Master of Arts in
International Studies
The Master of Arts in International Studies (MAIS) is an academic graduate track designed to prepare students for careers in higher education teaching and professional research. The program offers an interdisciplinary curriculum to prepare graduates to advance knowledge and contribute original scholarly work in the field of International Studies. It is anchored in examining global affairs through the perspectives and approaches of development, peace and security, governance, political economy, and foreign policy. It develops advanced analytical skills through sustained engagement with theories, methods, and debates in International Relations, Gender and Development Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, and related disciplines.
Program Outcomes
By the end of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced, specialized, and critical interdisciplinary knowledge in analyzing multi-layered and complex global issues.
Graduates will have synthesized theories, concepts, and debates across the interdisciplinary fields of international relations, development studies, peace and conflict studies, and related disciplines to produce informed, evidence-based, and context-specific analyses of complex global issues.
- Conduct independent and original scholarly research that examines systemic factors rather than symptoms of global concerns and challenges.
Graduates will have designed and executed rigorous academic research using appropriate methodologies, culminating in a scholarly work that makes an original contribution to the field of International Studies.
- Apply scholarly communication and teaching competency through communicating scholarly knowledge effectively across academic and professional audiences.
Graduates will present and defend research findings in written and oral forms that meet the standards of academic discourse, and apply scholarly knowledge to contexts in higher education, policy research, and other knowledge-intensive sectors.
- Exercise ethical leadership and scholarly citizenship to broaden public engagement and deepen social impact.
Graduates will have applied their scholarly expertise to engage critically and constructively with national and global conversations on peace, justice, equality, and sustainable development. They will have demonstrated ethical responsibility and intellectual integrity in the production and dissemination of knowledge, and translated scholarship into forms of public engagement, such as policy input, public commentary, or community-based knowledge sharing, that generate meaningful social impact that is consistent with Miriam College’s values of truth, justice, peace, and integrity of creation.
Below are some of the courses offered in the graduate programs of IS:
Key Competencies Developed
By the end of the program, graduates will be able to develop the following key competencies:
- Advanced Interdisciplinary and Theoretical Competency
- Synthesize established and emerging theories in international relations, global politics, and related disciplines to analyze complex global issues.
- Apply interdisciplinary frameworks to examine the political, economic, social, and cultural forces shaping international affairs.
- Critically evaluate scholarly arguments and theoretical positions with independence and intellectual rigor.
- Apply a multi-level analytical lens across academic, policy, and knowledge-intensive professional contexts.
- Research and Knowledge Production Competency
- Design and execute original research using appropriate qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methodologies in the field of international studies.
- Produce scholarly work that meets academic standards and makes a meaningful contribution to knowledge in the field.
- Demonstrate technical proficiency in research tools, data analysis, and academic inquiry relevant to International Studies.
- Scholarly Communication, Teaching, Public Engagement, and Social Impact Competency
- Communicate research findings and scholarly arguments clearly and persuasively in both written and oral forms, meeting the standards of academic discourse.
- Engage diverse academic and professional audiences by translating complex global issues into accessible, evidence-based analysis.
- Design and facilitate transformative learning experiences that democratize complex global knowledge and foster critical thinking across academic and community spaces.
- Ethical Leadership and Scholarly Citizenship Competency
- Demonstrate ethical responsibility and intellectual integrity in the production and use of scholarly knowledge
- Engage critically and constructively with national and global conversations on peace, justice, equality, and sustainable development
- Apply scholarly expertise to contribute to social change and the public good, consistent with Miriam College’s values of truth, justice, peace, and integrity of creation
These competencies can be assessed through a variety of methods, including:
- Seminar papers and position papers
- Concept mapping and theoretical framework exercises
- Class discussions and presentations
- Research outputs in course requirements
- Thesis proposal and writing
- Peer review exercises
- Reflective essays
- Community engagements or public scholarship exchanges
- Oral defense and thesis presentation
Total Program Units: 37 units
The following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are addressed by this program:
Potential Careers
Graduates of this program may pursue the following careers:
- Faculty, researcher, and curriculum developer in academia and higher education
- Policy analyst, research fellow, and program researcher in policy research institutes and Think Tanks
- Foreign service officer, policy researcher, legislative researcher, defense research officer in government
- Program officer, consultant, and M&E specialist in International Organizations and Networks
- Journalist, editor, and content developer in media and publishing
- Risk analyst, international affairs adviser, and trade analyst in the private sector
CURRICULUM SUMMARY
Courses | Units |
MC Required Course | 1 |
·        MSAA 6000 Miriam Spirituality and Advocacy | |
Core Courses | 12 |
1.     MAIS 6001 Theoretical Perspectives and Issues in International Studies 2.     MAIS 6002 Global Development Theories and Strategies 3.     MAIS 6003 International Peace and Security 4.     MAIS 6004 Global Political Economy | |
Specialization Courses | 12 |
1.     MIGA 7301 Global, Regional, and Multi-level Governance 2.     MGAS 7301 Gender Perspectives in Global Development 3.     MGAP 7302 Philippine Foreign Relations 4.     MGAP 7303 International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law | |
Cognate | 3 |
·        MECL 6001 Curriculum Design for Learning Innovation | |
Research Course | 3 |
·        MAIS 7701 Research Methods in International and Development Studies | |
Comprehensive Exams | 0 |
·        MAIS 7990 Comprehensive Exams |  |
Thesis | 6 |
1.     MAIS 7998 Master’s Thesis I 2.     MAIS 7999 Master’s Thesis II |  |
Total Number of Units | 37 |
