The Institute of Public Policy
Faculty
Professors:Aaronson, Baker, Bowen, Button, Dinan, Finkelstein, Fukuyama,
Fuller, Gholz, Gulledge, Haynes, High, Hill, Kash, Lipset, Malawer, Perry, Rodrigo,
Sibley, Stough, Tolchin, Van Schaik, Warfield
Research and Visiting Faculty Abdalla, Anderson, Armor, Bloch, Bracey,
Bradshaw, R. Brown, Buccino, Chung, Cioffi, Cook, Davis, Diness, Espinosa, Furger,
Garreau, Gholz, Hall, Hamilton, Holland, Hennessey, W. Johnson, Keenan, Kehoe, Kulkarni,
Melmed, Morange, Paelinck, Ratchford, Regan, Rikhye, Roberts, Rose, Schintler, Shin,
Siegel, Sirinakis, Sommer, Song, Stadtler, Velasco
Adjunct Faculty Adams, Alexander, Bensimon, Blau, W. Brown, Clawson, Gaske,
Gianturco, Haendel, Hirsch, Jones, Kahan, Kelley, Novins, Nuechterlein, Oh, Patterson,
Perito, Robinson, Rogowsky, Shaikh, Stephenson, Thompson, Van Atta, Van Oudenaren,
Van Schaik, Vickery, Volpe, Wallace, Weadon, Winig, Yoshida
Course Work
The Institute of Public Policy offers courses designated PUBP
and ITRN in the Course Descriptions section of this
catalog. Further academic courses are offered in conjunction with the research activities
of the Center for Regional Analysis, the Entrepreneurship Center, the Center for
the Advancement of Public Health, and the Electronic Commerce Research Center.
Graduate Degree (Ph.D.) in Public Policy
heavy emphasis on the combined influence of technology, culture, and institutions
on public policy. Participants in the program investigate the increasing tension
between rapidly changing technological capabilities driven by science and engineering
and the less fluid elements of culture and institutions. The program places great
emphasis on original research focused on important problems and issues in public
policy.
The Ph.D. program is organized around faculty research interests in technology-driven
organizational change. Concentrations in the program are science and technology policy;
evolutionary systems and economic policy; regional development policy; society, values,
and policy; governance and public management policy; and organizational informatics.
To investigate the policy issues associated with substantive policy areas, students
develop in-depth understanding of American institutions, values, and culture; competence
in research methods and advanced analytical methodologies; and a comparative, international
perspective. At the time of admission, each student is assigned a faculty mentor
who will assist in designing and developing the student's program.
The Institute of Public Policy (TIPP), within which the Ph.D. in Public Policy
program is housed, has the investigation of alternative approaches to policy as a
primary interest. This interest results from a view that the rapid changes resulting
from modern technology require modification both in the substance of public policy
and in the way public policy is made. A goal of the program is to contribute to conceptual
developments that will allow policy modifications to occur while protecting the fundamental,
pluralistic, and democratic character of policy making in the United States.
Admission Requirements
The program seeks students with exceptional potential for accumulating, sorting,
analyzing, and communicating information and findings effectively. Public policy
is inherently complex and value laden. In the end, high-quality policy analysis requires
thoughtful and judicious management of complex and incommensurate information, both
quantitative and qualitative. Thus, the program seeks students who can manage and
integrate both kinds of information and produce convincing, well-organized, written
syntheses. The ideal Ph.D. program applicant intends to be a full-time student and
has demonstrated capabilities in research and writing, basic mathematical skills
roughly equal to the first semester of calculus and a competence in statistics, some
background in economics, and a theoretical and working knowledge of public policy
processes. Applicants with strong records who are deficient in one or more of these
areas may be admitted to the program and will receive assistance in making up deficiencies.
Part-time study is also possible for those able to commit to a demanding program.
Specific entrance requirements include the following:
- A master's degree from an accredited institution with a grade point average of
3.000 or better
- Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (verbal and quantitative
sections) or the General Management Aptitude Test (GMAT)
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty at the prospective student's previous
institutions or from persons acquainted with policy-relevant work
- A two-page written statement of the student's interest in and goals for advanced
public policy study
- A resume or vita
- A writing sample such as a technical report, professional publication, or term
or seminar paper
Deadlines
The application deadline for students desiring financial aid is April 1. The deadline
for all other students is May 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring
semester.
Degree Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of 82 credits of course work, of which
no more than 24 credits may be dissertation credits. Up to 30 credits from a prior
master's degree may be applied toward the doctoral requirements at the discretion
of the graduate program director. Credit is not given for comprehensive examinations
passed at other universities.
Specific course work requirements for the doctorate include four core courses
in research and analytic methods and three in foundational policy topics, three courses
divided among two of the areas of program concentration (typically the first course
in each of two areas and the second in one of them), and a three-course sequence
in advanced methodology tailored to the student's research needs and interests. This
sequence is determined in collaboration with the student's advisor and the graduate
program director and typically draws widely from courses offered throughout the university
as well as in the program.
