Planning the Year: Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in International Relations

The connection between international affairs, foreign policy, and law is clear. This is particularly true in areas of international affairs subject to international covenants and treaties.

To meet the need for international affairs specialists able to negotiate complex international legal issues, the Department of Public Administration and International Affairs and the Syracuse University College of Law offer a joint Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in International Relations GD/MAIR) program authorized by Syracuse University and the New York State Board of Regents.

JD/MAIR Program Sequence

Students in the joint JD/MAIR program obtain both the Juris Doctor and MAIR degrees with a minimum of 100 overall credits, including 72 credits at the Syracuse University College of Law and 28 credits within the Department of Public Administration and International Affairs.  Students in this degree program complete 28 credits of Maxwell coursework, including 16 credits of core and signature courses for the MAIR and 12 credits of career track coursework. 

The joint degree is completed in the same time as the stand-alone JD, plus one summer of coursework. Students will take College of Law courses during their first academic year. During the final four semesters, students take a combination of College of Law courses and 22 credits at Maxwell, which meet the MAIR requirements.

JD/MAIR students typically pursue an internship and coursework (6 credits at Maxwell) during the summer following their 1L or 2L years to meet the requirement for the MAIR.

JD/MAIR - Core Course Requirements (16 credits)

PAI 705: Research Methods for International Relations (3 credits)

PAI 706: IR Capstone Seminar (1 credit)

PAI 710: International Actors & Issues (3 credits)

PAI 721: Introduction to Statistics (3 credits)

PAI 723: Economics for Public Decisions (3 credits)

PAI 762: Challenges of International Management & Leadership (3 credits)

JD/MAIR - Career Track Requirements (12 credits)

Students will take four classes under one of the MAIR degree's identified career track frameworks.

The remainder of the coursework consists of College of Law coursework applied to the MAIR degree.  These courses must address an aspect of international affairs and be graded a "B" or better. Examples of such courses include: International Law, International Business Transactions, Comparative Law, International Organizations, Conflict of Laws, and the International Human Rights Seminar.

Students should consult with the Emily Alber Chase, Associate Director of Student Services, regarding current course offerings and their applicability to the MAIR degree program.

Downloadable Degree Planning Sheet