of

What will we leave to our children and grandchildren?

To improve daily life at an individual level, we must

expand our solutions to a global context. If one word could

summarize the underlying purpose for studying international

affairs, it would be people.

The Penn State School of International Affairs welcomes you to the challenge.

Tremendous forces of change are creating a growing need for professionals who can function

effectively in the realm of international affairs. We invite you to prepare for your place in our

increasingly interconnected and global society. Along the way, you’ll discover your own niche,

where you can have a meaningful career and improve the world.

The mission of Penn State’s School of International Affairs, launched July 1, 2007, is to create

a unique environment for learning and professional development. We offer preparation for

professional careers and leadership positions in the public sector and in enterprises that have

significant international dimensions. The school is designed as a modern and cosmopolitan

community of students, faculty, scholars, and researchers, sharing the common goals of enhancing

international understanding, knowledge, and discourse, as well as serving the public interest.

As you work toward a master’s degree in international

affairs, you will undertake in-depth analyses of international

economic, political, and scientific issues and the cultural,

historical, and legal factors that shape them.

Our program is based on interdisciplinary and flexible study.

It draws upon the rich research, teaching, and scholarly

expertise of internationally known faculty and the vast

resources of one of the world’s most distinguished research

universities.

Take a look on the following pages at a brief sampling of the

possibilities. Representative faculty members discuss their

research interests as they relate to international affairs.

We are excited about the School of International Affairs—and

we want to share this adventure with you.

Tiyanjana MaluwaDirector, School of International AffairsAssociate Dean for International Affairs and H. Laddie Montague Chair in Law,

Penn State Dickinson School of Law

Ph.D., Cambridge UniversityLL.M., University of SheffieldLL.B., University of Malawi

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International and comparative law is a more integral part

of international relations than ever before.

William E. Butler

William E. ButlerJohn Edward Fowler Distinguished Professor of LawPenn State Dickinson School of Law

LL.D., University of LondonPh.D., M.A., The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International StudiesLL.M., School of Law of the Academy University of Law, Institute of State and

Law, Russian Academy of SciencesJ.D., Harvard Law SchoolB.A., The American University

Professor Butler is the preeminent authority on the legal systems of Russia and the former Soviet republics and is the author, co-author, editor, or translator of more than 120 books on Soviet, Russian, Ukrainian, and other Commonwealth of Independent States legal systems.

Professor Butler formerly held a chair in comparative law at the University of London. He is an Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and has been elected to his third term as a member of the Russian International Court of Commercial Arbitration.

My studies in comparative and international law, with particular reference to the former

Soviet Union and independent states that seceded, are relevant not merely to our School of

International Affairs, but to any mainstream school of international affairs. Notwithstanding its

reduced size, Russia is still a major power in the world, and it should continue to be a focal point

of training in international relations.

The nature of the international system at the moment is that professionals across all disciplines

must have grounding in international law. They need to know something about the history of

international law, something about the foundations of the existing system, and something about

the principal branches. They’re going to work within particular jobs, positions, nongovernmental

organizations (NGOs), and international institutions within governments (including ours) where

this is an essential component of the job.

5

Jill L. Findeis Professor of Agricultural, Environmental, and Regional Economics;

and DemographyCollege of Agricultural Sciences

Ph.D., Washington State UniversityB.S., Cornell University

Professor Findeis has published extensively on immigration policy and worker populations; multiple job-holding and income strategies; agricultural adjustment and policy reform; and gender-targeted policies and programs. She has conducted research throughout Asia and Africa in countries such as China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Mozambique, Malawi, and The Gambia.

Her research in developing countries examines the practices of farmers in response to globalization, paying particular attention to sustainable agricultural practices and networks, land–labor adjustments, migration behaviors, and intra-household decision making. Professor Findeis currently leads the Transitional Zone (T-Zone) Ecosystem Initiative; supervises research in Nepal and Bangladesh, and is studying the effects of population migration in China and the United States.

