You are here: American University School of International Service Master of International Service Degree Options

Back to top

Design your own degree

MIS offers experienced professionals the extraordinary flexibility to design a master’s degree that meets their career ambitions. Students select a concentration of their choice—including global governance, intercultural and international communication, global environmental policy, international development, international peace and conflict resolution, regional studies, US foreign policy and national security, and more—to hone in on the skills and knowledge they need to supplement what they already know.

The program provides a skills-focused curriculum that communicates rigorous academic education in theory, research, and economics taught by leading scholar-practitioners in international affairs.

Degree Options

The Master of International Service program offers two formats to accommodate students’ busy schedules. Choose to pursue your Master of International Service degree in either the traditional on-campus format or online.

The MIS degree is ideal for experienced professionals seeking to advance their careers through a tailored master’s program. Students who choose the on-campus MIS degree will have classes that meet on campus once per week, with most classes offered after 5:00 p.m. ET to accommodate working students.

The program is unique in the flexibility it affords professionals with at least seven years of relevant professional experience to earn a practitioner-focused graduate degree from one of the top 10 international affairs schools in the world. They will be able to benefit from the wealth of courses offered at the School of International Service and enroll in those courses that further their career and complement their professional interests.

We place significant emphasis on decision-making, strategic communication, leading multicultural workforces, and change and crisis management in this condensed and tailored master's degree program. 

By combining the flexibility of online learning with the same quality and rigor of our renowned on-campus program, MIS Online provides students with professional, live, and interactive virtual classes with a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 15:1, and self-paced, multimedia coursework designed by SIS faculty and available 24/7. Online students are required to participate in a unique three-day immersion event that brings you and your classmates to the AU campus in Washington, D.C., to meet faculty, staff, and peers in person, as well as connect with employers and alumni in the area.

Classes for this online program begin year-round, with four program start dates available. Learn more about MIS Online.

Degree Partnerships

The Master of International Service program partners with various universities to offer additional opportunities for students interested in pursuing an MIS to supplement their education elsewhere.

Through a partnership with Marine Corps University (USMCU), graduates of the Command and Staff College Distance Education Program (CSCDEP) at USMC’s College of Distance Education and Training (CDET) are eligible for advanced standing and funding for SIS’s MIS program. The partnership enables CSCDEP graduates to waive 6 of the 30 required program credits and to qualify for a $5,000 scholarship when they enroll as a student in the MIS program.

The MIS International Studies Track offers students who are enrolled in or have recently completed a master's degree at a partner university the opportunity to gain additional academic training in an applied international affairs concentration at SIS. Students in the International Studies Track complete a dual degree in international affairs with the first part completed at the partner institution, and the second part at SIS. Our current partners include:

  • American Graduate School in Paris (Paris, France)
  • Korea University (Seoul, South Korea)
  • National Chengchi University (Taipei City, Taiwan)
  • Peruvian Diplomatic Academy (Lima, Peru)
  • Radboud University (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
  • Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto, Japan)
  • Roma Tre University (Rome, Italy)
  • Sookmyung Women's University (Seoul, South Korea)
  • University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia)
  • University of Warwick (Coventry, England)
  • University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Canada)

Learn more about the MIS International Studies Track.

Concentrations

Students will create a concentration of their choice, tailored to their professional goals. The concentrations described below are not meant to serve as an exhaustive list of all the possible concentrations, but rather as a guide to demonstrate how courses from across the University can be put together to form an academically sound area of study.

  • SIS-619 Genocide and International Law

  • SIS-619 Social Protest & Change in Comparative Perspective

  • SIS-622 Human Rights

  • PHIL-631 Topics in Modern Moral Problems

  • PHIL-693 Global Ethics

  • SIS-620 China's Environmental Challenges

  • SIS-620 Climate Change Policy

  • SIS-620 Political Ecology of Food and Agriculture

  • SIS-620 Water Governance

  • SIS-652 Introduction to Environmental Economics

  • SIS-660 Environment and Politics

  • SIS-619 Cyber Warfare, Torrorism, Espionage, and Crime
  • SIS-619 Great Powers Politics
  • SIS-619 Nationalism & Identity
  • SIS-707 History of Global Politicfs
  • SIS-708 Foundations of Global Security
  • SIS-709 Foundations of Global Governance
  • SIS-712 Territorial Conflicts: War, Peace, & Politics of Borders
  • SIS-628 Transnational Education
  • SIS-640 International Communication
  • SIS-642 Intercultural Relations
  • SIS-711 Global Perspective on Public Diplomacy
  • SIS-711 Global Equity and Inclusion
  • SIS-653 Art and Science of Intelligence Analysis
  • SIS-665 International Trade Relations
  • SIS-666 International Financial Relations
  • SIS-750 International Policy Analysis
  • SIS-760 Complex Problems in International Affairs
  • SIS-761 Research Design, Analysis, and Communication
  • PUAD-671 Cost Benefit Analysis
  • SIS-619 Innovation for Social Impact
  • SIS-628 Global Health, Culture & Communication
  • SIS-635 Community Development
  • SIS-636 Power and Practice in Development
  • SIS-637 International Development
  • SIS-726 Professional Development Management
  • SIS-731 Economic Development
  • SIS-652 Intro to Environmental Economics
  • SIS-665 International Trade Relations
  • SIS-666 International Financial Relations
  • SIS-731 Economic Development
  • SIS-750 Data Analysis
  • SIS-751 International Political Economy
  • SIS-754 Economics of National Security
  • SIS-606 Culture, Peace, & Conflict: Alternatives to Violence
  • SIS-619 Dialogue: Approaches and Applications
  • SIS-619 Economics of Violence and Peace
  • SIS-733 International Peace & Conflict Resolution Seminar I
  • SIS-734 International Peace & Conflict Resolution Seminar II
  • SIS-653 Diplomatic Practice
  • SIS-653 Introduction to American Intelligence
  • SIS-653 US National Security Strategy
  • SIS-681 Intelligence and Foreign Policy
  • SIS-682 Foreign Policy: Institutions and Processes
  • SIS-688 Domestic Politics, War, and National Security
  • SIS-689 Foreign Policy: Theories of Decision Making

Work with the MIS academic advisor to design a concentration that best fits your professional and academic goals. Select from a wide range of SIS graduate courses to create a cross-disciplinary or regional-focused degree.

Capstone

All MIS students must complete a capstone and can choose from three different options to fulfill their capstone requirement.

The Practicum in International Affairs is designed to give students in their final semester real-world experience in project management and consulting while preparing them for post-graduate careers. Students work in teams with expert clients, including US and international government agencies, non-profit organizations, and businesses to conduct policy and program analysis. Students draw on their substantial research, as well as qualitative and quantitative skills, to prepare final oral and written analysis and recommendations.

The substantial research paper refers to a research or policy paper based on independent research. The scope and topic of the paper may vary by concentration and program.

Application At a Glance

View a detailed admission and degree requirements listing for your on-campus degree of interest.

Alternatively, view deadlines and requirements for the online program. 

Entrance Semester
Fall and Spring
Priority Deadline
March 15 for the fall semester
October 1 for the spring semester
Applications are accepted after the priority deadline and will be considered on a space-available basis.
Additional Requirements
Undergraduate degree
TOEFL/IELTS score if international applicant
Two letters of recommendation
Resume
Statement of purpose
Application
Complete your application for MIS