albany.edu/rockefeller | [email protected] | 518. 442. 5244BRIAN GREENHILL
Interim Director of the Master of International A airs Program
Rockefeller College of Public A airs & Policy
University at AlbanyRockefeller College at
UAlbany: Preparing
Students for a Rapidly-
Changing World
In what ways does Rockefeller College’s Master of
International A airs (MIA) program di er from other
international a airs programs?
We offer our students a highly fl exible program that
can be tailored to suit their particular goals. Our classes
tend to be small, usually with fewer than fi fteen students
in a classroom. In order to accommodate the needs of
working professionals, we offer all of our core courses
in the evenings. These courses are designed in a way
that allows students who may be out of town to join
the class by videoconference. The program’s location
in Albany, the state capital of New York, offers many
advantages: we’re within easy reach of global hubs,
such as New York City and Washington, DC, but by
being in a smaller city, we’re able to offer our students
a program that is much more affordable than others
in terms of both tuition and living costs.
How do the courses taught in the program re¥ ect the
changing nature of global politics?
Many of the features of the international system
that had been taken for granted in the post-Cold
War era have been thrown into doubt as a result of
recent political developments. Our faculty are able
to bring their extensive expertise in the worlds of
academia and policymaking to help students make
sense of these changes. For instance, in my seminar
on global environmental politics, we spend a lot of
time discussing attempts to address climate change
through mechanisms that lie outside of conventional
state-to-state diplomacy—for example, through
transnational networks of cities, such as the C40, or
through market-based mechanisms. Many members
of our faculty have had years of experience working
with organizations, such as the U.S. Department of
Defense, the United Nations, or the World Bank,
among many others. They teach courses that address
contemporary issues, such as the global refugee crisis,
cybersecurity, economic underdevelopment, and the
rise of transnational terrorist movements.How does your program help to develop the skills that
students will need to succeed in a rapidly changing
international environment?
Our MIA is, fi rst and foremost, a professional degree.
It’s designed to prepare students for careers in
international affairs, and the design of our program
refl ects this. The courses are taught in a way that
emphasizes practical skills, such as writing policy
memos and effectively presenting complex material
to diverse groups of decision-makers. We also train all
of our students in the statistical and computational
skills that are required to succeed in an increasingly
data-driven fi eld.What support is o ered to students trying to nd
careers in international a airs?
Rockefeller College alumni have an excellent placement
record, thanks in large part to the emphasis we place
on helping to develop our students’ skills in preparing
for a competitive job market. All of our students are
required to take a professional development course
in their fi rst year. We also offer one-on-one coaching
to help students develop their résumés, prepare for
interviews, and make connections through Rockefeller’s
extensive alumni network.25SPONSORED SECTION