This is an archived copy of the 2020-21 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.utexas.edu/.

Global Policy Studies

Master of Global Policy Studies
 

For More Information

Campus address: Sid Richardson Hall (SRH) 3.107, phone (512) 471-4292, fax (512) 471-8455; campus mail code: E2700

Mailing address: The University of Texas at Austin, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, P O Box Y, Austin TX 78713

E-mail: lbjadmit@uts.cc.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/

Facilities for Graduate Work

The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs is housed in Sid Richardson Hall, adjacent to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum.

The school’s computation center maintains a computer laboratory and provides access to the Internet and to the University’s computer infrastructure. The laboratory is reserved for public affairs students and is available 24 hours a day.

Areas of Study

The graduate program in Global Policy Studies is designed to provide students with the tools and knowledge necessary to be leaders in an increasingly interdependent world. The program offers a multidisciplinary approach to studying the complex economic, political, technological, and social issues of the twenty-first century. Students pursuing the Master of Global Policy Studies select a specialization in security, law, and diplomacy; international trade and finance; development; global governance and international law; international energy, environment, and technology; or regional international policy. Students may also propose their own specialization, which is subject to approval.

Graduate Studies Committee

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) in the spring 2020 semester.


Joshua W Busby
Robert M Chesney
David J Eaton
Raissa Fabregas Robles Gil
Kenneth Flamm
James K Galbraith
William Inboden
Bobby R Inman
Peniel E Joseph
Donald Kettl
Alan J Kuperman
Erin Lentz
Ji Ma
Sheila M Olmstead
Todd A Olmstead
Cynthia Osborne
Varun Rai
Lorinc Redei
Victoria E Rodriguez
Jaganath Sankaran
William G Spelman
David W Springer
Chandler W Stolp
Jeremi Suri
Peter Ward
Andrew Waxman
Catherine Elizabeth Weaver
Patrick P Wong

Admissions Requirements

Admission decisions are made by the Admissions Committee. The committee considers applicants' academic and employment records, their scores on the Graduate Record Examinations General Test, three letters of recommendation from professors or employers, and a statement of purpose addressing the applicant’s background and interest in public policy. A résumé and transcripts for all college coursework are also required. 

While there are no prescribed course prerequisites, students entering the Master of Global Policy Studies program are expected to have completed undergraduate coursework in statistics. In addition, many students find the following courses to be useful: two semesters of principles of economics, at least one semester of undergraduate international relations or world history, and one semester of calculus. 

Additional information on degree requirements and the application process is available from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs website.

Degree Requirements

In residence program. The curriculum for the Master of Global Policy Studies consists of 49 hours of coursework. In addition to required coursework in the student’s specialization, the curriculum combines courses in the development of global policy and principles of international relations, microeconomics, analytical methods, international economics, and a crisis management seminar with a practical applications sequence that includes a client-oriented policy research project and professional writing courses. Field experience is appropriate in most specializations and may be satisfied with a formal internship course, a noncredit internship experience, or other international field study. A typical 49 semester-hour program of study includes seven one-semester, three-hour core courses; a one-hour core course; at least one two-semester policy research project; electives; and an individual writing requirement.

Students must fulfill all academic requirements within six years of their entrance into the program. Most students are expected to complete the program in two years of full-time study.

DC program. The DC program option offers a master’s student a unique two-semester curriculum in federal policymaking relating to international affairs thereby facilitating entry into federal careers. The track requires completion of 45 semester hours of coursework. Students attend The University of Texas at Austin their first two semesters, taking 24 semester credit hours. After the first year, students will spend the summer and fall in Washington, DC. Coursework will include a unique apprenticeship opportunity in a public or non-profit agency based on the student’s area of policy. 

Dual Degree Programs

Master of Global Policy Studies/Master of Public Health

The graduate program in Global Policy Studies offers a dual degree program with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health (UTSPH). Applicants must apply separately and be admitted to both the Master of Global Policy Studies program at The University of Texas at Austin and the Master of Public Health at UTSPH. Students accepted into the dual degree program complete the three-year program of work in both schools. The degrees are conferred separately by each institution. Additional information is available from the director of admissions at the LBJ School.

The Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs offers the following dual degree programs in cooperation with other divisions of the University. More information is available from the graduate adviser in each program.

Field(s) of Study Degree(s)
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Energy and earth resourcesMaster of Arts
Information studiesMaster of Science in Information Studies
JournalismMaster of Arts
Journalism and media*Master of Arts
Latin American studiesMaster of Arts
Middle Eastern studiesMaster of Arts
Russian, East European, Eurasian studiesMaster of Arts