Some argue that the most important problems can be solved by working at the interfaces—

in the cracks—between disciplines. My work combines two fields of study: agricultural,

environmental, and regional economics, and demography.

International issues show no boundaries: They are urban, rural, and found in places challenged by

rapid population growth or decline. The problems are global but also impact and are influenced by

the local level.

Striking a balance between human population and the environment is among the greatest challenges

of our time. The challenge of feeding a growing world population while ensuring environmental

sustainability requires significant and sustained effort across the globe.

The global problems that we face today are beyond what can be solved by a single discipline. They

require understanding across multiple levels (local to global), energetic teamwork across disciplines,

and leadership with vision. Without vision, we are rats in a maze when it comes to solving the

difficult and pervasive global problems that we now face.

Understanding economics, and how human population

growth affects the issues that we face, is critical for

changing—and improving—international affairs.

Jill L. Findeis

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Quan LiAssociate Professor of Political ScienceCollege of the Liberal Arts

Ph.D., M.S., Florida State University B.A., Institute of International Relations, Nanjing University

Professor Li’s research focuses on four distinct but related areas: causes and consequences of economic globalization (international trade, foreign direct investment, financial openness, and capital account liberalization); causes and effects of democratic governance; causes and consequences of political violence (interstate military conflict, civil conflict, transnational terrorism); and macroeconomic policy making and cooperation (monetary, fiscal, and exchange policies).

His extensive research has appeared in journals such as British Journal of Political Science; Journal of Politics; International Organization; Journal of Conflict Resolution; International Studies Quarterly; International Interactions; Journal of Peace Research; Conflict Management and Peace Science; Review of Policy Research; Comparative Political Studies; and various other outlets. He recently won the American Political Science Association’s Best Article on Democratization Award for his article “Economic Globalization and Democracy: an Empirical Analysis.”

My research asks, “How do political violence, economic globalization, and democratic

governance interact with each other in the larger picture?” We need to study international

affairs from a social science perspective. We need to analyze patterns and create theories that are

consistent across different cultures and across different periods to establish whether those theories

are valid. We’re in an age where we do not lack information; we are in an age in which we lack

critical thinking.

It would be easier to correct mistakes if governments had a strong policy analysis structure

and understood consequences before making policy decisions. In the interest of the public, it is

important that we understand the consequences of policies and understand very clearly what we’re

getting into. It’s fundamentally critical that we provide a social scientific perspective for effective

policy in international affairs.

If you’re studying international affairs, you need to

understand international politics, economics, and

democratic governance.

Quan Li

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A basic grasp of the role of education in national development,

social stability, and economic productivity is essential to the

education of any expert in international matters.

Gerald K. LeTendre

Comparative and international education began as a study of the role that schools play in

national societies and has expanded into a multidisciplinary field that encompasses a broad range

of studies of education around the world, as well as how education can promote international

understanding and peace. Scholars in this area have shown how education affects economic

development, contributes to social stability, improves ecological awareness, and plays a key role in

promoting cultural understanding.

Globally, public schooling is composed of multiple, massive organizational systems that affect

virtually all areas of human life. Over time, national governments, nongovernmental organizations

(NGOs), multilateral agencies, and leaders in hosts of other fields have increased their expectations

of what schools can do. Few, however, realize the substantial impact that global trends have

on education in general, and national school systems in particular. Understanding theories and

research common to comparative and international education is thus an essential component of the

study of international affairs.

Gerald K. LeTendre Chair of the Educational Theory and Policy ProgramProfessor of Education Policy StudiesCollege of Education

Ph.D., M.A., Stanford University B.A., Harvard University

Professor LeTendre’s current research focuses on global trends in teacher working conditions and the diffusion and institutionalization of drug prevention programs in public schools worldwide. An associate editor of the American Journal of Education and board member for the Comparative Education Review, Professor LeTendre has published on a broad range of topics in comparative and international education, including tracking, the Heyneman-Loxley Effect, and national education policy. He recently presented his work on teacher work roles, mathematics, and international testing to both the National Presidential Math Panel and the National Academy of Education.

