Get the Knowledge: Free Online Masters in International Relations
Since Graduating with my theatre degree, and actually quite a bit a bit before graduation, I started to feel like I wanted to learn about something more important. Surrounded by friends studying “important” topics like global policy and systems...and taking electives like urban politics sparked a sense of academic passion I hadn’t felt from theatre in years.
So, I started looking for more information. Being flat broke and having a lot of time on my hands, I looked into the requirements for a Master’s in International Relations at my undergrad alma mater, Columbia University. The program is very rigorous...but, are there comparable free MOOCs that offer the same knowledge and essential understanding of the history and theories required by Columbia?
I put together a course guide, according to Columbia’s requirements, pulling courses from major MOOC sites to design a completely free online Master’s in International Relations with variable options:
One (1) Courses in IR Conceptual Foundations
1. Global Politics https://www.edx.org/course/politique-global
Two (2) Courses in Economics
One (1) course in Microeconomics
2. Microeconomic Principles: Decision Making under Scarcity https://www.edx.org/course/microeconomic-principles-decision-making-under-scarcity
One (1) course in Macroeconomics
3. Financial Programming and Policies Part 1: Macroeconomic Accounts Analysis https://www.edx.org/course/financial-programming-and-policies-part-1-macroeconomic-accounts-analysis-0
One (1) Course in Quantitative Analysis
4.Data Analysis in Social Science https://www.edx.org/course/data-analysis-in-social-science-assessing-your-knowledge
One (1) Course in Management
5. International Organizations Management https://www.coursera.org/learn/international-organizations-management
One (1) Course in Financial Management
6. Public Financial Management https://www.edx.org/course/public-financial-management
One (1) Course in Interstate Relations
7. Global Diplomacy – Diplomacy in the Modern World https://www.coursera.org/learn/global-diplomacy
Eight (8) Courses - Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy Concentration
One (1) Core Course
8. International Human Rights Law https://www.edx.org/course/international-human-rights-law-0
Two (2) Human Rights Policy Focus Area Courses
9. Human Rights Defenders https://www.edx.org/course/human-rights-defenders1
10. Introduction to International Criminal Law https://www.coursera.org/learn/international-criminal-law
Two (2) Elective Courses
11. International Humanitarian Law https://www.edx.org/course/international-humanitarian-law
12. Human Rights, Human Wrongs: Challenging Poverty, Vulnerability and Social Exclusion https://www.edx.org/course/human-rights-human-wrongs-challenging-poverty-vulnerability-and-social-exclusion
Three (3) Specialization Courses
One (1) IO/UN Specialization Course
13. Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World
https://www.coursera.org/learn/global-diplomacy-un
Two (2) Courses in either the INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OR UN STUDIES ELECTIVE SPECIALIZATION
14. The Changing Global Order https://www.coursera.org/learn/changing-global-order
15. Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster https://www.edx.org/course/humanitarian-response-to-conflict-and-disaster
