Curriculum

The University of Miami’s Master of Arts in International Administration (MAIA) program is a graduate degree designed to prepare students for careers in the administration of public and private organizations. On this page you will find our curriculum for the general concentration. The MAIA program is proud to offer four additional concentrations students can pursue. Please visit our concentrations page for additional information.

• IGS 611 - International Organizations

  This course covers the entire spectrum of international organizations, and the theoretical and practical issues related to international organizations. These issues include peace and security, human rights, and economic development.

• IGS 612 - International Administration

  Presents a broad overview of concepts, theories, processes, and practical global challenges confronting professional public/nonprofit managers; discusses contemporary issues facing multi-national corporations, non-government organizations, and public agencies; and analyzes the similarities and differences between public, non-profit and private management.

• IGS 613 - Global Cultures: Religion, Communication, and Security

  An overview of world religions and cultures as a backdrop of effective communication for international professionals. Religious and political conflicts have increasingly become a staple of our complex, globalized world. As a result, it is important for professionals working with international and non-governmental organizations to understand the religions and the cultures of the world to better facilitate their work in different societies in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. Since religion is an integral part of many cultures, understanding the religous implications of certain activities is important in navigating certain societies and facilitating the work of professionals, especially in regions where religion and political violence dominate foreign relations and foreign policy.

• IGS 614 - World Affairs and Diplomacy

  This course introduces the conceptual basics of international relations and trains students in analytical and critical thinking skills through familiarity with the broad palette of issues and actors that make up today's world politics. Topics include the origins of the state and its changing role in today's world and an examination of the actors in international relations and the issues before them.

• IGS 615 - International Political Economy

  Reviews the essentials of International Economics. It then provides students with an operational understanding of the theory of comparative advantage and its application to policy issues.

• IGS 616 - International Leadership, Strategy, and Decision-Making

  Explores organizations from the strategic perspective of the leader, identifying common elements of thinking, structure, measures, outcomes, issues, and challenges faced by those who seek leadership roles in international administration.

Electives for MAIA students are available from the course offerings throughout the different disciplines at the University of Miami.  Selection of these courses are based on the area of concentration each student has chosen to pursue. Course availability varies per semester and is contingent on meeting the MAIA Program requirements.

• IGS 644 - Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability

  Professor: Dr. Dina Moulioukova

  For long energy has been one of the major factors in formulating countries’ strategies, shaping international politics and defining security. Recent economic slowdown and revolution of unconventional oil and gas have reshaped global geopolitical landscape. This course will examine the intersection between energy, environmental sustainability, politics and international security. It will take energy security as a starting point and will explore how states meet their energy security and environmental sustainability needs and what implications this process has globally. This course will examine the concepts of environmental sustainability and energy security, stressing the importance of energy and mitigation of climate change in formulation of country strategies, advancement of national interests and shaping of the international system.

• IGS 645 - Human Security: Prevention and Mitigation

  Professor: Dr. Dina Moulioukova

  Theoretical approaches and the major global threats to human security along with some of the most promising policy solutions will be explored. Some of these human security threats are well known, like genocide, and others, like cybersecurity, are newly emerging. Focus will be placed on key human security topics such as war, terrorism, human trafficking, climate change, famine, violence against women, and infectious and non-infectious diseases.

• IGS 646 - Civil Security Management

  Professor: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli & Dr. Bradford McGuinn

  This course examines the management of civil crises issuing from violent human actions. In the first section of the course, a framework will be developed that addresses the security of “civil space,” emphasizing actions threatening public order and individual safety. Emphasis will be placed on the burdens of “critical incident management” and the elements central to its success. These elements – planning and contingency, leadership and management, intelligence and analysis as well as operations and communication - will be engaged further in the second section. The final section of the course will examine specific threats to civil order and the management of systems designed to mitigate their effects. (Course is open to all students at the University of Miami)

• IGS 647 - Disasters and Humanitarian Assistance

  Professor: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli & Dr. Bradford McGuinn

  This course examines the management of disasters issuing from natural causes. It is focused primarily on the theory and practice of response. At the center of this investigation is a difficult question: how to help? The answers are not obvious. Through the vocabularies of practitioners and the frameworks offered by academic literature, we will explore the ways in which responders respond, the lessons learned and the best practices that have emerged in the field of disaster response and humanitarian intervention. (Course is open to all students at the University of Miami)

• IGS 648 - International Business Finance

  Professor:  Michael Connelly

  International Finance provides a working knowledge of international financial issues, theories, concepts and practice. The first part of the course examines the mechanics of the foreign exchange market, reviewing spot, forwards, futures and options. The second part of the course constructs the four building blocks of international finance: interest rate parity (covered and uncovered interest rate arbitrage), purchasing power parity, the international Fisher (expectations) effect, and asset market equilibrium (money market and exchange market equilibrium). The role of the money supply in exchange rate and price level determination according to interest rate parity is stressed. The case for common currencies is reviewed. In the third part of the course, currency risk management is explored in detail. We then analyze Ponzi schemes and other fraudulent financial practices. We conclude with a review of financial leverage, moral hazard and the financial crisis of 2008-2009. (Course is ONLY available to students in the MAIA Program)

• IGS 617 - Capstone in International Administration

  Students can chose two approaches to their capstone project. One involves a 200-hour internship with an organization culminating in a practicum report. The other involves writing a research paper on a topic in the area of your concentration.

Non-MAIA students must obtain their home department advisors approval prior to registering. For more information on these courses or to register, please contact the Office of Interdisciplinary and Professional Studies at (305)284-8783, or you may email the MAIA program at MAIAadmissions@miami.edu.