Rutgers initiates first Master’s program with United Nations concentration

In the past, becoming a fire chief in New York did not require a bachelor’s degree. Today, even a bachelor’s is not enough. 

Eric Davis, vice chair for Graduate Studies in the Department of Political Science, said employers demand both professional skills and technical knowledge in today’s increasingly competitive job market. 

“The M.A. is the new B.A.,” Davis said. 

Aiming to provide more employment opportunities for its students, the Department of Political Science will launch a new master’s program with a concentration in United Nations studies. The program will begin this upcoming Fall semester and is the first of its type in the United States. 

The goal is not necessarily to train future U.N. workers, but to prepare students for jobs in the nonprofit, legal and government sectors by developing professional skills in global policy analysis. 

Joanna Regulska, vice president for International and Global Affairs at the Center for Global Advancement and International Affairs, said the program looks to strengthen Rutgers’ existing relationship with the U.N. 

Rutgers is one out of 27 universities worldwide that was chosen for association with the U.N. Department of Public Information in 2009. 

“The program is to provide an understanding of how the U.N. works and how it is engaging with global affairs around the world through these specific issues,” Regulska said. 

The program will focus on the U.N.’s eight Millennium Development Goals: sustainable development, gender equity, peace and security, improving maternal health, combating HIV and AIDS and achieving universal primary education. The MDGs have a target achievement date of 2015.

“What we’re trying to do is integrate the scholarly and the applied,” Davis said, “We will be bringing in practitioners from non-governmental organizations and the U.N. as guest lecturers to give students both an academic and policy-oriented framework.” 

The program is unique because it offers a liberal arts degree instead of a professional one. While a professional degree is terminal, this program allows students to pursue a Ph.D. 

GAIA has been hosting conferences with U.N. staff members and gauging student interest, finding that there is a high demand for topics in national security and gender equality, Regulska said.

Focusing on these areas, the program will introduce new courses such as “International Terrorism and the Arab Spring” this fall, while current courses in the department such as “Human Rights, Genocide and Personal Security” will be absorbed into the curriculum. 

Many students find these subjects relevant to their lives and the current global political climate. 

For Ahmadullah Archiwal, a current graduate student in the Department of Political Science, it was always a dream to pursue a career in political science. 

“As an Afghan, I come from a tolerant culture, but unfortunately, our culture has often been misrepresented,” said Archiwal, who is currently visiting Afghanistan and wants to become a diplomat in the future. 

Professors in both Newark and New Brunswick are participating in the planning process, which allows the Department of Political Science to develop a faculty of the best international relations scholars Rutgers has to offer. 

Experts include Jean-Marc Coicaud, the director of Division of Global Affairs, who previously served as director of the U.N. University Office at the U.N. Headquarters in New York City. 

Daniel Maniscalco, a political science major in the School of Arts and Sciences, has enrolled in the program. He chose this program because it was the most affordable option. 

For in-state students, tuition is $1,955 per 3-credit course, a highly competitive price in the New Jersey and New York academic market, Davis said.