The Stanford University master's program in International Policy Studies is designed for students who seek an advanced degree in international affairs in preparation for a career as a government official, business executive, or international lawyer. With a nationally renowned faculty, situated on the western edge of the Pacific Rim and at the intellectual birthplace of Silicon Valley, the IPS Program at Stanford is uniquely suited to the student seeking to gain a profession-enhancing understanding of international issues crucial to succeeding in the 21st century.
Classes are small and intense, with many organized as seminars.
A special attraction of the program is a strong emphasis on the application of advanced analytical and quantitative methods to decision making in international affairs. The International Policy Studies Program provides an interdepartmental course of study allowing students to focus on areas such as international economics, development policies, international security, and the world environment. It also exposes the student to the range of expertise and internationally oriented institutions that is unique to Stanford, including the Hoover Institution, the Institute for International Studies, and the Center for Research on Economic Development and Policy Reform. Lastly, a course of study in the International Policy Studies Program means working with the caliber and range of students that are drawn to an institution such as Stanford. The enrollment in the IPS Program historically has included students from a wide array of nations who already have attended some of the finest educational institutions throughout the world.