MAGGHS

Welcome! MA in GGHS is part of the CRHSGG Dept and wider community.

We aim to provide courses and experiences to help you explore problems of human security and the way that solutions can be developed through global governance mechanisms.

Here we have gathered university policies, academic requirements, student life, resources and support available for you, and more. Please familiarize yourself with the content of this handbook and continue to use this guide as reference during your studies. Our community will also work to ensure that you receive the guidance and resources you need. Faculty members and staff will assist you with further questions that might not be answered in this document.  

Graduate Program Director,

MA GGHS

You will be assigned a faculty advisor who will assist you in meeting your academic requirements and exploring your academic and professional interests. If you do not know who your advisor is, contact the program director.

Helpful planning resources: 

Master's in GGHS Program at a glance

Master's in GGHS Curriculum planning worksheet

Electives: ask GPD

If you need assistance with WISER, or other resources, refer to the links below:

WISER: https://www.umb.edu/it/wiser

UMass Boston IT Help Desk https://www.umb.edu/it/help

MA GGHS Students take 4 electives (3 credits each) and are offered in a variety of fields meant to encourage study in an area of special interest. See Department Course Schedule Grid on Resource tab for current course options. 

• All courses offered by the Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance can be counted towards elective requirements. 

• Electives may also include independent study courses and internships (for which course credit is obtained as an independent study with the Graduate Program Director).

• Graduate-level courses offered by any UMass Boston department related to their area of interest can count as electives; consultation and prior approval of Graduate Program Director required.

Example of electives:

• Foreign Policy Analysis

• Issues in World Politics 

• Cross-Cultural Conflict

• Negotiation 

• Environmental Conflict and Peacemaking

• International Conflict 

• International Political Economy
  
  

The Capstone/Thesis Requirement (students choose one) 

1. Capstone in IR or  GGHS: Supervised by the capstone advisor, students complete a major research paper exploring a scholarly, policy-relevant theme in the field of international relations. Capstone projects do not require proposals prior to registering for the course.

2. Thesis IR or GGHS: Master’s Thesis supervised by a major advisor and thesis committee, students complete a major research project that makes a substantive contribution to a critical understanding of a salient issue in contemporary international affairs. The thesis is expected to advance knowledge in the field of international relations/Global Governance and Human Security and is publicly defended before a faculty committee. Students must defend a thesis proposal prior to registering for thesis credit. Thesis and thesis proposal rules can be found here and the University’s thesis rules, including deadlines, can be found here.

3. Doctoral Research Design (3 credits) plus one additional Research Methods course (3 credits each) and a final comprehensive examination.