Norwich’s online diplomacy program is made up of six courses, each of which is delivered over 11 weeks for a total of 36 credit hours. Students master one course at a time, to create a strong foundation of knowledge and context for future topics.
Our graduates can:
Build cooperation, defuse tension, and promote peace between and among nations, groups, and other entities.
For the first course of the program, students have the option of choosing from either Theory and the International System (GD510) or The History of Diplomacy in the International System (GD511).
You will review the basic theories that govern international relations and political science. The course also traces the historical evolution of diplomacy within the international system, providing a sense of its progression and an awareness of the milestones of diplomatic interaction within that system.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of diplomacy, international relations, and world order in the context of the modern state system from 1648 to the present. The international political environment is introduced through studies in foreign policy decision making, combining history and political science in an analytical framework of historiography and international relations methodology.
You will explore the structure of the international system as defined by its rules and guidelines. The course presents an introduction to international law terminology and its history and theory. Laws surrounding conflict, war, war crimes, and the rising areas of international law, environmental law, and laws concerning humanitarian intervention will be explored. Of special interest will be laws pertaining to human rights.
You will explore the international economic system, examine the impact of modernization within the system, and investigate the controversy over the concept of globalization and the debate of free trade versus protectionism. You will become familiar with the international financial network and its institutions. Special attention will be given to Third World development issues and the concept of economics as a tool of diplomacy and military power.
After completing the core curriculum, you will choose a concentration that fits your career and professional goals.
Develop knowledge, competencies, and tools to deal with international populations including the public, government, media, online, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Seminar Four:
Global Commerce and the International System (GD544)
Seminar Five:
Cross-Cultural Management in the International System (GD554)
Elective Options for Seminar Six:
Global Corporate Diplomacy (GD564)
Diplomacy and Communication (GD567)
This course focuses on internal and external environmental conditions affecting commerce in a global environment. You will evaluate the role of private-sector commerce in the international system and explore the impact of economics, law, politics, and culture on multinational commerce endeavors. You will also analyze country-specific data and internal organizational factors that influence managerial decision making in multinational organizations. You will gain an understanding of the global commerce environment and enhance your ability to function effectively across borders.
This course focuses on fundamental topics in human resources management as they pertain to globally active corporate, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. You will build skills in managing intercultural human resources differences; selecting, evaluating, and compensating employees in international assignments; training and developing expatriate employees; dealing with culture shock; and the effects of repatriation. You will be asked to apply the concepts of conflict management, resolution, and avoidance to specific work situations.
The course addresses the dependence of international commerce upon public goodwill, the development of which is the function of corporate diplomacy. You will develop the knowledge, competencies, and tools for implementing strategic communications in order to deal effectively with international constituencies, including the government, the news media, the Internet, and NGOs. Special emphasis will be given to developing and applying analytical skills to shape public opinion, build corporate reputation, and deal with crisis in a cross-cultural environment.
This course examines the role of communication in diplomatic endeavors. The historical influence of communication is considered along with the evolving theoretical basis that has informed diplomatic communication. In addition to examining the role communication has played throughout the history of diplomacy, key challenges related diplomatic communication will be considered. These include cultural challenges, the evolving nature of communication technology, the movement towards transparency, and the development of public diplomacy.
The concentration covers many crucial aspects of international terrorism, and national and transnational efforts to defeat it.
Elective Options for Seminar Four:
Terrorism: Introduction and State-Sponsored Terrorism (GD542)
International Security (GD546)
Seminar Five:
International Terrorisim by Non-State Actors (GD552)
Elective Options for Seminar Six:
International Response to Transnational Terrorism (GD562)
Diplomacy and Communications (GD567)
Diplomacy in Practice (GD541)
This course examines how states have used terrorism as a tool in managing their international relations and evaluates actions that the international community has taken to deter state-sponsored terrorism. Case studies will complement theory and allow for comparative analyses of various actions taken by the international community and the results achieved to date.
This course surveys some of the major debates and topics in international security. It is designed to give students an understanding of the most important substantive areas in the field of international security and to connect it with academic research on security‐related issues to policy. The course will examine both traditional understandings of and approaches to international security. New actors and issues considered relevant since the end of the Cold War will be discussed. The tension between the relative importance of traditional approaches to security, interstate relations, and the relevance or impact of less immediate but important influences such as human security and climate change will also be examined.
This course examines the phenomenon of transnational terrorism by non-state actors. Ideology, psychology, and strategies of major transnational groups are addressed to provide an understanding of their long-term goals and operations. You will examine the relationship of terrorist groups, WMD proliferation, and organized crime, as well as possible future trends in terrorist operations. Case studies of key groups will provide comparative analysis.
This course surveys the strategies and policies that have been deployed by states to combat transnational terrorism. You will examine the development of international law as a tool against terrorism, diplomatic and multilateral approaches in dealing with cross-border issues, and government policies designed to improve internal and multinational coordination and cooperation. Differences and commonalities among states in their approaches to terrorism are highlighted in order to examine best practices.
This course examines the role of communication in diplomatic endeavors. The historical influence of communication is considered along with the evolving theoretical basis that has informed diplomatic communication. In addition to examining the role communication has played throughout the history of diplomacy, key challenges related diplomatic communication will be considered. These include cultural challenges, the evolving nature of communication technology, the movement towards transparency, and the development of public diplomacy.
The seminar provides an understanding of the methods, institutions and practices that allow nations to translate foreign policy objectives and strategies into practical actions and how practitioners adjust and refine foreign policy in response to the events that influence outcomes.
The course is based on a practitioner’s perspective on diplomacy. The emphasis is on foreign policy practices and structures of the U.S., but it has broad applicability to the study of the diplomatic practice of other nations that operate in an analogous domestic political environment of a separation of powers, relative openness, and the freedom of expression.
Address the multiple schools of debate concerning the causes of international conflict and war and assess conflict in all its forms.
Seminar Four:
Conflict Avoidance, Prevention and Containment in the International System (GD540)
Seminar Five:
Conflict Resolution and Post-Conflict Reconstruction in the International System (GD550)
Elective Options for Seminar Six:
Military Intervention and Conflict Management in the International System (GD560)
Human Rights and Conflict in the International System (GD561)
Diplomacy and Communication (GD567)
Diplomacy in Practice (GD541)
This course addresses the multiple schools of debate concerning the causes of conflict and war. You will investigate the increasingly controversial area of peacekeeping and peacemaking, and examine transnational forces, including NGOs, that use diplomacy as a tool to avoid conflict in the international system. The concept of multilateral peace enforcement will be reviewed in order to examine best practices.
You will examine the do’s and don’ts of negotiating peace, its hazards, unexpected consequences, and lessons learned. Topics include the increasingly important area of recovery from atrocities through trials, truth commissions, and amnesty. You will also explore post-conflict governing, reestablishing the rule of law, the dominance of civil society, and the institutions of governance, as well as the politics and cultural impact of rebuilding, including the economic and financial costs.
You will examine conflict in all its forms, including aspects of covert operations, psychological warfare, special operations, and limited warfare. The course also explores multinational coalitions and conflicts and the renewed emphasis on terrorism, including the use of chemical, biological, and nuclear agents. You will review special cases of civil war and collapsed state conflicts. You will also investigate the impacts of modern warfare, most notably on the environment.
In this course, you will probe the complicated connections between the protection and enforcement of human rights norms and the roots, unfolding, and termination of armed conflict. Borrowing from the fields of peace building, conflict resolution, diplomacy, and law, the course builds upon the themes of conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction developed in previous courses. You will explore how human rights abuses increase the likelihood of violent conflict and how a respect for the political, civil, economic, and social claims of individuals may repair and restore affected societies.
This course examines the role of communication in diplomatic endeavors. The historical influence of communication is considered along with the evolving theoretical basis that has informed diplomatic communication. In addition to examining the role communication has played throughout the history of diplomacy, key challenges related diplomatic communication will be considered. These include cultural challenges, the evolving nature of communication technology, the movement towards transparency, and the development of public diplomacy.
The seminar provides an understanding of the methods, institutions and practices that allow nations to translate foreign policy objectives and strategies into practical actions and how practitioners adjust and refine foreign policy in response to the events that influence outcomes.
The course is based on a practitioner’s perspective on diplomacy. The emphasis is on foreign policy practices and structures of the U.S., but it has broad applicability to the study of the diplomatic practice of other nations that operate in an analogous domestic political environment of a separation of powers, relative openness, and the freedom of expression.
Study today’s fundamental issues, debates, and events in international relations pertinent to the world of cyberspace.
The cyberdiplomacy coursework will be taught from the curriculum in the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program. Courses are cross-listed with the Master of Arts in International Relations program.
Students in the concentration can choose to take one of the following electives as their third course; alternatively, students will be enrolled in IR 531 National Security by default. Courses and course descriptions are cross-listed with the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program.
Students in the concentration will choose to take one of the following electives as their fourth course; alternatively, students will be enrolled in GI 567 International Perspectives on Cyberspace by default. Courses and course descriptions are cross-listed with the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program.
This course provides students the opportunity to synthesize learning from all previous seminars and to apply the concepts and principles relevant to the work or career goals of each student. Each student researches and prepares a written capstone project that offers a practical or theoretical solution to challenges or issues of contemporary international importance and relevance in cyber diplomacy. The final outcome of the seminar for each student is a paper suitable for publication in a professional or an academic journal. Students are required to exhibit in-depth critical thinking, analysis, and effective writing skills. Course assignments maximize the exchange of student suggestions and comments on the various stages of the capstone project, to include but not limited to topic section, thesis, resources and supporting information.
A comprehensive exam is a requirement of the diplomacy program and is part of the graduation requirement. The exam will cover material from the entire program in a series of essay questions and is administered during the student's final course.
The thesis track is available for students who wish to have the traditional thesis experience with faculty mentorship and a culminating research paper, which is often the basis for a future publication. Outside of the degree completion requirements, students can choose to add this thesis after all six courses are completed. Pending program director approval for candidacy acceptance, your thesis will have a formal board of examination, supervision, and research process. Students who successfully defend a thesis may be exempt from the Comprehensive Exam requirement.
The thesis track is split into four 3-credit seminars: GD570, GD751, GD572, and GD573.
Our diplomacy program prepares students from diverse professional backgrounds for a wide range of careers. Our graduates have pursued a variety of roles, including:
Our alumni have attained positions at top organizations, including*:
feel their workplace skills have been enhanced since earning their online Diplomacy degree
of responding Norwich University graduates who wanted to advance in their career said they were successful in doing so
of Norwich University graduates in 2016 earned more than $80,000 per year.Read more about our Master of Arts in Diplomacy student outcomes.
*Source: Norwich University Master of Arts in Diplomacy Graduate Survey, fielded March 2016
Speak to one of our knowledgeable admissions advisors today - we can help answer your questions about your program of interest.
Dr. Lasha Tchantouridzé is Professor and Director of the graduate programs in Diplomacy and International Relations. He is also a Davis Center Associate, Harvard University, Boston, MA; Research Fellow, the Center for Defence and Security Studies, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; and Advisory Board Member of Peace & War Center at Norwich University. He earned his PhD in International Relations from Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Tchantouridzé’s research interests are at the intersection of diplomacy and force in international politics, and his academic publications are in the areas of geopolitics, Russian foreign policy, Canadian foreign policy, the Arctic, the Black Sea basin, international politics in the Caucasus, and NATO-Russia relations.
Recent Publications:
“The Black Sea question in Russo-Turkish Relations,” in Contemporary Russo-Turkish Relations: From Crisis to Cooperation, ed. by Ali Askerov, Lexington Books, 2018.
“Contending Policies of Russia and Turkey: The Syrian Crisis,” co-authored with Ali Askerov, in Contemporary Russo-Turkish Relations: From Crisis to Cooperation, ed. by Ali Askerov, Lexington Books, 2018.
“Appeasement of Russia and the Return of Great Power Politics in Europe,” Eastern Europe – Regional Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2017.
“საპარლამენტო სისტემის პრობლემები განვითარებადი დემოკრატიის პირობებში” (“Problems of the Parliamentary System in Developing Democracies,” in Georgian), პოლიტიკა (Politics), 2017, Vol. 1, No. 3.
“Unipolarity: End of an Error,” in Michael Hawes and Christopher Kirkey, eds. Canadian Foreign Policy in a Unipolar World. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2016.
“Canada’s Northern Dilemma: Resurgent Russia and the Competition over the Arctic,” Asian Journal of Canadian Studies, Vol. 21, No. 2, fall 2014.
“Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan: Comparing Canadian and Soviet Efforts,” International Journal, a special issue: Canada and Afghanistan: a Political, Diplomatic, Security, Economic & Social Assessment, Volume LXVIII, No. 2, summer 2013.
“Unipolarity: Theories, Images, and Canada’s Foreign Policy Priorities” Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, Volume 18, Issue 2, 2012.
“Political Economy of Kyrgyzstan’s Domestic (In)Stability,” The Journal of Central Asian Studies, Srinagar, Kashmir, Vol. XX, No. 1, 2011, pp. 89-102.
“Realpolitik and the Russo-Georgian War: Three Years On,” with Ryan Dessayn, Central Asia and the Caucasus 13 (1) 2012.
In Russian: Лаша Чантуридзе и Р. Дессейнь, «Realpolitik и война России с Грузией: Три года спустя,» Центральная Азия и Кавказ 15 (1), 2012.
“Canada and the New Russian-European Condominium,” Canadian Military Journal, Vol. 11, No. 3.
In French: “Le nouveau condominium russo-européen : Réévaluer les engagements pris par le Canada envers l’Europe en matière de défense,” Revue Militaire Canadienne, Vol. 11, No. 3, 2011.
Courses:
GD510 Theory and the International System
GD542 Terrorism: Introduction and State Sponsored Terrorism
GD560 Military Intervention and Conflict Management in the International System
IR510 World Politics – International Relations
IR531 National Security
In today’s world, broad knowledge and specialized skills are required to build cooperation, defuse tension, and promote peace between and among nations, groups, and other entities. Our online Master of Arts in Diplomacy program helps you develop that skill set and prepares you to become an international problem solver in any sector, including public, private, nonprofit and the military.
A master’s degree in diplomacy from Norwich University carries weight. Our proud history as the nation’s first private military college and a long standing, unparalleled commitment to public service set our diplomacy program apart in academia and our graduates apart in the professional world.
Request more information about this program.
Master of Arts
Develop skills to communicate more effectively within the complex international environment.
Gain a clear perspective on international diplomacy, leadership and conflict.
Tailor your diplomacy program studies based on your personal interests and career goals with 4 concentrations and the opportunity to pursue a thesis track.
Learn from and be mentored by expert faculty members, all of whom hold terminal degrees in their field.
Build a robust portfolio of research papers that you can leverage within your organization or submit as work samples to prospective employers.
Join a school with a nearly 200-year legacy and rich military history.
Apply to one of four start dates per year.
Benefit from a university recognized as offering Best Value with respect to high academic quality and low net cost of attendance, according to the U.S. News & World Report.*
*Rankings are based on undergraduate programs and on students who received the average level of need-based financial aid.
Norwich University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).
Charles Lerche is the associate program director (academics) for the Master of Arts in Diplomacy and Master of Arts in International Relations programs.
He holds a BA in history, an MA in international studies and a PhD in political science. He has taught at several universities around the world, including three in Nigeria; the Free University of Brussels; the University of Maastricht (the Netherlands); and Boston University in the Overseas Program.
Kerri Murnyack holds a master’s degree in Linguistics with a dual focus on Second Language Acquisition and Teaching English as a Second Language. Prior to her role as the associate program director at Norwich, she worked as the internal communications liaison within the IT Department of a global consulting firm, focusing most of her time on communications and change management. She also spent five years teaching English reading and writing skills to second language learners at the college level.
Katie Nelson graduated from Norwich University with a BS in Communications in 2013 and then again with her master’s degree in Public Administration in 2018. She worked at the Norwich University campus for six years and then joined the College of Graduate and Continung Studies team as a Student Support Advisor in November 2019.
Narain D. Batra, the author of The First Freedoms and America’s Culture of Innovation: The Constitutional Foundations of the Aspirational Society (2013) and Digital Freedom: How Much Can You Handle? (2007), and other books, teaches in the Master of Diplomacy program in the College of Graduate Studies. He developed the capstone seminar: Global Corporate Diplomacy, which he teaches twice a year. He also conducts workshops and symposia for the Diplomacy Program.
