Department of Political Science Division of Graduate Studies Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Graduate Programs at Brooklyn College

Since 1935, the Division of Graduate Studies at Brooklyn College has provided an excellent graduate education at reasonable cost. The division offers more than 60 full-time and part-time programs leading to master's degrees and advanced certificates. Its proximity to New York City provides opportunities for internships and field study in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and throughout New York.

A Comprehensive, Flexible Master's Program in International Affairs

The Department of Political Science explores the role of governments, public policies and political processes, systems, and political behavior, and their effect on the way individuals, single countries, and groups of countries interact. Students are taught to evaluate information within the context of how decisions are made, analyzed, and applied. The political science master's program offers students a choice of 3 concentrations: political science, international affairs, or urban politics and administration.

The M.A. in International Affairs offered by Brooklyn College's political science graduate program consists of 30 credits earned through courses that range from broad overviews to seminars on specific world regions. The curriculum includes classes in modern international politics, international affairs, comparative politics, political theory, and statistics. With department approval, up to 4 courses may be taken from other departments or graduate programs, including those at other CUNY campuses.

Most classes in the international affairs master's program are scheduled in the late afternoon and early evening, as well as on Saturday, to accommodate working students.

Internships with Renowned International Organizations

Students can complement their academic studies with internships at a large spectrum of renowned international organizations both at home and abroad. The United Nations offers 25 internship positions each year. Students have also interned at U.S. embassies overseas and at the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, working for a member of Congress on international affairs issues.

In addition, students have obtained internships within New York City at organizations such as the William J. Clinton Foundation, MADRE, Human Rights Watch, and the International Center for Transitional Justice.

Over the years, roughly 20 percent of the program's interns have been hired by the companies they intern with.

Preparing Students for Professional and Academic Careers

A master's degree in international affairs provides a basis for many career options in government, international affairs, and public education. Graduates of the program have gone to work for U.S. federal government agencies such as the State Department, international governmental organizations such as the United Nations, and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) both in the U.S. and abroad. Many have also worked for New York City agencies with an international focus, including refugee resettlement and anti-terrorism efforts.

Experienced and Knowledgeable Faculty

The faculty of the Department of Political Science at Brooklyn College is distinguished by its dedication to teaching and scholarly achievement. All of the professors teaching courses for the international affairs master's program hold the highest degree in their field, including Ph.D.s from Berkeley, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, and Yale.

In addition, the faculty of the international affairs program is comprised of individuals with an international perspective and includes professors from Africa, Asia, and Canada. Among the faculty are Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Humanities fellows and prize-winning authors. Students collaborate closely with faculty members both in their independent studies and in their master's theses preparation.

Enrollment Requirements

Students seeking to enroll in Brooklyn College's M.A. in International Affairs program must have an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0, with a minimum of 24 credits in political science, history, economics, sociology, or related fields.

First Rate Library Resources

Outside of the classroom, students are supported by one of the largest libraries in CUNY, the Brooklyn College Library, which houses more than 1.3 million volumes. The library maintains an extensive database which provides access to scholarly journals and citations, abstracts, and indexing of international literature in political science and its complementary fields, including international relations, law, and public administration and policy.

A Convenient and Beautiful Campus Setting

Since 1961, Brooklyn College has been a member of the City University of New York (CUNY) and is located in the residential Flatbush/Midwood community of Brooklyn. The campus has been rated as one of the most beautiful in the United States by "The Princeton Review" and features 26 acres of green lawns and a mixture of historic and modern buildings. It is easily accessible by subway, bus, car, and the Long Island Railroad.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Political Science Master of Arts (MA)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• International Affairs Master of Arts (MA)
• Political Science, Urban Policy And Administration Master of Arts (MA)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 49
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? Yes
• Distance learning programs available? Not reported
• Terminal master's degree available? Not reported

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required for some, Alternate accepted and foreign language exam (for international affairs program)
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied155
• Accepted124
• Acceptance Rate80%
• Enrolled88
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic Not Reported
• Application Fee - International Not Reported
• Electronic applications accepted? Not Reported
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Not Reported
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline May 1st May 1st Not Reported
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline December 15th November 1st Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's Degrees2 letters of recommendation, personal statement
• Doctoral's DegreesNot Reported
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 500 paper based, TOEFL iBT

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$7,360
• Out-of-state tuition *$13,800
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year feesNot Reported
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsMay 1
• Types of financial support availableCareer or Field-Related Internships, Federal Work-Study, Financial Support for Part-time Students

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students242
• Female Percentage57%
• Male Percentage43%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students242
• Part-time Percentage90%
• Full-time Percentage10%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino7%
• Black / African American43%
• White / Caucasian44%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian6%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown0%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchEthics and politics, politics of criminal justice, Western Europe, international law and politics, labor politics
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported