phd international relations harvard

International Relations

The study of International Relations in the Harvard Department of Government examines the sources of conflict and cooperation in world affairs. Through analysis of foreign policy and public opinion, strategic interaction, international law, and the role of transnational actors, scholars of international relations address a wide array of topics including:

• International finance
• Human rights
• Climate change 

Scholars in the field draw on a diverse tool kit that includes formal, quantitative and qualitative methods.

Department Faculty

Alastair iain johnston.

Christina Davis

Christoph Mikulaschek

Dustin Tingley

Joshua D. Kertzer

Latanya Sweeney

Michael J. Hiscox

Stephen Chaudoin

Stephen Peter Rosen

Timothy Colton

International Relations

Undergraduate

The Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree is designed for industry professionals with years of work experience who wish to complete their degrees part time, both on campus and online, without disruption to their employment. Our typical student is over 30, has previously completed one or two years of college, and works full time.

Students enrolled in the Master of Liberal Arts program in International Relations will gain critical insight into today’s pressing global issues and a deep understanding of the factors influencing relationships between nation-states and supranational organizations.

• Academics /

International Relations Master’s Degree Program

Explore the complexities of foreign affairs and gain a global perspective.

Online Courses

11 out of 12 total courses

On-Campus Experience

2 weekends or one 3-week summer course

$3,340 per course

Next Start Term: Spring 2025

Registration opens November 4, 2024

Program Overview

In today’s globalized world, a master’s in international relations can be instrumental in opening doors to an array of career opportunities — including diplomacy, journalism, international business, negotiation, and conflict resolution.

In the International Relations Master’s Degree Program, you may focus on social, political, cultural, economic, environmental, security, and other issues that extend beyond borders, including the exploration and governance of shared territories, across the globe and into space.

Through the master’s degree in international relations, you will:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of global issues — such as international politics, economics, and law – to develop multicultural competence.
• Use social science methods to examine economic, political, social, and environmental processes and implications of international interactions.
• Learn to navigate rapidly changing circumstances, deepening your knowledge of the world and its complexities.
• Develop critical insights into the precursors, processes, and outcomes of international interactions between governments, organizations, and individuals.

Program Benefits

Customizable path, stackable certificates, & experiential learning

Expert instructors, including faculty from Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Personalized academic and career advising

A faculty-supported thesis or applied research project

Paid research opportunities

Harvard Alumni Association membership upon graduation

Customizable Course Curriculum

Our curriculum is flexible in pace and customizable by design. You’ll experience the convenience of online learning and the immersive benefits of learning in person. You can study part time, choosing courses that fit your schedule and align with your professional goals.

As you work through the program’s 12 courses, as well as a thesis or capstone project, you’ll have the opportunity to examine topics like human rights, international security, armed conflict, comparative politics, and world religions.

11 Online Courses

Courses are primarily synchronous, with fall, spring, January, and summer options.

Sample Courses:

• Strategy, Conflict, and Cooperation
• Democracy: Breakthroughs and Breakdowns
• Globalization and the Nation-State
• The Geopolitics of Technology
• Intelligence and International Security

Join faculty and peers in person for Engaging in Scholarly Conversation, which you can take in either:

• A 3-week summer session

See course spotlight .

Capstone or Thesis Track

Choose the track that fits your goals:

• Thesis: features a 9-month independent research project with a faculty advisor
• Capstone: includes exploring a topic and completing a project in a classroom community

The path to your degree begins before you apply to the program.

First, you’ll register for and complete 3 required courses, earning at least a B in each. These foundational courses are investments in your studies and count toward your degree, helping ensure success in the program.

Enroll for your first admission course this spring. Course registration is open November 4, 2024–January 23, 2025.

To get started, explore degree requirements, confirm your initial eligibility, and learn more about our unique “earn your way in” admissions process.

Earning a Stackable Certificate

As you work your way toward your master’s degree, you can take courses that also count — or “stack” — toward a graduate certificate. It’s a cost-effective, time-saving opportunity to build specialized skills and earn a professional credential along the way to your degree.

For each certificate, you can choose courses that best fit your goals.

Stackable graduate certificates include:

• International Security
• Nuclear Deterrence
• Social Justice

A Faculty of International Relations Experts

Studying at Harvard Extension School means learning from the world’s best. Our instructors are renowned academics in international affairs, international security, conflict negotiation, and more. They bring a genuine passion for teaching, with students giving our faculty an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. Alt: They bring a genuine passion for teaching, evidenced by the consistently positive and productive classroom experience students’ report.

