MASTER PROGRAM (M.A.)

Accepted its first students in Fall 2010, our MA program has been contributing to the specialization and education of professionals from both public and private sectors. Embedded in the multidisciplinary structure of Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Erciyes University, our MA program provides education and a creative atmosphere for those whose primary interest is a professional career in especially foreign affairs in public or private sectors and in wide range of topics such as the relationship between politics and economics or international law.

Our MA program does not offer any narrow specializations such as policy training or decision making in foreign affairs but it is rather designed to broaden students’ intellectual horizons by introducing them to a variety of conceptual perspectives on international relations and to a variety of substantive international issue through required and elective courses.With its highly qualified faculty members, our program offers courses such as International Organizations, Research Methods and Theories of International relations as required courses while it gives the students options of several elective courses such as International Political Economy, Women and International Relations, Turkish-American Relations, Religion and Politics and Middle East and International Relations. Students planning to apply to our program should check Course Information Package of Erciyes University for the most current lists of courses.

Besides academic excellence and merit, Department of IR and the design of our MA program values social values and diversity. Therefore, it aims to create an academic environment that contributes not only to the academic or professional excellence of our students but also contributes to their lives and societies. As of Fall 2020, with its more than 20 graduates, our program has added to the developments at both regional and global scales within different public and private sectors. With its more than 40 currently enrolled students including international students, it excels at helping students with their education goals with an interdisciplinary and dynamic understanding of changing dynamics of world affairs.

Program Requirements

Our MA program is designed as requiring students to fulfill the program requirements in a minimum 4 academic terms time. Depending on their coursework and research plans, students have the right to extend their studies to a maximum of 6 academic terms. Students are required to successfully complete minimum 10 courses and submit a thesis proposal to be approved by the faculty members of the field. Upon completing the required thesis proposal, students are required to successfully complete at least two semesters for Special Field Courses and Thesis Studies and write and defend a MA thesis. Students fulfilling the requirements graduate with a degree of Master of arts in International Relations which is required for PhD programs.

Admission Requirements

Students from International Relations, Political Science and other relevant majors can apply to be considered for the admission to IR MA program. Students with a major that is considered outside the relevant fields can only apply with the requirement of 1 year of Prior learning that is designed according to the general regulations of Erciyes University, Institute of Social Sciences. The program accepts applications for both Fall and Spring Semesters depending on general university, faculty and department decisions. Students who plan to apply for IR MA program are required to meet the following general requirements:

• A GPA of at least 55 (out of 100) or 2.00 (out of 4) and CC in letter grades.
• A score of minimum 55 (category of equally-weighted Verbal and Quantitative sections) Academic Personal and Post-Graduate Education Entrance Exam (ALES)
• Proficiency of English that is supported by a score of 40 from Foreign Language Exam (YDS- Yabanci Dil Sinavi) administered by The Council of Higher Education or an equivalent score from any foreign language exams accepted by Measuring, Selection and Placement Center (OSYM)

Applications are to be submitted to the Institute of Social Sciences—not Department of International Relations—and the institute ranks the applicants according to total score calculated as: 50% (ALES) + 30% (GPA) + 20% (YDS). Each application term, the Institute announces successful candidates and further details for registration.