Location:

Haifa, Israel

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Government

Program Overview

Program Description:

The dynamics of the contemporary, complex, interconnected and highly-charged international environment present new challenges for scholars, policy analysts and decision makers, both at the international level and in the context of the Middle East. Against this backdrop, the MA Program in Diplomacy Studies is intended to elucidate the role of diplomacy as a main vehicle and mechanism for systematically addressing the broad cluster of issues that impinge upon the entire region, and which can no longer be effectively dealt with exclusively from a narrow unilateral or bilateral vantage point. The focus on the role of collaborative diplomatic mechanisms is designed to provide students with insights derived from concepts and analytical tools taken from the disciplines of international relations theory, as well as from the fields of strategic studies, international economics and other related areas. The program is intended to enable students to identify effective solutions to a broad range of political, cultural and economic problems with which they will be faced and be continuously involved (both regionally and globally) as bureaucrats, officials and decision makers, in the context of an array of complex negotiating situations and points of decision. The one-year program is taught over three consecutive semesters from October through August. The language of instruction is English. Students pursuing the thesis track are required to complete their thesis within one year of completing their coursework. Program Outline All courses are required and will be completed over three consecutive semesters, each of which will comprise 12 hours of studies: 1. Semester A: Introductory courses in diplomatic studies, and diplomacy and communication. 2. Semester B: Three advanced seminars, which will apply the theoretical concepts and tools introduced and developed in the first semester. 3. Semester C: Implementation of the insights, concepts, theories and data provided in the first two semesters as the platform and springboard for simulating the actual dynamics of multilateral diplomacy. Emphasis will be placed on the role of diplomatic methods and strategies in the quest for conflict resolution and regional stability. This semester will include a workshop on the practice of public diplomacy, which will involve both practitioners and diplomats as an integral part of the workshop. An important element of the program will be the simulated analysis of concrete diplomatic decision games and action games. In the course of this simulation, the students will experiment with a range of diplomatic (and strategic) concepts, techniques and scenarios in a controlled and structured effort to emulate real-time crisis situations, with emphasis on the mechanisms and tools for mitigating and defusing them.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

The University of Haifa is an accredited university under the auspices of Israel's Ministry of Education and the Israeli Council for Higher Education and in accordance with the standards and criteria of North American and European Universities.

Financial Aid:

Yes

Requirements:

• An undergraduate degree in political science from an accredited university in Israel or abroad, diploma and transcript. Students in other disciplines will be considered provided they complete the academic prerequisites. • A minimum of 3.0 GPA, 80% or equivalent Academic Prerequisites Students who have not completed an undergraduate degree in political science will be required to successfully complete the following introductory courses before the first semester of the program: 1. Introduction to International Relations 2. Introduction to Political Science/Government

International Requirements:

TOEFL scores (if native language is not English or candidates have not previously studied at an institution of higher education where the language of instruction is English). A minimum of 570 (paper-based test); 230 (computer-based test) or 89 (internet-based test)