Nikolas Gvosdev

Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval War College

Joan Johnson-Freese

Professor Emeritus, National Security Affairs, Naval War College & Senior Fellow, Women in International Security

Dustin Tingley

Professor of Government, Harvard University

Our Community at a Glance

Most of our international relations students are enrolled in our master’s degree program to either advance their careers or make a career change. They are putting their global understanding and policy training to work in a variety of public service, corporate, and nonprofit industries.

Download: International Relations Master's Degree Fact Sheet

Average Age

Courses Taken Each Semester

Work Full Time

Would Recommend the Program

Professional Experience in the Field

Pursued for Career Advancement

Career Opportunities & Alumni Outcomes

Graduates of our International Relations Master’s Program work in the fields of international affairs, environmental services, public relations, financial services, management consulting, government administration, law, and more.

Some alumni continue their educational journeys and pursue further studies in other nationally ranked degree programs, including those at Boston College, Georgetown University, Northeastern University, and Pace University.

Our alumni hold such titles as:

• Foreign Affairs Officer
• Government Administration Consultant
• Defense and National Security Research Manager
• Energy Policy Analyst
• Assistant Attorney General
• Director of Policy and Research
• Sustainable Development Consultant
• Chief of Congressional and Media Affairs
• Watch Officer, White House Situation Room

Our alumni work at a variety of leading organizations, including:

• American Red Cross
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• United States Department of Defense
• United Nations
• Wells Fargo

Career Advising and Mentorship

Whatever your career goals, we’re here to support you. Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success offers career advising, employment opportunities, Harvard alumni mentor connections, and career fairs.

Your Harvard University Degree

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum, you will earn the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: International Relations.

Expand Your Connections: the Harvard Alumni Network

As a graduate, you’ll become a member of the worldwide Harvard Alumni Association (400,000+ members) and Harvard Extension Alumni Association (29,000+ members).

My time at HES was an opportunity to prove to myself that I was capable of academic excellence, of having the discipline to put in the time and intellectual resources to achieve the top grades that had previously eluded me.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid . Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

Learn more about the cost of attendance .

Coffee Chat: All About Liberal Arts Programs at HES

Are you interested in learning more about liberal arts graduate degree programs at Harvard Extension School? Attendees joined us for an informational webinar where they had the opportunity to connect with program directors, academic advisors, and alumni.

What can you do with a master’s degree in international relations?

A master’s degree in international relations provides an incredible foundation for careers in diplomacy, government, and non-profit organizations. You can work as a foreign service officer, policy analyst, intelligence analyst, or public affairs consultant. In our globalized society, having a strong understanding of issues around the world will help you succeed in both your professional and personal life.

Is a master’s degree in international relations useful?

With 99% of recent graduates recommending our International Relations Master’s Degree Program, we believe the degree is extremely useful. The curriculum provides a range of courses that allow you to graduate with knowledge and skills that are transferable to a wide range of industries and careers.

How long does it take to complete the international relations graduate program?

Program length is ordinarily anywhere between 2 and 5 years. It depends on your preferred pace and the number of courses you want to take each semester.

For an accelerated journey, we offer year round study, where you can take courses in fall, January, spring, and summer.

While we don’t require you to register for a certain number of courses each semester, you cannot take longer than 5 years to complete the degree.

What skills do you need prior to applying for the international relations graduate program?

Harvard Extension School does not require any specific skills prior to applying, but in general, it’s helpful to have solid reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills if you are considering an international relations master’s degree. Initial eligibility requirements can be found on our international relations degree requirements page.

Related Programs

• Government Master’s Degree Program
• History Master’s Degree Program
• International Relations Graduate Certificate

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Please note that on Monday, October 14 MCS will be closed for the University holiday.

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International Relations focuses on the relationships among governments, people, countries, and organizations. Opportunities can be found in foreign service, policy, consulting, economic development, diplomacy, trade, security, and various other areas. International or global development is a multi-disciplinary field that focuses on building capacity and implementing long-term solutions to the problems faced by individuals, communities, or governments. To learn more about global  priorities shared by UN member countries and get ideas for where you might contribute, refer to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Another broad and multidisciplinary field, human rights, is often defined as rights and freedoms inherent to all human beings, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been established as a roadmap to guarantee these rights.