Professor LeTendre previously served as chair of Penn State’s Comparative and International Education Program. He has been the recipient of a Japan Foundation Fellowship and a Johann Jacobs Young Scholar Award. In 2003, he spent an academic year as a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Bremen in Germany.

11

Eileen M. Trauth Interim Associate Dean, Office of Diversity, Outreach, and

International EngagementProfessor of Information Sciences and Technology, College of

Information Sciences and Technology Director, Center for the Information Society Affiliate Professor, College of the Liberal Arts and Smeal College

of Business

Ph.D., M.S.I.S., University of PittsburghB.S., University of Dayton

Professor Trauth researches the intersection of socio-cultural and organizational influences on information technology and the information technology (IT) profession. Her interests include qualitative research, the human context of information processing, diversity in the global knowledge economy, global informatics, and national information policy. Her investigation of cultural factors influencing the creation of an IT labor force has led to a stream of research into underrepresented groups in the information economy.

Professor Trauth has done research as Fulbright Scholar in Ireland and as a visiting scholar at the School of Computing and Information Technology at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia.

Every society is moving through a progression,

from agrarian to industrial to postindustrial or

knowledge-based.

Eileen M. Trauth

Information technology underlies society, so we can consider it to be an important

resource just like electricity, water, and land. My field is a fundamental piece of the study of

internationalization and the study of society and development.

Societies evolve into knowledge-based systems. The type of work that such a society is based upon

requires access to information. Every country strives for an information economy.

A vibrant information economy is required for a country to be a leader in international affairs.

In order to understand societies in the twenty-first century, you have to understand that every

society must have a healthy information economy. This requires people who produce and use the

information technology to have an understanding of international affairs.

13

C. Gregory Knight Professor of GeographyCollege of Earth and Mineral Sciences

Ph.D., M.A., University of Minnesota A.B., Dartmouth College

Professor Knight is a senior faculty Fellow of the Alliance for Earth Science, Engineering, and Development in Africa (AESEDA). He is an expert in human–environmental systems, resource management, global and regional environmental change, sustainable development, and mathematical modeling and simulation. His research focuses on water resources, energy and land use, and international sustainability, especially in eastern Europe and Africa, and he has helped to build climate change networks in Bulgaria and other parts of Europe.

Professor Knight is widely published in the areas of climate change and international resource management and has served as a scientific reviewer for major panels on climate change. He was a distinguished visiting lecturer for the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute; is an honorary member of the board of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Scientific Coordination Center for Global Change; and volunteers as scientific director of Sustainability and Future Environments (SAFE) in Sofia, Bulgaria.

In my field of study, differences in religion and geography underlie many issues in the

relationships among human societies. It seems to me that territoriality is a fundamental part of

human cultural experience. Relationships among people over issues of state, resources, power and

influence, and freedom of movement are fundamentally geographical as well as policy and cultural

questions.

Malnutrition and hunger, for example, are at the core of relationships between people and

geographical systems. Malnutrition has to do with population growth, peoples’ movements,

variability of environment, and flow of food resources. Part of addressing hunger is finding a way

to enhance local populations’ knowledge of the environment and also having assistance in the form

of prompt, responsive aid.

An understanding of geography as it relates to key global human

and environmental issues reveals the connections between what

we do and how it affects other places and other lives.

C. Gregory Knight

15

Fariborz Ghadar William A. Schreyer Chair of Global Management, Policies, and

Planning Director, Center for Global Business Studies Smeal College of Business

Ph.D., M.B.A., HarvardM.S., B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Professor Ghadar’s scholarship focuses on future business trends, global economic assessment, international finance and banking, political risk assessment, and global corporate strategy and implementation. He serves as a consultant to major corporations, governments, and government agencies, and he regularly conducts programs for executives of major multinational corporations in the United States and abroad.

Professor Ghadar is often quoted in internationally circulated publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times. He has been featured on the major U.S. television networks as well as the business broadcasts of CNN, CNBC, and the Nightly Business Report.

