Master of Arts in Diplomacy

You will review the basic theories that govern international relations and political science. The course also traces the historical evolution of diplomacy within the international system, providing a sense of its progression and an awareness of the milestones of diplomatic interaction within that system.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of diplomacy, international relations, and world order in the context of the modern state system from 1648 to the present. The international political environment is introduced through studies in foreign policy decision making, combining history and political science in an analytical framework of historiography and international relations methodology.

You will explore the structure of the international system as defined by its rules and guidelines. The course presents an introduction to international law terminology and its history and theory. Laws surrounding conflict, war, war crimes, and the rising areas of international law, environmental law, and laws concerning humanitarian intervention will be explored. Of special interest will be laws pertaining to human rights.

You will explore the international economic system, examine the impact of modernization within the system, and investigate the controversy over the concept of globalization and the debate of free trade versus protectionism. You will become familiar with the international financial network and its institutions. Special attention will be given to Third World development issues and the concept of economics as a tool of diplomacy and military power.

This course focuses on internal and external environmental conditions affecting commerce in a global environment. You will evaluate the role of private-sector commerce in the international system and explore the impact of economics, law, politics, and culture on multinational commerce endeavors. You will also analyze country-specific data and internal organizational factors that influence managerial decision making in multinational organizations. You will gain an understanding of the global commerce environment and enhance your ability to function effectively across borders.

This course focuses on fundamental topics in human resources management as they pertain to globally active corporate, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. You will build skills in managing intercultural human resources differences; selecting, evaluating, and compensating employees in international assignments; training and developing expatriate employees; dealing with culture shock; and the effects of repatriation. You will be asked to apply the concepts of conflict management, resolution, and avoidance to specific work situations.

The capstone course addresses the dependence of international commerce upon public goodwill, the development of which is the function of corporate diplomacy. You will develop the knowledge, competencies, and tools for implementing strategic communications in order to deal effectively with international constituencies, including the government, the news media, the Internet, and NGOs. Special emphasis will be given to developing and applying analytical skills to shape public opinion, build corporate reputation, and deal with crisis in a cross-cultural environment.

This course examines how states have used terrorism as a tool in managing their international relations and evaluates actions that the international community has taken to deter state-sponsored terrorism. Case studies will complement theory and allow for comparative analyses of various actions taken by the international community and the results achieved to date.

This course examines the phenomenon of transnational terrorism by non-state actors. Ideology, psychology, and strategies of major transnational groups are addressed to provide an understanding of their long-term goals and operations. You will examine the relationship of terrorist groups, WMD proliferation, and organized crime, as well as possible future trends in terrorist operations. Case studies of key groups will provide comparative analysis.

This course surveys the strategies and policies that have been deployed by states to combat transnational terrorism. You will examine the development of international law as a tool against terrorism, diplomatic and multilateral approaches in dealing with cross-border issues, and government policies designed to improve internal and multinational coordination and cooperation. Differences and commonalities among states in their approaches to terrorism are highlighted in order to examine best practices.

This course addresses the multiple schools of debate concerning the causes of conflict and war. You will investigate the increasingly controversial area of peacekeeping and peacemaking, and examine transnational forces, including NGOs, that use diplomacy as a tool to avoid conflict in the international system. The concept of multilateral peace enforcement will be reviewed in order to examine best practices.

You will examine the do’s and don’ts of negotiating peace, its hazards, unexpected consequences, and lessons learned. Topics include the increasingly important area of recovery from atrocities through trials, truth commissions, and amnesty. You will also explore post-conflict governing, reestablishing the rule of law, the dominance of civil society, and the institutions of governance, as well as the politics and cultural impact of rebuilding, including the economic and financial costs.

You will examine conflict in all its forms, including aspects of covert operations, psychological warfare, special operations, and limited warfare. The course also explores multinational coalitions and conflicts and the renewed emphasis on terrorism, including the use of chemical, biological, and nuclear agents. You will review special cases of civil war and collapsed state conflicts. You will also investigate the impacts of modern warfare, most notably on the environment.

In this course, you will probe the complicated connections between the protection and enforcement of human rights norms and the roots, unfolding, and termination of armed conflict. Borrowing from the fields of peace building, conflict resolution, diplomacy, and law, the course builds upon the themes of conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction developed in previous courses. You will explore how human rights abuses increase the likelihood of violent conflict and how a respect for the political, civil, economic, and social claims of individuals may repair and restore affected societies.