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Master of Public and International Affairs icon

Start a career of influence in the international arena.

Master of Public and International Affairs Master of Public and International Affairs

Shape policy and process in global affairs.

Gain the versatile skills to participate in international affairs—whether that’s at the UN or in war-torn conflict zones. The MPIA degree will prepare you for a career as a policymaker, diplomat, intelligence official, global business leader, nonprofit manager, or policy researcher.

Professional Skills

  • Human security and rights
  • Intelligence collection and analysis
  • International relations and diplomacy
  • International trade and finance

Majors and Degree Requirements

Whether you want to work on the ground in conflict zones, protect your country, or influence the global economy, our majors will prepare you for the career you seek. To graduate, you must complete at least 48 credit hours in major and degree courses, as well as a 300-hour internship with an approved organization anywhere in the world. This degree is normally completed in two years full-time or approximately three years part-time. It is taught in an on-campus, in-person format. 

Joint Degrees

You can pursue two graduate degrees simultaneously through our partnerships with other professional schools at the University of Pittsburgh and with two foreign universities. This approach reduces the number of credits needed for both degrees and helps shorten your time to graduation. 

Joint Degree Options

  • MPIA/Law Degree (JD)
  • MPIA/Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • MPIA/Master of Public Health (MPH)
  • MPIA/Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • MPIA/Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS)
  • MPIA/Master of Social Work (MSW)
  • Joint degree through the University of Geneva in Switzerland or Kobe University in Japan
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Area Studies Certificates

If you’re looking for an international career in a specific region of the world, you can enhance your master’s degree with a graduate certificate from the University Center for International Studies.

Specializations

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Western Europe
  • Eastern Europe
  • European Union
  • Global Studies
  • Latin America
  • Russia
     
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Funding Your Education

GSPIA offers merit-based scholarships to highly qualified, standout master’s degree applicants. We also provide resources for identifying outside scholarships and fellowships, and we encourage students to submit a FAFSA for need-based aid.

View all funding options

Featured GSPIA Awards

  • Provides support to students in the MPIA program, with preference given to students who show financial need and who either have an interest in international security or transnational organized crime, or are involved in music at the University.

  • A merit-based, University-funded award with preference given to underrepresented U.S. students studying either public or international affairs. Includes full tuition, stipend, health insurance, and other related fees.

  • Provides support for students interested in international affairs and international development. 

View UCIS funding opportunities
The GSPIA Experience

Hear Almir Hodzic talk about the strengths of our MPIA program, which led him to choose GSPIA over a DC-based school.  

 

Centers, Institutes, and Initiatives

Gain experience in research, teaching, and service in public and international affairs by getting involved with a GSPIA or University research center. 

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