Finding Internships

Use your time at school and during the summers to learn more about your interest areas including sectors, populations, and roles as well as to  build key skills. Consider  gaining regional, language and/or technical competence. Learn about finding and applying to summer opportunities abroad . Identify  organizations whose mission you value, and check their website for opportunities, or be proactive and contact alumni or others to learn about their hiring practices and timelines, being mindful to not ask for an internship. Organizations that arrange international opportunities are plentiful. They typically charge a fee and provide a range of services that might include: placement with a host organization, orientation, housing, in-country support, housing assistance, and training. Evaluate these organizations carefully to determine whether there’s a good match with the opportunity—as well as with the organization—and speak with several past participants about their experiences.

Finding Jobs

Entry-level jobs can be found in many settings. Identify organizations whose mission you value, learn more about their work and opportunities by following them on LinkedIn. Check their website for entry-level opportunities. For these career areas,  a post-graduate internship or fellowship can also be a terrific option. Learn more about the recruiting structure of organizations to help you plan your approach. Identify your interest areas and seek opportunities that will help you get experience and build skills. Foreign language ability, interpersonal skills, and cross-cultural competence can be  very important.

Graduate and Professional Programs

While a master’s degree in international relations/affairs or global development could be helpful to advance your career, there are many more degrees that focus on specific interest areas.  A Ph.D. may also be an option, especially to  address the more technical aspects of this work, although it’s best to first get experience. Some schools also offer a human rights law degree. Finally, you might also consider a joint degree. With so many options, it is helpful to first fine-tune your interests before investing in additional education.  To learn more, refer to the MCS graduate and professional school section and   APSIA (The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs) ..

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• Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

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Questions about these requirements? See the contact info at the bottom of the page. 

Candidates for the PhD in political science are expected to complete the required coursework during their first two years of graduate study and take the general examination at the end of the second year. A typical schedule consists of these two years, followed by three or four years of work on a dissertation, combined with supervised teaching.

Requirements

Courses  — A student must successfully complete at least 12 4-credit courses, of which 8 must be in political science. At least 10 of these 12 4-credit courses and 7 of the 8 4-credit courses in government must be listed in the catalog as 1000- or 2000-level courses. Courses cross-registered with Harvard Divinity School, Harvard Law School, the Fletcher School, MIT, or Brown University can be used toward these requirements. Prior approval from the director of graduate studies is needed for courses from Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School.

Students must complete six four-credit courses by the end of their second term in residence and nine by the end of their third.

Directed Reading/Independent Study – A student may receive academic (or course) credit for one Gov 3000-level directed reading with a relevant faculty member provided the arrangement produces a gradable seminar style paper.  While one Gov 3000 directed reading may count toward the overall 12 courses for the degree, it may not count toward the 8 (of the 12) that must be in political science. 

Course Requirements for Students Admitted for Fall 2021 and beyond 

Beginning in fall 2021, a student must complete three out of the four field seminars: American government (Gov 2105), comparative politics (Gov 2305), international relations (Gov 2710), and political philosophy (Gov 2093) and one course in quantitative methods. Students in political theory have the option to be exempted from the methods course requirement.

Course Requirements for Students Admitted prior to Fall 2021 

Every first-year student must enroll in the Department of Government graduate seminar, Gov 3001: Approaches to the Study of Politics. The course, offered each fall, is to be taken SAT/UNSAT for a full term of credit.

Quantitative Methods Requirement — During their first or second year, every student must successfully complete, with a grade of B or better, at least one graduate-level course in quantitative social science methods relevant to political science from a list of appropriate Department of Government and other Harvard/MIT courses regularly updated by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee. 

Political Theory Requirement — During their first or second year, every student must take a minimum of one graduate-level four-credit course (or section) in Political Theory chosen from a list of courses approved by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee. 

Additional Requirements for all students 

Incompletes  — A grade of Incomplete can be converted into a letter grade if the student completes the work before the end of the term following the one in which the course was taken. If an Incomplete has not been completed within the period, the student must have the instructor and director of graduate studies (DGS) approve a petition for an extension of time. No grade of Incomplete can be used to satisfy any departmental requirement.

Seminar Papers  — In order to ensure that students secure adequate training in research and writing, at least three seminar-style research papers must be completed. The usual means is through enrollment in seminars, but the requirement may also be satisfied by reading or lecture courses in which papers of this type are written. Only one of the three papers may be co-authored. Additionally, only one of the three papers may be written outside the department. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain written verification from the instructor that the completed paper is of seminar quality.

