UNBC’s innovative and interdisciplinary Master’s degree in International Studies has three main streams: regional relations, international development, and global environmental policy. Students may pursue other subject areas provided the requisite faculty expertise can be identified. This program is managed jointly by the International Studies and Economics programs, with co-operation from faculty in Political Science, History, Geography, and Environmental Studies.

The regional relations stream encompasses a broad range of concerns. We have particular expertise in the Asia-Pacific, the Circumpolar North, Russia, the Americas, Canada’s external relations, international institutions and aspects of international security. (The program does not focus to any significant extent on regional relations in such other areas as the Middle East, South Asia or Africa.)

The focus of the international development stream is to provide students with an understanding of the global forces and actors affecting developing countries, of the dimensions of human well-being and the strategies for their improvement in developing countries, and of the theoretical and practical tools used in applied development analysis.

The global environmental policy stream encompasses policies and institutional arrangements to manage transboundary, regional, and global ecological problems, such as ozone depletion, acid rain, climate change, and northern and Arctic resources. Another emphasis is the harmonization of environment and economic development in the poor and industrializing nations of the South.

International language training (in languages other than English and French), internship, co-op, and study abroad experiences can be incorporated into the program. Recognizing the importance of language and culture, the International Studies program currently offers undergraduate courses in introductory and intermediate Japanese, Russian and Mandarin, and these are open to graduate students.

Entry to the program can be in September or January. Financial assistance in the form of teaching assistantships is available to some full-time students, in accordance with University regulations.

Click here for requirements to the International Studies (MA) Program