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Detailed Information

Program of Study

The Institute of World Politics (IWP) is an accredited graduate school of national security, intelligence, and international affairs dedicated to developing leaders with a sound understanding of international realities and the ethical conduct of statecraft, based on knowledge and appreciation of the principles of the American political economy and the Western moral tradition. The Institute’s curriculum includes the study of all the elements of statecraft, including the arts of war, peacemaking, and diplomacy; public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy; psychological strategy and political action; economic strategy; intelligence and counterintelligence; the exercise of intangible instruments of power such as moral leadership, will-power, courage, rhetoric, etc.; and the integration of these elements into overall national strategy.

The Institute emphasizes the development of a capacity to think strategically so as to detect and understand strategic threats and opportunities; prevent, manage, resolve, and prevail in international conflicts; match the ends and means of policy; and do all of these in ways that minimize the necessity to use force.

Because true statesmanship requires that power not be misused, IWP’s educational philosophy posits that the responsible conduct of statecraft must be guided by ethics and personal and civic virtue. Hence it incorporates character development and the study of applied ethics–another aspect that contributes to its uniqueness.

IWP currently offers three Master of Arts degree programs: Statecraft and National Security Affairs, Statecraft and International Affairs, and Strategic Intelligence Studies. Statecraft and International Affairs includes a foreign language requirement. All degrees contain the same foundational core curriculum in history, international politics, comparative ideologies, the Western moral tradition and the application of ethics to the use of power, American founding principles, and an overview of all the elements of statecraft. The Statecraft and National Security Affairs program offers specializations in intelligence, national security affairs, and public diplomacy and political warfare. The Statecraft and International Affairs program offers specializations in comparative political culture, international politics, American foreign policy, and democracy building. The Strategic Intelligence Studies program is designed for recent graduates who seek careers in the intelligence field as well as professionals whose agencies or clientele are charged with the acquisition and interpretation of intelligence. Each degree consists of eight core courses (4 credits each) and four elective courses in one of the specializations. All students also take or test out of two shorter courses (2-credits) on strategic geography and economics. Students may study full-time or part-time. Most classes are offered in the evenings for the convenience of those students who are midcareer professionals.

For their foreign language requirement, students in the Statecraft and International Affairs program must demonstrate proficiency in a strategic foreign language. IWP provides a list of these languages.

IWP also offers eight graduate-level certificate programs: American foreign policy, comparative political culture, democracy building, intelligence, counterintelligence, international politics, national security affairs, and public diplomacy and political warfare. The certificate programs are designed for students who wish to pursue graduate studies but do not need or seek a degree and/or those students who already have an advanced degree yet require additional graduate credentials. These programs are also intended to encourage students’ continued professional growth and to serve as valuable indicators of achievement and knowledge for current or prospective employers and professional colleagues and peers.

Research Facilities

The IWP library contains more than 30,000 volumes, including the private library of William J. Casey, a former Director of Central Intelligence. In addition, the library maintains an extensive collection of foreign affairs periodicals and reference works, many of which are unique and available only through IWP. The IWP library also has specialized collections in U.S. foreign policy, Soviet/Russian affairs, Middle Eastern history, and intelligence/counterintelligence. High-speed Internet access is available to students through the library, as are extensive electronic databases.

Financial Aid

IWP offers merit-based scholarships to attract and retain high-achieving, academically talented graduate students. A more modest, need-based grant program is also available. IWP is eligible for Title IV federal funds, which enable students to use federal student loans to fund their IWP education. Students at the Institute are also eligible for Veterans’ Affairs benefits. Prospective students should visit the IWP Web site for complete details.

Cost of Study

Tuition for the 2009–10 academic year is $1000 per credit hour; each 4-credit course is $4000 ($2000 for each 2-credit course). An application fee of $75 (nonrefundable and nontransferable) and a $300 per course deposit (applied toward tuition) are required to seek and hold an accepted student’s place in the entering class. In addition, there is a mandatory Student Services fee of $150 per semester ($75 in the summer session). Classes are held throughout the year, with sessions beginning in spring, summer, and fall. Classes are small, conducted in seminar settings, and most are held during evening and weekend hours for the convenience of the students and their employers.

Living and Housing Costs

The Institute does not provide student housing. However, housing is available at several locations near the Institute. Students are responsible for making their own housing arrangements. Neighborhoods in northwest Washington, D.C., and many areas of Maryland and Virginia are proximate and accessible via public transportation. Students should consider personal safety and transportation availability as well as price when searching for housing. For a list of off-campus housing search engines and apartment locator services, students should visit the Institute’s Web site.

Student Group

IWP’s average class size per course is 10. In addition to recent college graduates, midcareer professionals from a wide range of U.S. and foreign government agencies and private organizations enroll at the Institute to advance their careers. The result is an ever-expanding network of IWP students and alumni from–and graduates earning key positions throughout–the organizations that develop and implement policy for the United States and countries around the world.

Student Outcomes

Successful recipients of IWP’s master’s degrees are prepared for a wide range of careers, including defense, intelligence, foreign policy making and implementation, policy research, journalism, and a variety of private-sector professions. These advanced degrees complement many undergraduate pursuits, thereby enhancing a bachelor’s degree in political science, history, international relations, economics, or business.

