jesus. “They’ll study real-world migration issues, work across sectors such as policy and advocacy, and prepare for a career that drives social change and global impact."

Master of Arts in Ethics, Peace & Human Rights (EPHR), International & Intercultural Communication (IC), and International Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR)

All three degrees within the Peace, Human Rights, and Cultural Relations Department at SIS—EPHR, IC, and IPCR—strive to prepare students to eliminate violence in our world. Students enrolled in these programs study conflict resolution, human rights, intercultural communication, and economic justice. 

Several curriculum updates are launching to further strengthen the EPHR, IC, and IPCR programs. Starting in fall 2025, all students in the EPHR, IC, and IPCR programs will take the same core courses—SIS 622 Human Rights, SIS-642 Intercultural Relations, and SIS-733 International Peace and Conflict Resolution Seminar 1. 

“These courses are designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in these key areas, enabling students to explore the intersections of human rights, peacebuilding, and cultural dynamics in global contexts,” said Department Chair Claudine Kuradusenge-McLeod. “This integrated approach will lead to a more nuanced, interdisciplinary perspective of international studies, equipping students with the tools needed to address the complex challenges of today’s world.”

Students starting these degrees this fall will also have a set of new concentration areas to choose from, offering students the option to choose a more specialized focus in various aspects of peace, human rights, and intercultural relations.

“We are confident that these changes will have a lasting, positive impact on our students' academic journey,” Kuradusenge-McLeod said. “The new curriculum will help streamline their academic experience, making it easier for them to focus their energy on the areas that most interest them while ensuring that they gain expertise in multiple complementary fields.”