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Shape Global Policy for Positive Change

Master of International
Public Policy
Campus
Washington, D.C.
Bologna, Italy
Format
Full-Time
Part-Time available
Program Duration
One Year
Full-Time
Two Years
Part-Time
Credits
32
Master of Arts in Global Policy
Campus
Washington, D.C.
Format
Executive-Style Format for Full-time Working Professionals
Alternating Weekends
Program Duration
One Year
Credits
40

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Johns Hopkins SAIS Master’s Degrees Ranked #2 Worldwide

Over the past two decades, Foreign Policy magazine has published a reputational ranking of academic programs in international relations. Each time, international relations professionals are asked to list the five best programs in the world for students who want to pursue careers similar to theirs.

In the latest ranking released on July 30, 2024, generated with responses from three categories of international relations experts—scholars, policymakers, and think tank staffers, master’s programs offered by the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) are ranked number two by all three groups of responders, up from number three in the last Foreign Policy survey.

Policy-Focused Master's Degrees for Experienced Professionals

Get a competitive edge in your career with advanced, hands-on training in global policy while strengthening your analytical and leadership skills. Choose from two professional degree programs.

Master of International Public Policy

Enroll full-time and earn your master's degree in just one year or two years as a part-time student. Designed for professionals with at least seven years of work experience, our MIPP program gives you access to the full SAIS curriculum, allowing you to build expertise in areas that most interest you.

Master of Arts in Global Policy

MAGP applications for the upcoming fall term accepted through spring and summer.

An innovative, one-year executive-style MA degree program that meets in Washington, D.C. on alternating weekends. The MAGP is designed for working professionals with at least five years of experience. Gain the knowledge and skills to become a global policy leader with a cohort of professional peers with a mutual interest in international affairs and global policy.

Make Your SAIS Degree Affordable

Both the Master of Arts in Global Policy and Master's in International Public Policy award generous scholarships to help make a SAIS degree affordable for students with outstanding academic and professional achievements. Scholarships are available to all students without regard to citizenship.

Explore Your Scholarship Eligibility

Advance or Pivot into a Career in Global Policy

Turn your passion for international affairs and global policy into your career. Build hands-on policy expertise and leadership skills to become a force for positive change with your master's in global policy or international public policy from Johns Hopkins SAIS.

Our master's degrees are designed for:

  • Mid-career professionals who seek advanced training to enhance their careers
  • Professionals looking for a career change where global policy and international affairs intersect
  • Veterans transitioning from military service into civilian careers

100% of the one-year Master of Arts in Global Policy Class of 2023 were employed, pursuing fellowships or internships, or had gone on to further study within six months of graduation.

See How You Can Advance Your Career

Engage With Policy Experts

Johns Hopkins SAIS is one of the world's premier schools of international affairs and attracts talented, accomplished students and faculty from around the globe. Learn theory and practice that guides global policy as you work with world-class experts renowned for their scholarship, influence, networks, and practical experience.

Go beyond the classroom in Washington, D.C. and gain the real-world expertise you need to address today's most pressing global challenges. Experiential learning opportunities at Johns Hopkins SAIS include:

  • Guest Lectures
  • International Study Trips
  • Career Treks
  • Policy Simulations

Build Your Expertise in Flexible and Accommodating Graduate Programs

Study advanced concepts of leadership, international relations, and global policy in a transformational educational experience that will prepare you to succeed as a global leader. Curate a degree plan that helps you achieve your personal and professional goals with the MIPP or join the one-year MAGP executive-style program and experience the best of what SAIS has to offer.

Master of International Public Policy Curriculum

Our MIPP degree program is a fully customizable educational experience that allows you to choose the courses that best align with your interests. Select courses from the full SAIS curriculum to fulfill the 32 credit hours required for the degree. Enroll full-time and complete the program in one academic year or take courses part-time over two years to accommodate your schedule.

