Global Leaders Through Knowledge and Action
Master of Science in Global Studies (MSGS)
The MSGS program is built for flexibility, offering fully online, fully on-campus, and hybrid course options to meet the needs of both working professionals and recent graduates. Whether you're continuing your education or advancing your career, MSGS provides a customizable path that fits your schedule and goals.
With a professionally oriented curriculum, the program prepares students for leadership roles in government, IGOs, NGOs, business, and other transnational sectors. Interdisciplinary coursework is paired with domestic and international practicum experiences to equip graduates with the skills and insights needed to address today’s global challenges.
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Rolling Admissions w/ Priority Dates
July 15 for fall semester & December 1 for spring semester
Choose Your Track
Students begin the MSGS program by selecting one of three customizable tracks: (1) Gender and Public Policy, (2) Global Governance, or (3) Global Security. With advisor guidance, students often tailor their coursework around a topical or regional focus - such as global health, sustainability, or South Asia - to match their interests and career goals.
Gender & Public Policy
The Gender and Public Policy track prepares students for leadership in international and domestic careers in government and nonprofit organizations focused on gender equity, human security, and policy innovation. Students develop interdisciplinary and intersectional expertise, combining analytical and empirical skills to address complex global challenges through research and policy analysis.
Coursework explores topics such as development, human resources, and family studies through diverse lenses—including gender, culture, economics, law, ethics, politics, society, and technology. Graduates pursue careers in environmental science, sociology, urban and regional planning, policy analysis, diplomacy, humanitarian affairs, international development, education, communications, and international trade.
Global Governance
The Global Governance track prepares students for leadership in international and domestic careers across government, IGOs, NGOs, business, and other transnational sectors. Students build interdisciplinary expertise through conceptual frameworks, analytical tools, and methodologies from multiple fields. The track emphasizes integrating specialized skills into broader intellectual and policy contexts, equipping graduates to address complex challenges facing global populations.
Key topics include environmental sustainability, human rights, global health and food systems, international development, and social movements. Graduates pursue careers in political science, international affairs, education, policy analysis, diplomacy, and public communication.
Global Security
The Global Security track prepares students for leadership roles in national, international, and transnational security sectors, including government, IGOs, and non-governmental commercial or nonprofit sectors. Students engage with interdisciplinary approaches to conflict prevention, resolution, and mitigation, gaining the tools to address evolving security challenges.
Coursework explores topics such as conventional and unconventional weapons, environmental stressors, natural disasters, disease, and their intersections with human and resource security. Graduates pursue careers in political science, environmental science, policy analysis, diplomacy, intelligence, humanitarian aid, international education, and global affairs.
More about the program
What are the requirements for admission?
Simply follow the Graduate Admission Requirements.
Please read the Graduate Admissions closely, as 10+ years of relevant professional work may qualify for full status admission, even without a bachelor's degree or currently working on a bachelor's degree.
How do I apply?
- Complete the Graduate College online application (please note applications open in June 2025).
- Pay the application fee – $90 for US citizens and permanent residents and $90 for international students. Application fee must be paid using a credit card through the online application and is non-refundable.
- Submit unofficial transcripts for all completed university coursework with the Online Application. Official transcripts will be required upon admission and acceptance to the program.
- Submit a Statement of Purpose: All applicants will be expected to upload an academic statement. The length of these statements is chosen by your proposed program of study and range from 500 to 1000 words maximum.
- All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as evidence of English proficiency. Official scores are required to be submitted directly from TOEFL/ETS or IELTS. For more information, please visit English Proficiency Requirements. Please note: TOEFL or IELTS scores must be less than two years old from the first day of class at the proposed term of entry in order to be valid. International students may check to see if they are exempt from this requirement based on their country of citizenship.
- Check your status of your application materials to ensure all materials have been submitted prior to the deadline.
- Current University of Illinois graduate students who wish to transfer into this program, please contact the MSGS academic program coordinator.
What is the 5-year program?
- The 5-year program supplements a bachelor's degree with an accelerated-track master's degree in Global Studies.
- It allows students to complete a full master’s degree (32 credits) in one extra year beyond their bachelor’s program.
- Students can apply for this program when they have 60 hours of credit.
- Students interested in this pathway are encouraged to reach out early in their undergraduate career to the Center for Global Studies and or the Academic Program Coordinator Andy Guth at andyguth@illinois.edu.
Can I be a part-time student?
- Yes. The MSGS program is flexible for working professionals and others. We understand the value that working professionals bring to our program. We therefore accept part-time students, provide both fully online and on campus courses, aim to make courses available in convenient timeslots, and are eager to help working professionals meet their goals of a degree, minor, certificate, or other certification that increases their chances of advancement in their profession.
- Please see the Application Submission page and read the Graduate Admissions closely, as 10+ years of relevant professional work may qualify for admission - even without a bachelor's degree or currently working on a bachelor's degree.