INPOL-MA - International Policy (MA)

The Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy (MIP), is an interdisciplinary program devoted to rigorous analysis of international policy issues in diplomacy, governance, cyber and international security, and environmental policy. It is a two-year, full-time degree program that awards the Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Policy. 

Unique for small, collaborative classes led by top Stanford faculty and seasoned practitioners, MIP’s core curriculum emphasizes political science, economics and international relations with a case study approach. The curriculum includes a strong practical component and several specialization areas of study that correspond to expertise found at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford (FSI).

In keeping with the university’s mission, MIP was established in 1982 to prepare the next generation of leaders for public and private sector careers in international policymaking and implementation. Its curriculum effectively draws upon FSI’s world-class faculty and multidisciplinary culture, breadth of teaching across theory and practice, and multidisciplinary research capacity, along with Stanford and Silicon Valley’s ethos of innovation. The program offers its master’s students a unique education to examine, understand, and solve complex real-world problems.

University requirements for the M.A. degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin. 

Per University policy, students enrolled in this MA program may not apply external credits towards their degree requirements. The University's general requirements, applicable to all graduate degrees at Stanford, are listed in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.

Coterm Policy: In this master’s program, courses taken three quarters prior to the first graduate quarter, or later, are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.

MIP is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the adviser and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the adviser and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity. Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.

Each student in the MIP program is assigned a faculty adviser as well as a program adviser and a career adviser. The faculty adviser, who is assigned in September of the student's first quarter of matriculation, is identified based on a student's interests and area of specialization. The expectation is that students meet with their faculty advisers on a quarterly basis, at minimum. Please note that it is the student's responsibility to schedule the advising meetings. In addition to the faculty adviser, the program adviser (i.e., MIP Assistant Director for Academic and Student Services) advises all students in the program by providing guidance and support on degree requirements and progress, academic policy interpretation and enforcement, degree program support, personal support, and other matters as needed. The career adviser (i.e., MIP Career Services and Alumni Affairs Manager) provides support on internships, careers, and professional development.

To expand, faculty advisers guide students in key areas such as exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways, understanding and interpreting the university ecosystem, and identifying ways to pursue one's interests at Stanford. MIP students should view the faculty adviser as an entry point to their interests, and they are actively encouraged to meet broadly with other faculty as well. 

Academic progress and student completion of program requirements and milestones are monitored by the MIP Assistant Director for Academic and Student Affairs and MIP Program Coordinator. Students are required to submit the MIP Program Proposal to the department during spring quarter of their first year of enrollment in the program (Note: this time frame is different from general University policy). The program proposal, which is a formal milestone, establishes a student's individual program of study to meet University and department degree requirements. Students are also required to submit the MIP Graduation Program Proposal no later than the quarter in which they apply to graduate. This is also a formal milestone that must be completed in order to be approved to graduate. The proposal forms are available on the MIP website. 

More detailed information on advising is available in the MIP Student Handbook. Additional information on graduate student forms are included in the handbook as well as under the “Degree Requirements” tab on this website.

The program adheres to the advising guidelines and responsibilities listed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) and in the Graduate Academic Policies (GAP).

The purpose of the master's program is to help students develop content knowledge, analytical and implementation skills, communication skills, and interpersonal skills in preparation for professional careers in international policy and related fields. This is achieved through completion of required courses in the core curriculum and area of specialization, elective courses in primary and related areas, and the capstone course. Students are also encouraged to gain experience through a summer internship and research skills through assistantships with Stanford faculty. Graduates from the Master of Arts in International Policy will demonstrate an advanced understanding of international issues pertaining to governance, security, diplomacy, and other related areas, and will have a depth of knowledge in interpreting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data.