The Harvard Undergraduate International Relations Scholars Program is a conference run for high school students looking to pursue a career in foreign policy.

Notable guest speakers included Karen Dynan, former chief economist and assistant US Treasury secretary for economic policy, Dean Garfield, VP of Public Policy for Netflix, Jason Furman, former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, Jody Olsen, former director of the Peace Corps, and Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former president of the UN General Assembly.

We extend an enormous thank you to all the foreign policy experts who generously shared their time, insight, and expertise in a diverse range of topics with attendees. We are also extremely grateful for the energy, passion, and engagement of the many students who joined us for this year’s conference. Our best wishes to those who will go on to shape the world of foreign affairs in the future, and we’re gearing up for another fantastic Harvard IR Scholars Program in spring 2023!

International Relations Graduate Program

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Liberal Arts (A.L.B.)

Division of Continuing Education

The Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree is designed for industry professionals with years of work experience who wish to complete their degrees part time, both on campus and online, without disruption to their employment. Our typical student is over 30, has previously completed one or two years of college, and works full time.

Graduate

Master of Liberal Arts (A.L.M.)

Division of Continuing Education

Students enrolled in the Master of Liberal Arts program in International Relations will gain critical insight into today’s pressing global issues and a deep understanding of the factors influencing relationships between nation-states and supranational organizations.

Harvard International Relations Scholars Program

June 17th – 19th, 2021 (Online)

The Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative will be hosting for the very first time the top international relations summer program for high school students around the world. The three-day program will comprise of discussions with Harvard professors, experienced policymakers, government officials, and regional experts. Students will have the opportunity to learn real-world policy writing skills, cross-cultural leadership, and how to address global challenges from all sectors of international relations. 

Why are we doing this?

​Our entire program is completely organized by our dedicated team of 12 Harvard undergraduates. Access to the world of foreign policy and international relations can be overly concentrated in elite schools like Harvard and it is our goal to democratize this access. Our team agreed we wish we had a program like this when we were in high school.

​Eligibility

​All high school students, grades 9-12 are eligible to apply. Rising high school freshmen and graduating seniors who have already been admitted to college may also apply. Due to the virtual nature of the program, there are no geography-based restrictions.

​Program Structure

Applicants will choose from among 7 regions to focus on during the three days —  Latin America and the Caribbean, Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, South Asia, or East Asia & the Pacific — and receive 8 total hours of targeted lectures, workshops, and activities by the top experts.

​The other 16 hours of programming will involve:

• Keynote lectures from leading American and foreign statesmen to begin and close each day
• 1:1 office hours with leading diplomats, ambassadors, and government officials
• A final policy simulation competition judged by experts with the opportunity to win and attend our collegiate conference in-person at Harvard in Spring of 2022. Students will form teams and respond to crises as senior advisors and policymakers—presenting recommendations in the form of an options memo and a presentation.

​Cost

For admitted students, the cost of the program will be $450USD, and a reduced $350USD for early applicants. Generous need-based financial aid is available on a case-by-case basis and will be determined by the submission of relevant documents on the application.

Application Timeline

March 1st, 2021   –    Application Released

April 1st, 2021      –    Early Application Deadline

May 1st, 2021      –    Regular (Final) Application Deadline

May 15th, 2021    –    Acceptance Decisions Released

Gain critical insight into today’s pressing global issues.

Understand the factors influencing relationships between nation-states and supranational organizations.

What You’ll Learn

Through the master’s degree field in international relations you:

• Gain an understanding of the perspectives and implications of global issues, such as poverty, genocide, armed conflict, terrorism, human rights, and the environment.
• Develop critical insights and analysis of the precursors, processes, and outcomes of international interactions between governments, organizations, businesses, groups, and individuals.
• Build knowledge of the evolution, operations, and complexity of regional and global governmental and nongovernmental institutions dealing with trade, economies, and international law.
• Earn an optional certificate in international security, nuclear deterrence, or social justice.

Your Harvard Degree
Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, field: International Relations.

International Relations Degree Requirements

The Master of Liberal Arts, International Relations degree field consists of 12 courses (48 credits), three of which are required on campus. You choose a thesis or capstone track.

1. Review the details below to learn more about the curriculum and course selection.
2. Determine your initial admissions eligibility.
3. Complete the 3 courses for admission.

Required Courses

12 Graduate Courses

The degree is highly customizable. Within the program curriculum, you choose the international relation courses and electives that meet your learning goals.

• The proseminar
• 5 international relations courses
• 1 international relations seminar
• 1 international relations general elective
  • EXPO 42b is an elective option
• 1 research methods course

Additional thesis track courses:

• Thesis proposal tutorial
• Master’s Thesis (8 credits)

Additional capstone track courses:

• An additional general elective
• Precapstone and Capstone (choice of topics below):
  • Policy writing and analysis
  • National security writing and analysis
  • Deliberative justice

Eight of the above courses (32 credits) need to be taught by instructors with the Harvard-instructor designation. The thesis course is taught by a Harvard instructor.

Capstone topics are subject to change annually. You enroll in the precapstone and capstone courses in the same topic, in back-to-back semesters (fall/spring), and in your final academic year.

Admissions

Below are our initial eligibility requirements and an overview of our unique admissions process to help get you started. Be sure to visit Degree Program Admissions for full details.

Initial Eligibility

• Prior to enrolling in any degree-applicable courses, you must possess a four-year regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent. Foreign bachelor’s degrees must be evaluated for equivalency.
• You cannot already have or be in the process of earning a master’s degree in international relations or a related field. Check your eligibility.

The Admissions Office makes all final determinations about program eligibility.

Earning Your Way In

To begin the admission process, you simply register—no application required—for the following three, four-credit, graduate-level degree courses (available online):

• SSCI 100B Proseminar: Introduction to Graduate Studies and Scholarly Writing in the Social Sciences–Government and History
  • Before registering, you’ll need to pass our online test of critical reading and writing skills, or earn a B or higher in EXPO 42b Writing in the Social Sciences.
  • You have two attempts to earn the minimum grade of B in the proseminar (a withdrawal grade counts as an attempt). The proseminar cannot be more than two years old at the time of application.
• One international relations course
• One international relations course or elective (e.g., EXPO 42b)

While the three courses don’t need to be taken in a particular order or in the same semester, we highly recommend that you start with the proseminar (or prerequisite EXPO 42b). All three courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher, without letting your overall Harvard cumulative GPA dip below 3.0.

Applying to the Degree Program

During the semester of your third degree course, submit the official application to the program. 

Don’t delay! It is critical to prioritize the three degree courses for admission and apply before completing subsequent courses. By doing so, you’ll avoid the delayed application fee or the loss of credit for expired course work, while gaining access to exclusive benefits (see below).

Eligible students who submit a complete and timely application will have 9 more courses after admission to earn the degree. 

For more details about full eligibility, the application process, and application fees, visit Degree Program Admissions.

The Harvard On-Campus Experience

Many courses can be taken online, but the degree requires a Harvard campus experience. You come to Cambridge for at least three courses (12 credits), which provides in-person access to faculty, campus resources, and the academic community.

On-campus course requirements can typically be completed through:

• 15-week fall or spring semester courses that meet only on campus. Courses with the format “on campus or online” do not fulfill this requirement.
• Courses that combine weekly online classes over a semester with an intensive weekend on campus.
• Three-week January session courses that meet only on campus.
• Three- or seven-week summer courses that meet only on campus.