Committee on International Relations
graduate program
The Committee on International Relations (CIR) is a Master of Arts graduate degree program in international relations at the Social Sciences Division at the University of Chicago. Founded in 1928, it is the oldest international relations graduate program in the United States.
History
The Committee on International Relations was founded in 1928 by a group of University of Chicago professors, including Hans Morgenthau and Quincy Wright. While CIR is known worldwide for one of the most distinguished programs in the study of international security, CIR faculty and students are also well known for academic work in international political economy, international institutions, globalization, international law, human rights, comparative politics, development and regional studies.
The program
The combination of intellectual diversity and analytical strength provide a stimulating environment for CIR students. The small size and intellectual rigor of the program ensure that students with differing perspectives will challenge each other and come to a more sophisticated understanding of the complicated interaction between the realities of international politics and international economics. The program provides excellent preparation for students, whether they choose to continue their graduate studies in leading PhD programs, or decide to work in government or the private sector.
Each CIR graduate student is assigned a preceptor based on their own disciplinary and research interests in international relations, such as war, regional studies, or international economics.
Coursework
Students take three credited courses per quarter, which constitutes a full-load at the University of Chicago. Of the nine total courses, two are required "Core" classes, including a course on international security and another on international political economy.
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