At the completion of the first academic year of full-time study, students must
pass a qualifying examination that evaluates their mastery of the first year's material
and their ability to integrate that material in addressing important and complex
public policy problems and issues. The program also requires that students pass a
field examination structured around their specific field of proposed doctoral research,
typically in the second or third year of study. Other requirements include the successful
preparation and defense of both a doctoral research proposal and the ensuing dissertation.
International Transactions, M.A.
The Master of Arts in International Transactions is an innovative graduate program
for current and aspiring private- and public-sector professionals who seek the knowledge
and skills to be effective in an increasingly complex global marketplace.
The interdisciplinary course of study is designed to provide the practical tools
to compete in the world marketplace. Unlike a traditional international relations
master's degree, the program focuses on the global economy, but unlike a business
school, it covers the politics, culture, and technologies of the global marketplace.
The core faculty draws on the strengths of TIPP. It is supplemented by a large
number of adjunct faculty who bring a wealth of practical knowledge and experience
to the program. They are drawn from such agencies as the Department of Commerce,
Office of the United States Trade Representative, International Trade Commission,
State Department, as well as from the private sector.
Courses are offered in the evenings and Saturdays to fit the schedules of busy
professionals. In addition to classroom study at George Mason, the program emphasizes
experiential learning. It supports student internships, cooperative planning, and
research activities with private- and public-sector employers, as well as a variety
of study abroad experiences. For instance, the program has a special arrangement
with Saint Peter's College, Oxford University, which permits qualified students to
study at Oxford during the summer session. Additional study abroad opportunities
are available in Asia and Latin America.
Admission Requirements
Students from many academic disciplines and personal backgrounds provide a lively
and diverse student body for the program. To enter the program as a degree candidate,
a student must meet the following minimum requirements:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- A GPA of 3.000 or higher in the last 60 credits of undergraduate work
- A completed graduate application, along with official transcripts from all colleges
and universities attended
- A resume
- An expanded goals statement
- Two letters of recommendation, preferably from academic institutions
Results of either the GRE or GMAT taken within the last five years are strongly
recommended.
Students whose first language is not English, or who have not received a degree
from an English-speaking institution, must achieve a score of 575 or higher on the
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). While students from any major may
apply, applicants are expected to have some knowledge of economics, preferably at
least one undergraduate economics class.
Degree Requirements
The M.A. program requires 42 credits of course work. All degree candidates must
take 24 credits of work in the required courses, as described below. The remaining
course work encompasses electives, and a final project, internships, independent
studies, or study abroad. These should be chosen in consultation with an advisor,
and related to the student's career objectives. Most electives are grouped into five
themes: international finance; international business operations; international trade
relations; peacekeeping operations; and science, trade, and technology policy. Many
students opt to focus their studies on a particular region, policy issue, or business
sector.
Courses
Fast-Track Core Curriculum
The M.A. program is based upon a cohort system, in which each entering class must
take the same sequence of courses for the first half of the program. The curriculum
for this sequence of eight courses is designed as a single unit. All eight required
courses will be offered in both fall and spring semesters, with electives concentrated
in the summer. Besides allowing class members to get to know each other well, this
system ensures that students have adequate background for higher level courses, and
allows the faculty to plan the required core courses as a coherent group.
The first courses in the fast-track core are ITRN 500 and ITRN 503. ITRN 500,
Approaches to International Transactions, uses a case method of instruction to help
students understand the interactions of business, finance, technology, and governments
in the world economy. ITRN 503, Economic and Mathematical Concepts for International
Transactions, introduces international economics. The course focuses on macroeconomic
theory and its application to international finance, and is integrated with the ITRN
500 case studies. (Students with significant prior study or experience in economics
and analysis may be exempted from ITRN 503.)
Students then take the remaining six core courses that provide critical research,
analytical, and communications skills, as well as an introduction to the complex
environment of international transactions. ITRN 504, Economic Analysis for International
Transactions, focuses on microeconomic theory and its application to international
trade. ITRN 601, Research and Analysis Methods for International Transactions, is
a methodology course. These courses provide conceptual grounding in economic analysis,
as well as practical skills in identifying, acquiring, and analyzing qualitative
and quantitative data related to international trade, finance, and business operations.
All students also must take ITRN 502, Comparative Political Institutions, on American
political institutions and those of America's major trading partners in Europe, Asia,
and Latin America.
Students must take at least two of the following three courses: ITRN 602, International
Financial Institutions and Globalization; ITRN 603, International Trade Relations;
or ITRN 604, International Trade and Technology.
The last core course is ITRN 605, International Transactions and Culture, which
examines different cultural perspectives. The course combines readings, research,
and lectures with small-group discussions led by a multicultural team of faculty.