Najiba Benabess is a faculty member for the online MBA, diplomacy and international relations programs at Norwich. She came to Norwich University in 2007 as an assistant professor teaching variety of courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, international economics and quantitative methods. In 2016, she joined the faculty of Millikin University in Dacatur, Illinois as Dean of the Tabor School of Business. She is also an online instructor for several universities and colleges in the Milwaukee area.
Angela Kachuyevski specializes in international negotiation and conflict resolution and international security studies. She has lived and worked in Russia on grassroots democratization and peace-building initiatives and has contributed to numerous conflict prevention and ethnic conflict management research projects. She is the author of numerous scholarly articles and is a frequent speaker on conflicts in divided societies, minority rights, and conflict prevention.
Get to know the graduates of Norwich’s online Master of Arts in Diplomacy program.
Resources
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT
Extended hours available by appointment
Call: 1-802-962-4330
Email: onlineadmissions@norwich.edu
Please Note: All eligibility requirements are expected to be met unless noted in specific articulation agreements or memoranda of understanding (MOUs).
We encourage you to contact an admissions advisor (see below) if you need help at any stage of the application process. You will be required to submit the following items:
To contact an admissions advisor:
When applying for the Master of Arts in Diplomacy program at Norwich University, there are two essential factors to consider: what does it cost, and how can you pay for it? There are many ways to get financial assistance and several financial strategies that can help you achieve your academic and professional goals. We are here to help you identify and pursue the options that are best for you.
Ways to Pay
Do You Qualify for a Tuition Discount?
We Accept Military Benefits
Technology - $300/term
Library - $75/term
Graduation - $150/one-time
Students can choose from a variety of courses specific to their interests in the field of international relations. Course topics include global commerce, international terrorism, human rights and conflict, and economics and the international system.
Students can choose one of three concentrations: international commerce, international terrorism, or international conflict management.
Diplomacy is a specific aspect of international relations. If your career goals involve the broader field of international affairs, explore our online Master of Arts in International Relations program.
The optional thesis track provides the opportunity for focused research and scholarly investigation in addition to your course work. If you wish to complete a thesis, you must present a formal application, and your candidacy must be accepted by the program director.
The program’s six courses (each six credits) take approximately 18 months to complete. Depending on when you start the program, you can expect your degree to be conferred in 18 to 24 months.
Our diplomacy alumni have found employment with a variety of public and private organizations including BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, the U.S. Army, CACI International, the Cato Institute, Grant Thornton LLP, Cable News Network, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, the United Nations, the U.S. Department of State, and Wells Fargo.
Diplomacy program instructors hold terminal degrees from established universities. They must demonstrate a wide range of university/college-level teaching experience, a strong research record, and solid, practical experience in international relations.
When you apply for admission to the online Diplomacy program, you can submit transcripts and course outlines from previously attended institutions of higher education to be considered for transfer credits. Transfer credits will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be accepted for up to 12 credits. Norwich complies with VA regulations and guidelines as they pertain to transfer credits.
Through an agreement between Norwich University and the Department of the Army/U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, up to six credit hours may be awarded toward completion of the MDY program requirements. Credit hours will be awarded in the Conflict Resolution Concentration for GD560 Military Intervention, or in the International Terrorism Concentration for GD562 International Response.
Learn more about Norwich University’s transfer credit policy.
Norwich University offers a range of opportunities to help you lower your overall tuition costs. Contact our admissions team today to learn more about the below options. Please note that scholarships are not additive. In addition to the below scholarships, students may also be eligible for discounts if their organization partners with Norwich University.
Achievement Scholarship
Recognizing your past academic and professional achievements, the Achievement Scholarship is for newly enrolled students. You could receive a $4,200 scholarship, which will be distributed equally over the courses of the program. To be considered for this scholarship opportunity, submit your application package (application form, resume, letter of intent, and essay (if applicable)) for your program of interest at least one week prior to the upcoming application deadline. The Scholarship Selection Committee will review all application materials and select the recipient.
Norwich Alumni Scholarship
Norwich University alumni and their spouses, parents, and children are eligible to receive our Alumni Scholarship. The scholarship is award for each term of enrollment at $425 per term.
Active Duty Military Scholarship
Active duty, National Guard, and Reserve personnel are eligible to receive a $250 award for each term of enrollment in an online master’s degree program.
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