2018 Launching a Career in International Affairs
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NYU School of Professional Studies
Center for Global Affairs
A command of advanced technology tools and the flexibility to adapt to a fast-changing international security landscape are among the key skills emphasized for master’s degree students at the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Center for Global Affairs (CGA).
We want to make sure we think about not only where the world is, but also where the world is going, to really ensure that we have a curriculum that remains ahead of the curve.With the growing complexity of transnational security threats and humanitarian crises, international affairs professionals need to wield increasingly sophisticated tools, notes Carolyn Kissane, clinical associate professor and academic director of the CGA’s MS in Global Affairs.
“The market is definitely demanding more analytics skills,” Kissane says. “There’s a very deep focus on being able to work with data and being able not only to consume it and make sense of it, but also to translate and work with it. That shows up in changes we’ve made in our curriculum to ensure that our students are as competitive as possible.”
All MS in Global Affairs students take a required analytics skills course, which increasingly emphasizes quantitative skills. The program also added optional classes in applied statistics three years ago and advanced statistics this year. “We are finding that more and more students are electing to take those courses,” Kissane says.
Students this year may also participate in a workshop on Global Information Systems (GIS), which use data to improve understanding and decision-making in transnational security, international development, humanitarian aid, and other fields. In Fall 2018, CGA will begin offering a semester-long course in GIS.
Such offerings have a clear impact on job opportunities. For example, Bloomberg New Energy Finance recently offered a full-time position to one of its MS in Global Affairs interns, based in part on his ability to handle big data in the context of power markets. An impressive 94.9 percent of students from the NYUSPS Class of 2016 were employed within six months of graduation.
Students in the MS program may also specialize in cyber policy and security to combat transnational scourges such as cybercrime, illegal weapons sales, misuse of cryptocurrencies, and other potential threats related to financial technologies. A new “fintech” course set for Fall 2018 will explore trends such as the use of blockchain technology in development and more.
A class in global electricity markets hones students’ interest in improving services for the 1.2 billion people who lack reliable access to energy. Other courses focus on clean energy technology, the links between climate change and security, and technological approaches to making the world’s burgeoning urban areas more livable.
Carolyn Kissane
CGA prepares students to adapt to a changing professional landscape throughout their careers and aims to ensure they develop exemplary written, oral, and interpersonal communications skills.
“We want to make sure we think about not only where the world is, but also where the world is going, to really ensure that we have a curriculum that remains ahead of the curve,” Kissane says.
Students can learn about internship opportunities and explore career options through CGA career workshops and can attend panel discussions with international professionals in different sectors. The NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development at the NYU School of Professional Studies posts job listings, connects students with alumni and mentors, and more.
Career Services
NYU School of Professional Studies, Center for Global Affairs
sps.nyu.edu/cga
NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development at the NYU School of Professional Studies
sps.nyu.edu/wasserman
Contacts
Cynthia Perez, Director of Admissions
[email protected]
212-998-7100
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