MIR

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• MIR
• MASTER
• OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
• 5 YEARS EUROPEAN ACCREDITATION FROM AQAAA
  (Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation
  Austria)

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Goals

• The aim of the Masters Degree in International
  Relations is to train experts and young
  professionals capable of taking on challenging
  jobs and playing leadership roles in the
  international arena. The overarching goals of the
  MIR program are
• to promote excellence in the study of
  international relations and regional studies
• to train professionals capable of taking on
  challenging jobs and playing leadership roles in
  the international arena and
• to provide a solid foundation for scholars who
  want to pursue doctoral study and research in
  international relations.

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Objectives

• The objectives of MIR program are
• to provide students with graduate-level knowledge
  and analytical skills needed for employment in
  public, no-profit, and private organizations with
  an international orientation as well as
  government agencies and higher education
  institution and
• to educate graduate students for ethical service
  to their society and the broader regional and
  international community.
• to prepare graduates for doctoral studies in
  areas relevant to international relations

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Learning Objectives

• The MIR programs learning objectives are to
  ensure that graduates have
• A satisfactory knowledge of
• the major paradigms of international relations
• the nature of the international system and its
  relationship to individuals, socio-economic and
  cultural groups, states, international
  organizations, international law, global civil
  society, and private multinational corporations
• the economic perspectives on global,
  international and regional governance
• ethics as they apply to international affairs
• international organizations and their management
  and leadership, and the impact of development
  paradigms on political, social and cultural
  changes
• Central Asian security issues, geopolitics,
  economics and integration in the international
  and global system
• And the necessary cognitive, inter-personal and
  self-management skills to
• undertake supervised independent research,
  involving the synthesis and application of
  theoretical constructs to topics in the fields of
  international relations, international political
  economy, developmental studies, and regional
  studies with a specific focus on Central Asia
• communicate ideas and information clearly and
  effectively in written and oral English
• use information technology for the retrieval,
  analysis and presentation of information and
• work effectively with others in the pursuit of
  common objectives.

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Intended Learning Outcomes

• At the successful completion of this Program,
  graduates will be able to
• 1. identify and analyze the structure and
  fundamental dynamic processes of the
  international system
• 2. describe and articulate the major paradigms
  and theoretical perspectives within the
  discipline
• 3. explain the behavior and interactions of the
  primary actors within the international system,
  so as to be able to construct basic models of
  policy decision-making
• 4. discuss and appraise the impact of culture,
  history, geography, and power and wealth
  differentials on the formulation of foreign
  policies of different states
• 5. appraise the impact of social classes, ethnic
  groups, social/political movements and interest
  groups on the formation of foreign policy in
  various states
• 6. evaluate the role of global institutions,
  international law, and fundamental values or
  ethical considerations in the formulation of
  foreign policy
• 7. utilize the skills and knowledge noted above
  to frame the policies of Kazakhstan and other
  Central Asian states in a global context and
• 8. conduct original research and develop the
  capacity to communicate that knowledge via
  written and oral presentations at a satisfactory
  level in English.

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CURRICULUM

• Requirements for the MIR
• Program Foundation courses
• ? 13 credits 24 ECTS
• Program Major courses
• ? 24 credits 40 ECTS
• Internship
• ? 4 credits 5 ECTS
• Thesis
• ? 6 credits 20 ECTS
• Comprehensive Exam
• ? 1 credit 1 ECTS
• Total Required for Graduation 48 credits 90 ECTS

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Program-specific Prerequisite Coursework

• EITHER
• POL2511 Fundamentals of Political Science
• OR
• IRL2512 Fundamentals of International Relations
• The prerequisites may be waived at the discretion
  of the departmental Curriculum Committee if
  completed during the course of undergraduate
  study (or if part of the agreement with partner
  universities).

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Program Foundation required courses (13 credits
equivalent to 24 ECTS)
Course Code Course Title Credits ECTS
IRL 5010.2 Professional Foreign Language for International Relations 2 3
IRL 5536.2 Management of International Institutions and Organizations 2 3
IRL5517 Political Psychology and International Relations 3 3
IRL5513 Theories of International Relations 3 10
IRL5515 International Political Economy 3 5
TOTAL 13 24
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Program Major Required courses (15 credits ? 25
ECTS)

• Students need to take
• All courses from Group A
• - Central Asia in Global Politics
• - Ethics in International Affairs
• - Research Methods/Thesis I
• One course from Group B
• - Developmental Studies
• - International Institutions and Law
• One course from group C
• - Master Seminar in Regional Studies
• - Master Seminar in International Relations

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Program Major Elective courses (9 credits ? 15
ECTS)

• Students need to take any 3 of the following
  elective courses
• - Asian Security Theory and Practice
• - Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy in the
  Post-Communist World
• - Emerging Powers and Markets
• - Political Geography
• - History of International Relations
• - Government and Politics in Central Asia
• - Russian Foreign Policy
• - Petro Politics
• - Central Asia Russia Relations
• - Central Asia United States Relations
• - European Union Politics and Foreign Policy
• - Foreign Policy Doctrines and Strategies
• - Master Seminar in Regional Studies (if not
  taken as major required)
• - Master Seminar in International Relations (if
  not taken as major required)

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Other requirements (11 credits ? 26 ECTS)

• Internship
• Thesis II
• State Exam
• Thesis III
• The State Exam and Thesis III should be taken
  after completion of all other courses

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IMRCEES Students

• 30 ECTS courses to be chosen among the elective
  courses focusing on Eurasia (each course is 5
  ECTS). It is strongly recommended to take
  Central Asia in Global Politics, Master Seminar
  in IR and Master Seminar in Regional Studies 3
  more courses (with a language option Russian or
  Kazakh at different levels)
• - Thesis III