MA in Political Science - International Relations in Davis United States | University of California Davis

This advanced degree program delivers comprehensive training in both substantive knowledge and methodological skills within political science, fostering close faculty-student collaborations. The curriculum offers five specialization areas: American government, cross-national politics, global affairs, political philosophy, and research methods. Participants can alternatively design a customized interdisciplinary track. With intentionally limited Ph.D. admissions, the program cultivates strong mentoring relationships through joint research and teaching experiences, preparing scholars for academic positions across political science and related fields. Alumni successfully secure placements at prestigious research institutions, undergraduate-focused colleges, government agencies, and policy consulting firms. Substantial research funding supports both independent and team-based scholarly projects.

What triggers international conflicts? How do economic and migration flows evolve? Which counterterrorism measures prove effective? Does the "enemy of my enemy" principle hold true? How do military engagements shape leadership decisions and electoral outcomes? UC Davis scholars and students investigate these pivotal global affairs questions through cutting-edge research. Moving beyond traditional state-centric analyses, our approach explores the dynamic interplay between domestic and international factors, studying global conflicts, transnational cooperation, and world economic systems. Our methodological toolkit includes game theory, social network analysis, cognitive approaches, and behavioral models. Faculty regularly co-author publications with graduate researchers while maintaining strong interdisciplinary connections. Our work utilizes diverse empirical techniques ranging from quantitative statistics to qualitative case studies, computational modeling to experimental designs. We aim to address pressing global challenges while critically reevaluating established international relations theories through innovative, rigorous scholarship.