Research Tools Requirement  — By the end of their first year, every student must submit to DGS a written Research Tools Plan outlining intentions to acquire tools and methodological expertise connected to their areas of research interest. The Tools Plan also should list the courses, modules, or workshops the student intends to take in order to meet the research tools requirement.

Every student must complete a minimum of 3.5 4-credit course-equivalent units of research tools and methods courses, modules, or workshops by the end of their seventh term in residence (middle of the fourth year). The graduate course in quantitative social science methods count for one unit within this total. Students may count language training in various formats (e.g. term courses; intensive summer sessions) toward fulfillment of this requirement. The Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee will determine what counts for 1.0 or 0.5 units.

Research Workshops  — The Department of Government offers a series of research workshops in each of the four fields (American government, international relations, comparative politics, and political theory), applied statistics, and political economy for graduate students to present and discuss work in progress. Every student should attend at least one research workshop each term when in residence. Research workshops do not count toward the requirement to complete 12 4-credit courses.

The General Examination

Every student will sit for a general examination in May of their second year, with the exam administered orally by faculty not known in advance. The 90-minute exam will cover two of the four major substantive fields in political science (chosen by the student from among: American government, comparative politics, international relations, and political philosophy), plus an additional focus field defined by the student. For the focus field, each student will submit by a date designated by DGS a five- to eight-page statement outlining a special area for examination. This area may encompass a special literature; an area of the world; a realm of special interest spanning subfields or disciplinary boundaries; or a research approach. Political philosophy and social policy students are not required to submit focus field memos.

Students are allowed a “course-out” option instead of taking a minor field oral exam in either quantitative methodology or formal theory by taking four courses from our methods sequence with an overall grade of B+ or higher. At most, one course outside the methods sequence may count toward the course-out requirement, but those who want to use outside classes should consult with a member of the methods faculty (such as the methods field coordinator) before taking those courses for approval. Students who choose to course out will sit for the other two 30-minute exams as usual.

The department regularly offers “field seminars” introducing each of the four major fields of the discipline. However, no examination field is co-terminus with any one course, or even with any group of courses. The student is responsible for preparation in the field and should not assume that satisfactory completion of a course or courses dealing with the material in the field will constitute adequate preparation for the examination. The student should consult faculty members in each field to ensure such preparation. All students who choose a field are responsible for the same range of materials.

Progress toward the Degree after the General Examination

Requirements relating to courses and seminars (research) papers should normally be completed before the general examination, that is, during the first two years of graduate work. In special circumstances, a student may defer fulfillment of two four-credit courses or one four-credit course and one seminar paper until after the general examination.

Within six months of passing the general examination, the student must have fulfilled one of these deferred requirements. Within 12 months, they must have completed both deferred requirements.

Following completion of the general exam, each student will engage faculty advisors through a two-stage process of research exploration and prospectus approval, marked by two meetings as follows:

• An initial “Research Exploration Meeting” must convene in the fall term of the third year to discuss an approximately 10-page statement from the student, which, as appropriate, may either present a potential research question for the dissertation or set forth alternative possible research questions for consideration and development. The student may consult the director of graduate studies to identify three or four appropriate faculty consultants, if these are not readily apparent.
• Involving the same three or four faculty, or a different set where appropriate, the second “Prospectus Evaluation Meeting” will convene to discuss and approve the student’s written dissertation prospectus. These faculty members are chosen by the student with the approval of the director of graduate studies. The evaluation meeting will preferably be held in the spring term of the third year and in no instance later than October 1 of the fourth year. Whenever this meeting is held, there may be a one-month follow-up period for final changes in the prospectus. To be in good standing, therefore, all students must have an approved prospectus, with the dissertation title and name(s) of the advisor(s) registered with the Graduate Program Office, by no later than November 15 of the fourth year.

First-year and second-year students are not permitted to hold Teaching Fellow appointments.

Students may not teach or take on other employment if they are receiving a PhD dissertation completion fellowship. 

Students in their third year and beyond are eligible for teaching fellowships, which enable them to participate in Harvard’s undergraduate tutorial program, teach sections in the introductory government courses, or assist undergraduates in middle-group courses by leading discussion sessions or directing senior theses. 

In the third year, most graduate students are teaching a full load (two sections) and working on the dissertation. The fourth year may be devoted entirely to writing the dissertation or to a combination of teaching and research. 

