The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce offers a Master of Arts program designed to prepare students academically, professionally, and personally for careers in international affairs. Formal academic coursework is combined with experiential learning via a rich variety of co-curricular activities. The Patterson School M.A. is excellent preparation for service with government agencies such as the U.S. Departments of State, Treasury, or Commerce, and in the intelligence community, careers in international organizations or non-governmental organizations or in the private sector. The Patterson School faculty is a mix of academics and former foreign-affairs practitioners who spent decades in government service prior to starting their teaching careers.
Our flexible programs total 30 credit hours and can be completed in just three semesters. Each student enrolls in core curriculum courses and seminars taught by regular Patterson School faculty in one of four concentrations: diplomacy, development/international organizations, security/intelligence, and international commerce. Beyond this core, students can work with their academic advisors to craft interdisciplinary courses of study tailored to their unique desires that draw widely upon other University of Kentucky graduate departments. Patterson School students have developed individual degree plans that include classes in agricultural economics, anthropology, finance, marketing, management, foreign languages, history, political science, communications, sociology, law, geography, public health, and more. Dual degree programs are available with the College of Law; Modern & Classical Languages, Literatures & Cultures; and the College of Business and Economics. Additionally, students can pursue certificate programs in Global Health or International Education. This flexibility in curriculum is pivotal to the Patterson School concept.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Patterson School is highly selective. While applications for the Fall are accepted throughout the year, to be considered for funding, the deadline is February 1st. The online application process begins at the Patterson School website http://www.uky.edu/PattersonSchool/. Each applicant is required to submit college transcripts, a resume, a brief statement explaining his/her interest in the Patterson School program in terms of career goals, and two to four letters of reference. GRE scores are optional. International students are also required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Degree Requirements
All students begin the program as a group in the fall semester. Even though three semesters are required to complete the required the coursework, some students elect to remain a fourth semester in order to obtain more breadth and/or depth in their desired fields of professional preparation, or additional language training. Entering students are expected to have a strong background in at least one foreign language but many students undertake further language study during the program (although this study does not earn credit for the M.A. degree). Students are strongly encouraged to complete a career-related internship in the United States or abroad, typically during the summer between their second and third semesters.
Foreign Language
Cornerstone & Methodology
All students must complete the following two courses in the Fall semester of their first year of the program:
One of the following Concentrations:
Diplomacy
Complete the following course:
International Security & Intelligence
Complete two of the following courses:
International Commerce
Complete the Following Course:
International Organizations & Development
Complete two of the following courses:
Total Credit Hours: 30
All students must successfully pass written and oral comprehensive examinations before being awarded their master’s degree. These exams require students to draw upon the full measure of academic and professional activities they have experienced in the program, testing their universal foreign affairs knowledge as well as their unique specialized skills. During their last semester, most students join informal study groups to prepare for this critical final step. Each student has only two chances to pass the comprehensive examinations. Students are also required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average to graduate.
Patterson School students are able to take advantage of a variety of joint degree opportunities to combine the study of international affairs with other disciplines, such as law or business. Students must meet the admission requirements of the separate programs independently and commit upfront to pursue both degrees. The Patterson School currently maintains concurrent degree programs in Law, Business, Economics, and Modern Languages. While many Patterson School graduates have later obtained doctoral degrees, this M.A. program is specifically designed to prepare students for non-academic careers in international affairs. Students who contemplate working immediately on a Ph.D. are generally advised to pursue that goal elsewhere.
J.D./M.A. in Diplomacy – The University of Kentucky Law School joins the Patterson School in offering a dual degree program in law and diplomacy that permits students to acquire both degrees in four years’ time. Professionals trained in both law and international affairs are well positioned to seek positions in the private, public and non-profit spheres. Interested students must apply separately to each program, noting their desire to pursue the dual degree. For further information, contact the Director of Graduate Studies in the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce and the College of Law.
M.B.A./M.A. in Diplomacy – The Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce and the College of Business and Economics offer the opportunity to obtain the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) and the MA in Diplomacy degrees in a dual degree program that requires less time than would be required to achieve both degrees separately. The dual program of studies is designed to train students for international business careers or careers in government service that emphasize international business relations. Interested students must apply separately to each program, noting their desire to pursue the dual degree.
M.A. in a Modern Language/M.A. in Diplomacy –The Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Cultures in cooperation with the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce offers a dual degree program that allows students to obtain both degrees in less time than would be required to achieve both degrees separately. Interested students must apply separately to each program, noting their desire to pursue the dual degree.
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