A perfect blend of international relations & management
Your full-time Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management is designed to provide you with the political, economic and cultural training to thrive in international affairs and global relations. The MA in Global Affairs and Management features coursework in international relations, political economy and area studies taught by world-class multinational faculty members. The curriculum also includes accounting, finance, marketing, management and entrepreneurship – all from a global perspective – with a breadth of additional global affairs electives for specialization.
Your studies begin with Foundations Week, an interactive and engaging course covering key aspects of leadership, team-building, motivation, ethics, cross-cultural communication, self-assessment, professional development and career-management strategies. You will also have the opportunity to participate in Global Professional Development Seminars presented by our Career Management Center – completing coursework in topics such as business presentations, public speaking, cross-cultural teambuilding and networking, business report writing and business etiquette in global settings.
Economics bootcampsDepending on your undergraduate background, you may be required to take an online economics bootcamp prior to beginning the program. Read more. |
English proficiencyDepending on your TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score (if applicable), you may be required to take “Business English Communications” course(s) prior to beginning the program. |
Sample course descriptions
Note: Not all courses shown here are taught at all times. This listing represents a sample of the courses available at Thunderbird, but is not meant to be all-inclusive. Please speak with an admissions representative to discuss the specific classes being offered in the next term.
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Course Number: ST-4433Credit Hours: 1.50
Emerging Market Women Entrepreneurs Consulting is a course designed for students who want to get more involved in Thunderbird?s women entrepreneurs programs and in social business. Students will work with the professor to provide consulting for some of the women entrepreneurs? business plans that need further work in order to qualify for higher-level funding, like from USAID and other large funding sources. Thunderbird students will apply classroom knowledge and experiences and learn how to write and review business plans and work in multicultural student teams.
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Course Number: XM-1005Credit Hours: 0.00
The goal of this seminar is to challenge future global leaders, whether headed to business, government or the social sector, to reflect critically about their role in creating a more just, inclusive and sustainable world economy. The seminar will encourage participants to question their fundamental assumptions about the human condition, their personal values, and their understanding of leadership.
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Course Number: ES-4004Credit Hours: 3.00
This course is designed to strengthen the linguistic
skills of the non-native speaker of English. It focuses on both speaking and writing. Grammar, pronunciation, and presentation
are emphasized in the oral exercises, while grammar,
style, and organization are emphasized in the written. The course requires regular homework assignments, which are introduced and reinforced in the classes. -
Course Number: GF-5450Credit Hours: 3.00
This course provides an understanding of, and appreciation for, the development and implementation of entrepreneurial strategies and policy development from the perspective of the CEO/Founder of the entrepreneurial enterprise. Students will follow, from a ?been there-done that? point of view, the ?story? behind entrepreneurial ventures, and learn first hand both success and failure factors faced by the entrepreneur/CEO along the way.
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Course Number: GF-5425Credit Hours: 3.00
This course focuses on finance concepts as applied in the real world by entrepreneurs. From the firm perspective, the course covers topics relevant to entrepreneurial finance, including financial statements, forecasting of key financial variables, funding plans and venture capital. The course will prepare prospective general managers of entrepreneurial companies on how to make the financial decisions involved with building high-risk, high-growth enterprises. It prepares business-minded students for careers focused on entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship.
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Course Number: GF-5451Credit Hours: 3.00
The Entrepreneurial CEO/Founder Seminar provides an understanding of, and appreciation for, the development and implementation of entrepreneurial strategies and policy development from the perspective of the CEO/Founder of the entrepreneurial enterprise.
In this course, students will follow, from a "been there-done that" point of view, the "story" behind entrepreneurial ventures, and importantly, learn first hand both success and failure factors faced by the entrepreneur CEO along the way.
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Course Number: GF-4430Credit Hours: 3.00
This course focuses on entrepreneurship and new venture creation in transition economies. It will focus on doing business and business opportunities in Hungary and Slovenia exemplifying doing business in transition economies. Students will have seminars from faculty members at the Budapest University of Economics and the University of Ljubljana, executives and managers of business organizations from various industrial sections, government officials of the two countries, and capital providers in each country. Company visits and cultural activities will also occur.
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Course Number: MGT-4405Credit Hours: 1.50
In recent years, the business world has become increasingly sensitized to the presence of institutional governance and defining the culture of a corporation and its core values. Stated explicitly or not, these issues not only impact the reputation of the venture or corporation, but also its sustainability and financial bottom line.