Elective Courses
Students take five elective courses that deepen their knowledge of international
transactions and provide practical skills they can employ in the workplace. Students
may select electives from 700-level courses, or from courses offered by other university
departments, institutes, and centers, with the approval of an advisor. Internships
and other practical experience are strongly recommended. A maximum of 3 credits in
the final 12 credits of the program are given for internships and independent studies.
In addition, students are strongly urged to participate in at least one study abroad
program.
Typical Course Selections
The following are examples of courses that students with a particular interest might
take, after completing the required fast-track core curriculum.
International Finance
A student with an interest in international finance issues and operations would take
ITRN 602, International Financial Institutions and Globalization, and five electives,
such as the following:
ITRN 604 International Trade and Technology
ITRN 701 Special Topics in International Transactions: Commodities Transactions
ITRN 701 Pricing in International Transactions
ITRN 710 International Business Transactions: Finance and Investment
ITRN 711 Regulation of International Transactions
International Business Operations
A student with an interest in international business would take ITRN 602, International
Financial Institutions and Globalization, or ITRN 603, International Trade Relations,
and five electives, such as the following:
ITRN 709 International Business Transactions: Marketing and Distribution
ITRN 711 Regulation of International Transactions
ITRN 753 State and Local Strategies for Trade and Development
ITRN 758 Global Market Planning Practicum
ITRN 759 Trade Licensing, Controls, and Documentation
International Trade Relations
A student with an interest in international trade relations would take ITRN 603,
International Trade Relations, and five electives such as the following:
ITRN 701 Special Topics in International Transactions: International Trade Law
and Regulation
ITRN 720 Regional and Supranational Organizations
ITRN 750 Trade and Politics in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union
ITRN 751 Trade, Investment, and Politics in the Western Hemisphere
ITRN 766 Trade and Investment in the Middle East and North Africa
Science, Trade, and Technology Policy
In cooperation with the Center for Science, Trade, and Technology Policy, the M.A.
program offers a concentration in this field. Students in this concentration take
ITRN 604, International Trade and Technology, and five electives, such as the following:
ITRN 701 Special Topics in International Transactions: Global Political Economy
of Cyberspace
ITRN 701 Special Topics in International Transactions: Trade and Development: Technology
Regions
ITRN 754 International Commercialization of Space
ITRN 718 Japan's International Trade and Technology
ITRN 772 International Telecommunications
Regional Perspectives on International Transactions
The M.A. program offers students the opportunity to focus their studies on one or
more global regions.
In cooperation with the Center for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, the program
offers a concentration in Asian-Pacific trade and investment. For this concentration,
a student might take the following:
ITRN 701 Special Topics in International Transactions: Economic Crisis in Asia
ITRN 702 Special Topics in International Transactions: Study Abroad (summer study
in China; 6 credits)
ITRN 718 Japan's International Trade and Technology
ITRN 764 Trade, Investment, and Politics in East Asia
A student who wants to focus on the implications of European integration for international
trade might take ITRN 603, International Trade Relations, and then five electives,
such as the following:
ITRN 702 Special Topics in International Transactions: Study Abroad (Oxford University
summer program; 6 credits)
ITRN 716 European Union in the International System
ITRN 752 International Business Lobbying in the United States, Europe, and Japan
ITRN 761 European Political and Economic Union
Other Electives
In addition to a regular series of electives on policy issues, business skills, and
regional perspectives, the M.A. program offers a continually changing series of courses
on current topics under ITRN 701, Special Topics in International Transactions. Recent
examples of such course offerings include Global Trade Policy, Transactions with
Developing Nations, Evolution of Trade Law, Economic Crisis in Asia, Information,
Cities and Network Economies, ABCs of Importing and Exporting, North-South Transactions,
and International Business Issues in Telecommunications.
Final Project or Comprehensive Exam
All students must integrate their knowledge and skills in a final project or a comprehensive
exam. This is required for graduation and is assigned three credits. The project
includes a 40-page research paper that draws together the key themes from the program.
Certificate Programs
The university offers four certificate programs in international transactions
in global trade management, managing organizations in the international arena, international
business planning, and regional trade, policy, and planning. The programs are open
to those with a master's degree who seek continuing education and fresh skills to
remain competitive in an increasingly complex global economy. The certificates are
awarded after completion of 15 credits.
Related Degree Program
TIPP offers a concentration in regional economic development and technology within
the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. Refer to the Interdisciplinary Studies
section of the College of Arts and Sciences chapter.
Joint M.P.A./Ph.D. Admissions
Students with outstanding academic records and a clear interest in public policy
research may be eligible for this program. For more information, contact the program
coordinator at (703) 993-3183.
Special Programs
TIPP sponsors a variety of specialized seminars and short courses throughout the
year, including an annual program on the Future of the Northern Virginia Economy.
In preparation is a new series of specialized flexible courses in science, trade,
and technology policy.
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