Students who have passed the general examination may teach the equivalent of three standard sections time in a single term (or six sections per academic year), with the following exception: Ordinarily, no graduate student may hold a teaching fellowship for more than 4 academic years regardless of whether the appointment is for 1 or 2 terms within the same year; students who have taught fewer than 16 standard sections in 4 years will be permitted to teach a 5th and 6th year up to the total of 16 standard sections.

All first-time Teaching Fellows must enroll in Gov 3002a: Teaching and Communicating Political Science. This is a required course for government PhD students who are teaching in the department for the first time (typically G3s).  The course has an orientation and six required meetings in the fall term. Between meetings, students will have the chance to apply what they learn through peer observation, having their section videotaped, and watching their section with the department’s Pedagogy Fellow. The ultimate goal of this course is to help the student to become a purposeful, effective, and efficient teacher.

Dissertation

A student is required to demonstrate ability to perform original research in political science by writing a dissertation that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field. The requirement may also be fulfilled in the form of a three-article dissertation by approval of the dissertation committee.

Dissertations must be approved by at least three committee members, two of whom must be faculty members of the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The chair must be a member of the Department of Government. Any member of the committee who is not a member of the department must be approved by the dissertation chair. Dissertations must be approved for defense by the committee. The final copies of the dissertation must conform to the requirements described online in  Dissertations .

Special Examination

After the dissertation has been approved, and after all other degree requirements have been met, a student will take the “special” oral examination, or defense. This examination is focused on the dissertation and on the relevant special field, which is ordinarily one of the fields that the student presented in the general examination, or an approved portion of that field.

Students who defend their dissertation later than six years after taking the general examination must retake the focus field of the general examination. Approved parental leave extends this period by one year per child, but no other reason for leave does.

Depositing Dissertation Data

Students are required to make all of the quantitative data they have compiled to reach the findings in their dissertation available to the  Harvard-MIT Data Center . This data must be in machine-readable form (together with accompanying explanatory materials). These data will be made available to other users five years after receipt of PhD or sooner, if the PhD recipient permits.

Ten-Year Enrollment Cap

An overall policy has been established that students ordinarily will not be permitted to register beyond their 10th year. However, exceptions to this rule may be made for students who have taken medical or parental leave or for students with other special circumstances. Students who are administratively withdrawn are free to apply for re-admission, so as to re-register for the purpose of the defense and the awarding of the degree, when their dissertation is completed.

First-year students are assigned two faculty advisors by the director of graduate studies. In subsequent years, students may either remain with the first-year advisor or choose an advisor (or advisors) on their own.

Before the end of the second year, students must ask a faculty member to serve as their third-year advisor and submit a signed “third-year advisor form” to the Graduate Office. This faculty member has the responsibility for guiding a student through the pre-prospectus meeting and the process of forming a committee. 

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PhD in Public Policy

In this section.

• Economics Track
• Judgment and Decision Making Track
• Politics and Institutions Track
• Science, Technology and Policy Studies Track
• Current Students
• Doctoral Student Handbook
• Dissertations & Job Placements
• PhD Student Life
• Faculty & Research

As an exceptional scholar, you want an exceptional graduate program.

The PhD in Public Policy (PPOL) program provides the advanced graduate training you need to successfully launch yourself into a research or related position in academia, government, a nongovernmental organization, or the private sector. 

You will get the training you need to conduct analytical research, help shape and execute policy, and teach the next generation of educators, researchers, and practitioners. The program encourages scholarly research that empowers public policy practitioners like you to make informed decisions and be leaders in their fields. 

Using economics to understand the cost of inequity and discrimination

An applied microeconomist, Lauren Russell PPOL PhD 2023 headed to the Federal Reserve Board to continue her study of racial disparities.

The Complete PhD

The PPOL admits students to one of four tracks: Economics ; Judgment and Decision Making ; Politics and Institutions ; and Science, Technology and Policy Studies .    

PPOL graduates enter the workplace prepared to teach, carry out research, and make a profound impact in academia, while for others the degree leads to productive careers in think tanks, multinational organizations, NGOs, or the private sector.

"I've joined two research labs at HKS: Jennifer Lerner's and Julia Minson's. The brainstorming, feedback, and mutual pursuit of important research that comes from working in the labs is truly fulfilling."

Doctoral Program Admissions

Funding your doctoral education.