Before joining Penn State, he held a vice-ministerial post in the Ministry of Commerce of Iran. He has also served as an investment banker at the International Finance Corporation (the World Bank Group) and a research coordinator of the Harvard Multinational Enterprise Project, and was named by Business Week as one of the Top Ten Stars of Finance.

Global business decisions are made in the context of a number of issues: political, economic,

business-related, and technical. If you’re missing one of those legs, you’re not going to be effective

as a leader. The role of business and the implications of the way governments handle business are

going to be critical for people who will play a role in analyzing the impacts that government and

business have on society.

The person who plays a major role in our society and in the governance of our country is someone

with broad experience—someone who understands business, understands nongovernmental

organizations (NGOs), and is able to operate in that kind of environment. And I believe that our

School of International Affairs is targeting people who will have that ability in the marketplace.

Global business is growing at two to two-and-a-half times

the rate of domestic business, making global business strategy

and implementation an area of great importance.

Fariborz Ghadar

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Overview of the Academic Program

The core of the program provides a solid academic grounding in the institutions,

traditions, and mechanisms of international exchange; targeted study of the

critical analytical tools used in multidimensional problem solving; exposure to

the most prominent theories of sociocultural interchange; and the professional

skills necessary to begin working in the international milieu at any level and in

any field.

When the core requirements are completed, students design the remainder

of their degree program around a selected theme, which can be a traditional

concentration, such as law and diplomacy; a concentration involving emergent

technologies, such as international science and technology policy; or a

personally designed concentration involving the student’s area of curricular and

career interests, such as international environmental affairs.

The Degree Program

The Master of International Affairs degree program requires one-and-one-half

to two years of study and is open to students with a variety of academic

backgrounds. The program requires no particular undergraduate degree or course

work, and students may range from recent graduates to mid-career professionals

seeking to upgrade their credentials or change career direction.

The program is designed to teach specific content and skills areas necessary

for international exchange. To that purpose, six core courses are required,

each addressing separate key areas of international expertise. In addition to

acquiring an intellectual knowledge base, students will gain competencies

crucial to a professional career in the international arena, including intercultural

communication, leadership, analytical, and advocacy skills; and language

proficiency.

All students spend their first year taking a core curriculum. In the fall semester,

this includes three core courses: Actors, Institutions, and Legal Frameworks

in International Affairs; Foundations of Diplomacy and International Relations

Theory; and Multi-Sector and Quantitative Analysis. Students take the

remaining core courses in the spring semester: Culture, Global Diversity, Civic

Responsibilities, and Leadership; International Economics: Principles, Policies,

and Practices; and Colloquium on Current Policy Challenges.

Following successful completion of the core curriculum, students work with

faculty advisers to choose elective courses and a capstone experience suitable to

their thematic interests. The capstone experience is either an internship, which

enables students to experience the integration of their curricular studies in an

actual professional environment, or a master’s paper, which allows students to

explore in depth their areas of interest and may also involve original research.

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The Core Curriculum

Actors, Institutions, and Legal Frameworks in International Affairs

This course introduces students to the various levels of international interaction and exchange (supranational, state-to-state, state-to-private, private-to-private); the sources and limitations of law and regulation at each level; and the variety of actors and institutions characteristic of each level. The course explores the roles, authority, and limitations of the institutions and actors at each level and the implications of these for domestic and transnational governance, development, human rights, commerce, migration, and civil society.

Foundations of Diplomacy and International Relations Theory

This course surveys major theoretical paradigms and arguments concerning international relations. Substantive areas include international conflict,

international law, international organization, and international political economy. Theories and paradigms considered may include: realism vs. idealism; balance of power; democratic peace; clash of civilizations; liberalism vs. neo-colonialism; political causes and consequences of economic globalization (trade, foreign direct investment, and financial flows); rational design of international institutions; domestic vs. international determinants of foreign economic, diplomatic, and security policies; and the role of formal institutions and law.