Functional Focus Areas

  • Security, Strategy, and Statecraft
  • Development, Climate, and Sustainability
  • International Economics and Finance
  • States, Markets, and Institutions
  • Governance, Politics, and Society

Regional Focus Areas

  • Africa
  • The Americas
  • Asia
  • China
  • Europe and Eurasia
  • The Middle East
  • The United States

Master of Arts in Global Policy Curriculum

The MAGP exposes students to the best of SAIS through a comprehensive curriculum tailored to meet the primary interests of each cohort. Meeting on alternating Fridays and Saturdays to accommodate full-time working professionals, the degree also features several experiential learning residencies, including a one-week global policy residency abroad. The degree culminates with an international field-research capstone project paired with the global policy residency in the final academic term.

Preterm/Fall
  • Preterm: Optional Self-Paced Online Preparatory Course | June–August
    • Introduction to International Economics
  • Residency 1: International Policy Residency (August, 3 Days - Washington, D.C.)
  • Fall A: Core Courses/Application Seminar | September–October
    • Governance and Development
    • Comparative Politics
    • Global Trade & Policy
    • Application Seminar 1: Qualitative Research Methods (online, self-paced, continues through next term)
  • Fall B: Core courses/Application Seminar | November-December
    • Conflict Management and Negotiations
    • Issues in American Foreign Policy and Grand Strategy
    • International Monetary Policy & Banking
    • Application Seminar 1: Qualitative Research Methods (online, self-paced, continued from previous term)

Intersession/Spring
  • Residency 2: Policy Simulation Residency (January, 3 days – Baltimore, MD)
  • Spring A: Core Courses/Application Seminar | January-March
    • International Law and the Use of Force
    • Sustainable Energy Policy
    • Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies
    • Application Seminar 2: Capstone Research Design (online, self-paced, continued through next term)
  • Residency 3: Multilateral Policy Residency (March, 3 Days - New York City)
  • Spring B: Electives/Application Seminar | April-May
    • 3 Electives
    • Application Seminar 2: Capstone Research Design (online, self-paced, continued from previous term)

Summer
  • Summer: MAGP Capstone/Global Residency | June-July
    • Independent Capstone Research/Writing
    • Global Residency (one-week research trip abroad, June)
    • Capstone Submission & Presentation (mid-July)

Get your Sample Schedule

Advance Your Dream Career

As a Johns Hopkins SAIS graduate, you'll have a competitive edge in the workplace thanks to your advanced leadership and analytical skills learned from our expert faculty. Our students put their degrees to work in a variety of industries from consulting to entrepreneurship, leading nongovernmental organizations, and policymaking.

Recent Employers

  • The New York Times
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Council for Global Equality
  • World Bank Group

Compensation by Sector *

  • Private: $108,782
  • Public: $89,298
  • Non-Profit: $85,000
  • Multilateral: $200,000

Discover What Opportunities Await You

* Starting salaries vary greatly depending on geographic location, employment sector, and functional area within the sector.

Advance Your Career in Washington, DC

Enjoy unrivaled access to professional opportunities at leading global organizations supported by our alumni network and unmatched career outcomes. Form lasting bonds with others who share your passion for foreign policy in challenging, immersive educational experiences in Washington, D.C., and beyond.

Join a Global Community

With the world-renowned reputation of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, you'll join 24,000+ graduates who influence policy around the globe. What impact will you make?

Graduate Prepared to Make a Difference

With campuses on three continents, SAIS truly has a global footprint. Benefit from our Global Career Services team and our expansive alumni network to connect with incredible opportunities.

Take Advantage of Exceptional Career Opportunities

See What Our Students Have to Say

I like that the MIPP program honors students' professional experience and gives us access to the entire SAIS curriculum, while enabling us to structure our course of study with certain goals or skills in mind.

- Melissa Nix, Master of International Public Policy, ‘23

I found a program that combines deep instruction in international relations theory with application and policy building. It also brought together people with a lot of experience working in different areas of international relations. When it came to deciding where I wanted to pursue a master's degree, SAIS was the obvious answer.

- Pablo Solar, Master of Arts in Global Policy, '21