The International Affairs at Northeastern University is a Master program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the Boston campus in United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 2 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on January 1, 2027.

About Master of International Affairs

We live in an increasingly interconnected global environment where people, goods, ideas, and conflicts traverse borders with rising frequency. Leaders in the activist, policy, and academic spheres must learn not only how to critically analyze these phenomena but also to envisage harnessing their constructive potential. The Master of Arts in International Affairs is an interdisciplinary graduate program dedicated to preparing tomorrow’s global citizens. A holistic approach to enhancing our understanding of the world must span the limits of any one academic field and embrace cross-disciplinary analytical competencies.

Spanning several social sciences and humanities, our courses are taught by leading scholars who research democratization, gender, globalization, ethnic conflict and cooperation, human rights and international law, international relations, social activism, and social justice—among other topics. The program is designed to respond to the increasing demand, evident in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors for professionals equipped with the substantive, analytic, and methodological skills needed to address a wide array of issues facing societies and organizations across the globe.

Through its core courses, its two tracks—Globalization, Development and Social Justice; and International Public Policy—as well as global and regional electives, this graduate program allows students to pursue a variety of themes.

Learn more about the Master of Arts in International Affairs from the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, housed in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities.

More Details

Unique Features

Two tracks offered: Globalization, Development and Social Justice; and International Public Policy.
Students have access to 16 of the top research libraries.
Graduates leave prepared to work in government offices and agencies, human rights organizations, and other nongovernmental organizations.

The Master of Arts in International Affairs is a challenging and interdisciplinary program dedicated to preparing tomorrow’s global citizens and leaders by combining theories, concepts, and methodologies from a range of disciplines with study abroad and experiential learning opportunities in Boston, across the country, and around the world.

Two tracks offered: Globalization, Development and Social Justice; and International Public Policy.
Students have access to 16 of the top research libraries.
Graduates leave prepared to work in government offices and agencies, human rights organizations, and other nongovernmental organizations.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of International Affairs at Northeastern University

Entry Requirements

Admissions Dates

Fall Term

Spring Term


Final deadline for international applicants:	June 15
Final deadline for domestic applicants (non-international):	August 15
Deadline for special student applicants (non-international only):	August 25


Final deadline for international applicants:	October 1
Final deadline for domestic applicants (non-international):	December 15
Final deadline for Special Student applicants (non-international only):	December 15

English Requirements

PTEMin 76
IELTSMin 8
TOEFLMin 108

English Program Requirements

Northeastern students will be exposed to not only a rigorous academic environment but also a fast-paced experiential one. In order to be successful in both, all first-year and transfer applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate proficiency in English to be considered for admission to Northeastern.

Once your application is submitted, received, and processed, you will be able to access your Application Status Check. If you are required to provide further information regarding your proficiency in English, you will be able to complete the requirement in several ways, depending on your familiarity with English, and the frequency with which you use English each and every day:

Non-native English-speaking applicants will be required to submit official and valid results from one of the following English Language Tests:
- C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (Cambridge English)
- Duolingo English Test (DET)
- IELTS Academic
- PTE Academic
- TOEFL Internt-based Test (CEEB Code: 3667) Northeastern will accept either the in-person version completed in a test center, or the TOEFL iBT Home Edition
However, based on your academic environment and the primary instructional language in either your high school or university, you may be eligible for a waiver. All waivers must be submitted through your Application Status Check. For additional information and to determine whether or not you are eligible for a waiver, please read the section below on waiving the English proficiency requirement.

Please note: Northeastern’s Admissions Committee reserves the right to request proof of English language proficiency from any applicant, regardless of citizenship or first language, at any time during the evaluation process.

Tuition and Fee Information for Master of International Affairs at Northeastern University

Application Fee 75

How to Apply for Master of International Affairs at Northeastern University

1.Create your application
Submit your application through The Common Application or the Coalition Application (both are accepted). Once you have created your application, please select Northeastern University to directly submit your application to us. Application fee of $75 or need-based fee waiver* *Northeastern accepts need-based fee waivers from the Common Application, the Coalition Application, as well as organizations such as the College Board and ACT, or in a written request from a school official.
2.Submit all required materials
Double check to make sure that you have submitted all required materials. Even if your application has been submitted, we cannot begin reviewing your file until all of your required materials have been received. For applicants applying for the 2022-2023 academic year, Northeastern University is test-optional and does not require standardized testing to complete an application for admission.
3.Check your application status
Within seven days of applying, you should receive a confirmation email containing your Northeastern University ID number and instructions for setting up your Application Status Check account. To ensure all of the necessary documents have been submitted, and for updates or information about your application, visit your application status check.