Multi-Sector and Quantitative Analysis

This course introduces students to the methods, importance, and limitations of statistical, quantitative, and economic analysis within and across various sectors of communities and societies as practiced in such areas as business, law, education, health, environmental, and science policy.

Culture, Global Diversity, Civic Responsibilities, and Leadership

This course introduces students to cultural theories (from global to personal cultural identity issues) and discusses how sociocultural beliefs may impede or accelerate social change. The course aims to link these theories with programs, policies, or practices for social change, such as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals initiative, and explores how global issues can be addressed through accessible and affordable education, health care, and technology.

International Economics: Principles, Policies, and Practices

This course addresses the principles, policies, and practices in international trade and finance that are fundamental for understanding international economic relations and the future of global economy. The course examines the economic

principles underlying behaviors and policies in international and domestic public affairs and explains how to evaluate and conduct economic analyses.

Colloquium on Current Policy Challenges

Colloquium topics vary depending upon the current issues of the day. The course surveys some major transnational social problems confronting the world, suggested by the Copenhagen Consensus: climate change; communicable diseases; conflict and arms proliferation; access to education; financial instability; governance and corruption; malnutrition and hunger; migration; sanitation and access to clean water; and subsidies and trade barriers. The course involves team teaching and guest lecturers.

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Admission

We expect to admit an inaugural class of fifty students to the Master of

International Affairs degree program. These students will represent the highest-

qualified candidates from a range of backgrounds and disciplines. They will

come from all parts of the world and will have a broad range of interests. If you

would like to be a part of this inaugural group and help shape the future of the

School of International Affairs, please visit our Web site, www.sia.psu.edu, for

complete application materials.

Career Services (Professional Placement)

Professional placement has the highest priority at the School of International

Affairs. A career services director fully dedicated to placing our graduates

begins working with new students in their first semester. The director works

with students to define and target the best placement possibilities and identify

internships, faculty alliances, and appropriate extracurricular activities to

achieve the goals and aspirations of each student. Using the resources of Penn

State faculty and alumni worldwide and targeting a range of organizations,

institutions, and enterprises, we offer students the strongest possible network of

opportunities upon graduation.

We expect our graduates to be placed in a variety of venues, including

international organizations; media organizations; federal, state, and local

governments; consulting firms; colleges and universities; cultural and educational

change organizations; policy research centers; development assistance programs;

foundations; and multinational corporations.

The Graduate Experience

Candidates for the master of international affairs degree join more than 5,000

other graduate and professional students as the intellectual leaders of a major

research university at its flagship University Park campus. As graduate students,

degree candidates will be able to participate in student government, cross-

disciplinary intellectual activities, and numerous student organizations. University

Park is home to several thousand international scholars, and many intercultural

activities are available.

The University

Penn State combines strength in traditional academics with a forward-thinking

approach to interdisciplinary studies and internationalization. Penn State alumni

can be found in every state and most countries around the world and are well

known for their achievements and influence. Penn State’s University Park campus

is home to more than 42,000 graduate and undergraduate students from the

United States and abroad. University Park is situated in the vibrant university

town of State College, which was recently named by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

as one of its “50 Smart Places to Live” and by Kaplan as one of the “most

beautiful suburban campuses.”

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Online Resources

The following links may be useful in learning about Penn State’s University Park campus and surrounding Centre Region.

—For the Penn State home page, see: www.psu.edu

—For a visitor’s guide, including campus maps, see: www.psu.edu/ur/visitors.html

—For news from Penn State’s Office of Public Information, see: www.live.psu.edu

—For random photographs of the University Park campus, see: http://imagearchive.psu.edu

—For the University Park independent campus student newspaper, see: www.collegian.psu.edu

—For the home page of the town of State College, see: www.statecollegepa.us

—For information including local businesses, entertainment, cultural attractions, and hotel accommodations, see: www.downtownstatecollege.com

—For the local community newspaper, see: www.centredaily.com

“Penn State and our graduates share enduring values: a

belief in the power of education, a commitment to helping

others, and a sense of responsibility to the larger world.”