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Course Number: OP-1000Credit Hours: 6.00
The student undertakes independent reading and/or research on approved topics in the field of Modern Languages. Topics may range from business and financial issues to the social or political aspects of countries or areas whose native language is taught at the School. A formal proposal containing a clear statement of purpose must be submitted for approval during the preceding semester. Readings, discussion and papers are in the target language. Close consultation with the supervising instructor is required.
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Course Number: GF-4701Credit Hours: 1.50
This course covers in detail the techniques and procedures involved in successfully carrying out export and import transactions. Topics include the language of international trade, INCO terms, payment terms, trade barriers, export licensing, pricing, order handling, insurance, international collections, and international transportation. Documentation requirements of export and import operations are examined in detail. Import and customs clearance procedures are studied along with their relation to foreign product sourcing and international purchasing.
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Course Number: GM-1210Credit Hours: 0.00
All entering students begin their degree program with this mandatory, one-week course. Foundations Week introduces tools and insights necessary for success and career effectiveness on a global scale. The course presents key aspects of leadership, team building, motivation, ethics, and cross-cultural communication. It also offers self-assessment tools and opportunities to explore career management and job search strategies. The program?s action-learning approach includes case discussions, exercises, simulations, group discussions, presentations, lectures and videos.
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Course Number: FIN-4000Credit Hours: 1.50
This course will focus on the building blocks and the basic theories of Finance. Topics addressed include: Present value (and Net Present Value) concepts; the basics of stock and bond valuation (including the NPVGO model); capital budgeting (various tools of capital budgeting, and derivation of cash flows for capital budgeting); working capital management.
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Course Number: GM-4101Credit Hours: 1.50
This course covers the application of accounting models to the measurement of assets, liabilities, and stockholders? equity. Topics covered include, marketable securities, receivable and inventory valuation, fixed and intangible assets, bonds, leases, dividends, stock buybacks, stock splits and foreign currency translation. The emphasis of the course is on the evaluation of corporate financial reporting policy and the usefulness of financial reports for decision making. U.S. and international accounting standards are covered.
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Course Number: GF-5112Credit Hours: 1.50
This course focuses on analyzing financial statement
information in a variety of global decision contexts
including security valuation, credit decisions, strategy and competitive analysis, mergers & acquisitions, and litigation
support. Financial analysis uses cash flows and ratio measures of a company's operating, financing and investing performance
for comparison to past historical performance or with competitors. Accounting analysis uses an understanding of -
Course Number: GL-2001Credit Hours: 0.00
All entering students begin their degree program with this mandatory, one-week course. Foundations Week introduces tools and insights necessary for success and career effectiveness on a global scale. The course presents key aspects of leadership, team building, motivation, ethics, and cross-cultural communication. It also offers self-assessment tools and opportunities to explore career management and job search strategies. Presentation and computer skills are also a part of Foundations Week.
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Course Number: FR-4100Credit Hours: 3.00
This course emphasizes the use of the target language in context, especially the lexicon of business. Readings from newspapers, journals, and books (although to a restricted degree in non-Latin alphabet languages) familiarize future international managers with issues in the areas of the world where the target language is spoken. Activities include small group discussions, oral and written projects, and grammar review.
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Course Number: FR-4025Credit Hours: 3.00
Fundamentals I is intensive and emphasizes interactive activities that develop oral proficiency. Participants study the four communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)with emphasis on the development of oral interaction. The use
of a cassette player may be required. Classes meet four times a week. -
Course Number: FR-4026Credit Hours: 3.00
In Fundamentals II major emphasis continues to be on the development of speaking and listening proficiency, but increased attention is also given to reading and writing. Authentic materials in the target languager reflect situations relevant to the international manager, except for non-Latin
based languages or Asian languages. The use of a cassette player may be required. -
Course Number: FR-4015Credit Hours: 3.00
This is an introductory course for beginning language learners. No prior knowledge is required. Students study language fundamentals such as pronunciations, vocabulary and grammar. The emphases are: a) establishing a solid foundation in pronunciations; b) building up vocabulary and sentence patterns in communicative contexts; c) introducing writing systems and preparing students to read characters. In addition, cultural and social information that go along with language use are also included in the teaching.
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Course Number: FR-4020Credit Hours: 3.00
This course is a continuation of Fundamentals I and II. It aims to help students further develop communicative skills in listening and speaking, with an additional emphasis on reading texts. The emphases of this course are: a) building up more vocabulary and grammatical structures for communications purposes, b) integrating the linguistic and cultural knowledge acquired in Fundamentals I and II with the new knowledge, c) introducing business content and terminology in instructions and activities.

