School of Global Policy and Strategy
MAS-IA Career Track: International Political Economy
This career track investigates how international and domestic factors affect global economic and political policies and outcomes. You will examine how political forces, such as states and international institutions, exert their influence; conversely, you will also learn how economic processes affect political decisions and structures. Key areas of focus include trade, finance, globalization, development and the role of multinational corporations.
Faculty Spotlight
Meet Professor Kyle Handley, who teaches the Global Economics and Markets (GPCO 482) core course. Learn about his new research that shows how, when government leaders threaten to disrupt trade policy, it deters companies from investing in other countries as part of their supply chains.
Curriculum
The MAS-IA program offers a comprehensive and highly personalized curriculum. You’ll begin with two required core courses that give you a foundational understanding of global economies, as well as the systems and developments influencing policy creation. The core rounds out with a capstone workshop on policy issues. From there, you’ll choose nine courses depending on your professional path and regional interests.
See the general catalog for a complete listing.
Core and Capstone Courses
GPCO 481 - Politics of International and National Policy Making
This course provides an introduction to international political economies of the Pacific region and covers important international developments, such as regionalism, as well as domestic decision-making processes.
GPCO 482 - Global Economics and Markets
This course studies the major economies of the Pacific region by combining standard economic tools with each economy's institutional background. Special attention is given to the challenges that economic globalization poses to economic relations among those economies.
GPCO 483 - Workshop on Policy Issues in the Pacific Rim
This capstone class focuses on students collaborating on long-term projects and analyzing important political, economic and business issues in the Pacific region using the tools acquired through other school courses.
Additional Courses
Nine additional courses are required for this track. They are divided into courses focused on the track, electives and regional courses.
Below is a sample listing.
Three additional courses are required to fulfill the track requirement:
- GPEC 435 - Topics in International Trade
- GPEC 446 - Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making—“QM III”
- GPPS 402 - International Political Economy: Money and Finance
- GPEC 406 - Finance and Development
- GPPS 410 - Corporate Governance GPEC 451 - Economic Development
- GPIM 457 - Cost-Benefit Analysis
- GPIM 461 - Doing Business in China
- GPCO 401 - Microeconomics for Policy and Management
- GPCO 403 - International Economics
- GPCO 412 - Globalization, the World System, and the Pacific
- GPCO 415 - Accounting and Finance for Policy Makers
- GPCO 463 - Strategy and Negotiation
- GPCO 415 - Accounting and Finance for Policy Makers
Four courses fulfill the electives requirement and can be selected from existing GPS courses.
Two courses fulfill the regional electives requirement:
China
- GPPS 403 - Chinese Security, Technology and Innovation
- GPPS 404 - Chinese Politics
- GPPS 405 - U.S.-China Relations
- GPIM 461 - Doing Business in China
- GPPA 467 - Chinese Environmental and Energy Policy
- GPEC 486 - Economic and Social Development of China
Japan
- GPIM 411 - Business and Management in Japan
- GPPS 416 - Postwar Politics in Japan
- GPPS 460 - Politics of U.S.-Japan Economic Relations
Korea
- GPPS 408 - Korean Security
- GPPS 484 - Korean Politics
Latin America
- GPEC 409 - Economic Policy in Latin America
- GPPS 454 - Current Issues in U.S.-Latin American Relations
- GPPA 472 - Latin American Environmental and Energy Policy
Southeast Asia
- GPEC 462 - Southeast Asian Economics
- GPPS 463 - Politics of Southeast Asia
Some prerequisite(s) or the instructor's consent may be required for some classes. Course schedules are published quarterly and are subject to change without notice. Some courses that can be applied to meet requirements may not be offered in a given academic quarter or academic year.