Message from the Director
Master of International Service
Success Stories
Dylan Sara Robinson (Amerine), SIS/MIS 2012
B
eing able to choose classes from the broad spectrum of fields at SIS, Robinson focused her
research on environmental issues and kept her interests in mind, while at the same time
enjoying the different emphases of the curriculums at hand. Today, she is forming her own
company using a hybrid model of for-profit and non-profit business that she learned about
through a course on social enterprise at SIS. “It really opened my eyes to new possibilities. I
hope to combine something I love with a cause I care about: environmental sustainability and combating exploitation in developing nations.”
Jeremy Dastrup, SIS/MIS 2011
A
elcome to the Master of International Service program at American
University’s School of International Service!
The Master of International Service (MIS) program equips students with
the knowledge and skills that are directly applicable to their professional
n NCIS Special Agent about to deploy, Dastrup needed to find a program with an extensive selection of core and elective courses that would permit him to tailor his degree
to his career needs. The MIS program gave him the latitude within his degree to become
intimate with the subject matter to which he knew his career would expose him. “I knew
the MIS program, and American University, was the best choice for me when I selected it,
but I did not fully realize how perfect a fit it was until I completed my degree and started to apply what I had
learned to my career objectives.” Today, Dastrup uses the principles he learned during his MIS experience to
serve and protect the United States by investigating criminal, terrorist, and foreign intelligence threats throughout Southeast Asia.
lives through a degree program that is tailored to meet their needs. Our
program is unique in the flexibility students have while earning a degree from one of the top ten
international affairs schools in the world. Students in our program are able to build their own
concentrations that assist them in reaching their professional goals, while taking full advantage of a
comprehensive and strong graduate education.
The curriculum connects a rigorous academic education in theory, methodology, and economics
to practical experiences. Students will find that many of our faculty are also practitioners with a
wealth of knowledge in theory and practice that they are eager to share. Moreover, the MIS program
provides practical opportunities for students to apply their knowledge, such as international and
domestic internships, practica, skills institutes, and study abroad programs.
On top of this, a diversity of perspectives is essential to the study of international affairs and the
MIS program is committed to building a cohort of students that reflects the diverse views that make
classroom discussions challenging and meaningful.
We invite you to explore the program through our website and also to visit us on campus.
With all best wishes,
Jinn Winn Chong, SIS/MIS 2011, International Service/LL.M.
I
n focusing on identity and conflict while working toward her double degree, Chong
selected her home region of Southeast Asia as her regional focus. “The dispute [between
Indonesia and Malaysia] has been an ongoing one between the two neighboring countries,
[and] recently led to violence in Jakarta and Bali,” she wrote in her statement of purpose.
The focus turned into research, which became a paper, which Chong presented at the Oceanic Conference on International Studies in New Zealand in summer 2010, with the help of her graduate research
award funds. Chong anticipated that attending the conference would allow her to explore the professional world.
“I plan to use the conference as my first stepping stone towards meeting and engaging with scholars, practitioners, and members of civil society organizations in the Asia Pacific and Southeast Asian region.”
Jesse Pruett, SIS/MIS 2012
I
ts international outlook and the flexibility to fit within a demanding and often unpredictable work schedule at the Pentagon was what drew Pruett to the MIS program. Focusing
on U.S. Foreign Policy, with an emphasis on expeditionary efforts abroad, Pruett mentors
others in expeditionary circumstances to deliver the most beneficial expression of American
ideals into that environment. “MIS provided a great window into the nexus of academic
theory and the real-world experiences of a great cohort of student-colleagues representing a broad swath of
perspectives. Sharing the academic adventure with them enriched not only my appreciation of studied histories
and subsequent events but it also expanded my understanding of my own experiences.”
Claudia Hofmann
Director, Master of International Service
School of International Service
American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
202-885-1646 | www.american.edu/sis
FSC logo here
American University
School of International Service
LEARN MORE
ocated in Washington, DC, American University’s School
MIS students can:
of International Service (SIS) is ranked consistently among
• Create an individual study program to meet personal and
the top ten schools of international relations. More than
3,000 students, from undergraduates to PhD candidates,
representing 150 countries, are taught by over 100 fulltime faculty. The School’s faculty, practitioners, and interdisciplinary
curriculum prepare graduates for global service in government, nonprofits, and business.
professional needs
• Apply a multidisciplinary approach to key international issues
• Acquire leadership skills for managing complexity and change
• Participate in action research linking theory to practical
applications
• Attend classes after 5:00 pm to make it possible to combine
academic studies with full-time employment
About the Program
T
he Master of International Service (MIS) offers extraordinary opportunities to professionals and advanced graduate students in the
• Earn credit from previous professional or graduate experiences
Academic graduate advisors help students build their own
Visit http://www.american.edu/sis/mis
Contact information:
Dr. Claudia Hofmann
Director, Master of International Service
(202) 885-6728
mis@american.edu
Executive Track (30 credits)
T
he executive track is exclusively
designed for students with at least
seven years of professional experience in
international affairs.
Experienced international affairs
professionals are able to broaden their
knowledge, enhance their intellectual
development, expand their professional effectiveness, and strengthen their international leadership skills and knowledge. After
concentrations in the MIS program, building on preexisting
completion of the program, graduates will
fields of international affairs. The program combines a rigorous aca-
knowledge, expertise, and skills that match their interests and
have both the skills and the certification
demic education in theory, methodology, economics and substantive
needs. Students may select from among a wide range of program
to meet the demands of executive level
specialties with practical experiences directly relevant to students’
concentrations.
service in the dynamic private, public, and
SIS offers over fifty concentrations in the following areas:
not-profit sectors.
professional lives.
• Comparative and Regional Studies
• Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs
• Global Environmental Policy
• Global Governance, Politics, and Security
• International Communication and International Media
• International Development and Development Management
• International Economics
• International Peace and Conflict Resolution
• Social Enterprise
• United States Foreign Policy and National Security
Additionally, based on their previous international professional experience, Executive Track students are able to apply for
advanced academic standing of up to six credits upon application
to the program.
International Studies
Track (30 credits)
T
he international studies track is
specifically designed for students who
are currently enrolled in or have recently
completed a master’s level program in
international affairs or a related field at a
partner institution.
Graduate students benefit from intercontinental academic experiences that
augment their educational and personal
development. Students may receive
advanced standing for up to 12 credits
earned at the partner university, allowing
students to complete the International
Studies track in two semesters.