Graham B. Spanier, President, Penn State

Faculty portraits and Penn State University Park campus photography by M. Scott Johnson. Fariborz Ghadar portrait (page 17) by Michael Black.

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination. The Pennsylvania State University does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park PA 16802-5901; tel. 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY.

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Faculty Governing Council

David Blandford, Professor of Agricultural Economics, College of Agricultural Sciences

Ph.D., M.A., Manchester University, United KingdomB.Sc., (honors), Birmingham University, United

Kingdomwww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/blandford.cfm

William E. Butler, John Edward Fowler Distinguished Professor of Law, Penn State Dickinson School of Law

LL.D., University of LondonPh.D., M.A., The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced

International StudiesLL.M., School of Law of the Academy University of

Law, Institute of State and Law, Russian Academy of Sciences

J.D., Harvard Law SchoolB.A., The American Universitywww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/butler.cfm

Jill L. Findeis, Professor of Agricultural, Environmental, and Regional Economics, and Demography, College of Agricultural Sciences

Ph.D., Washington State University B.S., Cornell University www.sia.psu.edu/faculty/findeis.cfm

Fariborz Ghadar, William A. Schreyer Chair of Global Management, Policies, and Planning; Director, Center for Global Business Studies, Smeal College of Business

Ph.D., M.B.A., Harvard M.S., B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technologywww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/ghadar.cfm

C. Gregory Knight, Professor of Geography, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

Ph.D., M.A., University of Minnesota A.B., Dartmouth College www.sia.psu.edu/faculty/knight.cfm

Gerald K. LeTendre, Professor of Education Policy Studies; Chair, Educational Theory and Policy Program, College of Education

Ph.D., M.A., Stanford University B.A., Harvard University (magna cum laude)www.sia.psu.edu/faculty/letendre.cfm

Quan Li, Associate Professor of Political Science, College of the Liberal Arts

Ph.D., M.S., Florida State UniversityB.A., Institute of International Relations, Nanjing

Universitywww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/li.cfm

Tiyanjana Maluwa, Director, School of International Affairs

Associate Dean for International Affairs and H. Laddie Montague Chair in Law, Penn State Dickinson School of Law

Ph.D., Cambridge UniversityLL.M., University of SheffieldLL.B., University of Malawiwww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/maluwa.cfm

John Nichols, Professor of Communications; Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, College of Communications

Ph.D., M.A., B.A., University of Minnesotawww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/nichols.cfm

Eileen M. Trauth, Professor of Information Sciences and Technology; Interim Associate Dean, Office of Diversity, Outreach, and International Engagement, College of Information Sciences and Technology

Affiliate Professor, College of the Liberal Arts and Smeal College of Business

Director, Center for the Information SocietyPh.D., M.S.I.S., University of PittsburghB.S., University of Daytonwww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/trauth.cfm

Mirna Urquidi-MacDonald, Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics, College of Engineering; Adjunct Professor, Massey University, New Zealand

Ph.D., M.A., University of Paris, SudB.S., ITESM, Monterrey, Mexicowww.sia.psu.edu/faculty/urquidi.cfm

This brochure was printed by a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified printer using low volatile, vegetable-based ink on a 100 percent FSC-certified recycled fiber. The paper stock was manufactured carbon neutral with 100 percent Green-e certified renewable energy. No chlorine was used in its manufacture (PCF). The paper was made under a verified Environmental Management System (ISO 14001 /2004) and per Rainforest Alliance guidelines requiring that the wood was procured from conservation areas and not from genetically modified trees, and that the procurement did not negatively impact indigenous populations.

www.sia.psu.edu

For More Information

Janet Murphy

Director of Graduate Programs

School of International Affairs

The Pennsylvania State University

225 Beam Building

University Park, PA 16802

USA

Phone: 1-814-863-1870

Fax: 1-814-863-6177

E-mail: jxm1036@psu.edu