Location

The Institute of World Politics is located in the historical Marlatt Mansion and Bently Hall on 16th Street, NW, in downtown Washington, D.C. The school’s location, just eight blocks from the White House, offers students access to the seat of federal government and to the heart of U.S. foreign policy and governmental decision-making processes. Experts at the Institute, whether they are faculty members, guest lecturers, or speakers at extracurricular functions are drawn from the highest ranks of the U.S. government, foreign embassies, and domestic and international organizations specializing in national security affairs.

Applying

Admission to the master’s degree programs is competitive. The Institute of World Politics seeks a culturally diverse student body to enhance the international classroom experience. Half the student body consists of recent college graduates who have an interest in international affairs, foreign policy, intelligence, or national security. Other students include personnel from the U.S. government, international diplomats, and working professionals with interests in international affairs and national security.

An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited or similarly recognized college or university is required. Applicants without significant undergraduate course work or job experience in IWP’s subject fields may be required to complete related prerequisite course work. Application requirements include a current resume, official (sealed) transcripts from all institutions attended, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test scores (or the LSAT), three letters of recommendation, a short description of educational and professional goals, and an essay. Prospective students may apply online or request further information through the Institute’s address, phone number, or Web site.

The Faculty

• Norman A. Bailey, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Columbia, 1962. Mission Manager for Cuba and Venezuela, Office of the Director of National Intelligence; former Senior Director of International Economic Affairs, National Security Council.
• Raymond J. Batvinis, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Catholic University, 2002. Consultant/investigator for RJB Associates; former supervisory special agent, FBI.
• David Burgess, Adjunct Professor; J.D., Georgetown, 1978. Senior official, U.S. Peace Corps and former State Department official.
• Marek Jan Chodakiewicz, Professor of History and Academic Dean; Ph.D., Columbia, 2002.
• Kenneth deGraffenreid, Professor of Intelligence Studies; M.A., Catholic University, 1977. Former Deputy National Counterintelligence Executive and former Senior Director of Intelligence Programs, National Security Council.
• Lee Edwards, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Catholic University, 1986. Distinguished Scholar, The Heritage Foundation.
• Roger W. Fontaine, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins (SAIS), 1970. Former Director of Latin American Affairs, National Security Council.
• Paul A. Goble, Adjunct Professor; M.A., Chicago, 1973. Formerly with the International Broadcasting Bureau, CIA, and Department of State.
• Christopher C. Harmon, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Claremont, 1984. Author, Terrorism Today; Professor, Marine Corps University.
• Walter Jajko, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Professor of Defense Studies; M.A., Columbia, 1964. Former Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Oversight; Brigadier General, USAF (retired).
• Brian Kelley, Adjunct Professor; M.A., Florida State, 1974. Retired senior CIA official.
• David M. L. Klocek, Professor of Political Science, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs, Faculty Chairman, and Director of Admissions; Ph.D., Georgetown, 2000. Former analyst, CIA.
• Mark P. Lagon, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Georgetown, 1991. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State; formerly with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
• John Lenczowski, Professor, Founder, and President of The Institute of World Politics; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins (SAIS), 1980. Former Director of European and Soviet Affairs, National Security Council; formerly with the Department of State.
• Thomas P. Melady, Senior Diplomat in Residence; Ph.D., Catholic University, 1954. Former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, Uganda, and Burundi.
• Ross H. Munro, Adjunct Professor; B.A., British Columbia, 1965. Director of Asian Studies, Center for Security Studies.
• Joshua Muravchik, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Georgetown, 1984. Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute.
• Alberto M. Piedra, Donald E. Bently Professor of Political Economy; Ph.D., Madrid, 1957; Ph.D., Georgetown, 1962. Former U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala.
• Juliana Geran Pilon, Adjunct Research Professor and Earhart Fellow; Ph.D., Chicago, 1974.
• S. Eugene Poteat, Adjunct Professor; M.A., Institute of World Politics, 2001. President, Association for Intelligence Officers; former CIA official.
• Herbert Romerstein, Adjunct Professor. Author, researcher, and former Director, Office to Counter Soviet Disinformation and Active Measures, U.S. Information Agency.
• Charles R. Smith, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Catholic University, 1982.
• Henry D. Sokolski, Adjunct Professor; M.A., Chicago, 1980. Former Deputy for Nonproliferation, Department of Defense.
• Robert W. Stephan, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., George Washington, 1997. Senior CIA official.
• Douglas E. Streusand, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Chicago, 1987. Associate Professor, Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
• David Thomas, Adjunct Professor; D.Phil., Oxford, 1980. Department of Defense.
• John J. Tierney Jr., Walter Kohler Professor of International Relations; Ph.D., Pennsylvania, 1969.
• J. Michael Waller, Walter and Leonore Annenberg Professor of International Communication; Ph.D., Boston University, 1993.
• John J. Yurechko, Adjunct Professor; Ph.D., Berkeley, 1980. Director of Analysis and Collection, Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive; formerly with Defense Intelligence Agency.

Correspondence and Information

The Institute of World Politics
Colin Parks
Director of Student Recruitment
1521 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036-1464
Telephone: 202-462-2101
888-KNOW-IWP (toll-free)
Email: parks@iwp.edu