Master of Arts (MA) in Global Governance

The program information below was valid for the fall 2023 term (September 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

Students are responsible for reviewing the general information and regulations section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

Graduate research fields

  • Conflict and Security
  • Global Environment
  • Global Justice and Human Rights
  • Global Political Economy
  • Global Social Governance
  • Multilateral Institutions and Diplomacy
  • Peace Integration

Program information

  • Admit term(s) 
    • Fall
  • Delivery mode 
    • On-campus
  • Length of program 
    • The program is designed to be completed in 4 terms.
  • Program type 
    • Master's
    • Research
  • Registration option(s) 
    • Full-time
    • Part-time
  • Registration option(s) information 
    • This program will not normally be offered on a part-time basis. In exceptional circumstances, students may assume part-time status after their formal course work has been completed.
  • Study option(s) 
  • Additional program information 

    • University of Waterloo-University of Warwick Double Degree: Established in 2014, the University of Waterloo-University of Warwick double degree program offers students an opportunity to study in one of the UK’s best politics departments in combination with their studies at the University of Waterloo. The program allows students to combine the MA in Global Governance (MAGG) program with their choice of masters programs offered by the Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS) at the University of Warwick. Students choose between two routes, either carrying out the first year of their studies at the University of Warwick before proceeding to the University of Waterloo in their second year to complete their degree, or beginning with the first year at the University of Waterloo and then completing the second year at the University of Warwick.

    • The admission requirements for the MAGG-PAIS double degree are exactly the same as the admission requirements for the MAGG. Students complete the degree requirements for MAGG and the PAIS, but only write one Master’s Research Paper (15,000 words), which is supervised jointly by faculty at the University of Waterloo and University of Warwick. At the end of the two years, they receive degrees from both the University of Waterloo and University of Warwick.

    • University of Waterloo-American University Admissions Pathway: Established in 2019, the University of Waterloo-American University admissions pathway program offers students an opportunity to obtain an additional graduate-level degree at one of the top-ranked schools of international affairs in the United States. The program allows students to combine the interdisciplinary and experiential approach to the study of Global Governance with additional academic training in applied international affairs through the Master of International Studies-International Studies Track (MIS-IST). Students will create a concentration of their choice, tailored to their professional goals.

    • Current graduate students in the MAGG or students who have graduated from the MAGG within three years of their requested date of admission may apply to AU's Master of International Service degree program through the International Studies Track, offered on campus in Washington, DC and online.

Admission requirements

  • Minimum requirements 
    • Successful completion of an Honours Degree in Political Science, Economics, History or a related field (including international, environmental or global studies undergraduate degrees) with an overall average of at least 78% in the final 20 courses.
    • Successful completion of at least one introductory course in economics at the university level before commencing the program.
    • Experienced professionals in the private or public sectors will be considered for admission, but additional course work may be required.
  • Application materials 
    • Résumé
    • Supplementary information form
    • Transcript(s)
    • Writing sample
  • References 
    • Number of references:  3
    • Type of references: 

      at least 2 academic
  • English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Degree requirements

    Master's Research Paper option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • Students must complete 6 courses during the first two terms, as follows:
      • Core course component: GGOV 600 Global Governance
      • History component: 1 of the following courses (or an appropriate alternative):
        • HIST 605 Global Governance in Historical Perspective
        • HIST 606 International Development in Historical Perspective
        • HIST 607 Human Rights in Historical Perspective I
        • HIST 608 Human Rights in Historical Perspective II
        • HIST 612 Global Indigenous Rights
        • HIST 660 Transnational and Global History: Old Problems and New Directions
      • Economics component: 1 of the following courses (or an appropriate alternative):
        • GGOV 610/PSCI 688/PACS 630 Governance of Global Economy
        • GGOV 613/PSCI 668 The Politics of National Innovation Systems
        • GGOV 614/PSCI 614 Global Business and Development
        • GGOV 618 Special Topics in Global Political Economy
        • GGOV 619 Readings in Global Political Economy
        • GGOV 621/PSCI 606/ERS 606 Governing Global Food and Agriculture Systems
        • GGOV 663/PSCI 619 China and Global Governance
        • ECON 631 International Trade
        • ECON 635 International Trade and Development
        • ECON 637 Economic Analysis and Global Governance
        • ECON 673 Special Topics in Economics
      • Political Science component: 1 of the following courses:
        • GGOV 610/PSCI 688 Governance of Global Economy (GV 731 at WLU)
        • GGOV 620/ERS 604/PSCI 604 Advanced Topics in Global Environmental Governance (GV 732 at WLU)
        • GGOV 621/ERS 606/PSCI 606 Governing Global Food and Agriculture Systems
        • GGOV 630/PSCI 678/PACS 634 Security Ontology-Theory (GV 733 at WLU)
        • GGOV 631/PSCI 679/PACS 635 Security Governance: Actors, Institutions, and Issues
        • GGOV 640/PSCI 658/PACS 633 Human Rights in the Globalized World
        • GGOV 642/PSCI 639 Global Social Governance (GV 735 at WLU)
        • PSCI 657/GGOV 650 International Organizations and Global Governance
      • Elective component: 2 additional courses chosen from the following list:
        • ECON 635 International Trade and Development
        • GGOV 613/PSCI 668 The Politics of National Innovation Systems
        • GGOV 614/PSCI 614 Global Business and Development
        • GGOV 618 Special Topics in Global Political Economy
        • GGOV 619 Readings in Global Political Economy
        • GGOV 622 Complexity and Global Governance
        • GGOV 628 Topics in Global Environmental Governance
        • GGOV 629 Readings in Global Environment
        • GGOV 633 Managing Nuclear Risk
        • GGOV 634/PSCI 620 Gender and Global Politics
        • GGOV 638 Special Topics in Conflict and Security
        • GGOV 639 Readings in Conflict and Security
        • GGOV 641 International Human Rights (GV 760 at WLU)
        • GGOV 644/SOC 784 International Migration: Practice, Theory and Regulation
        • GGOV 648 Special Topics in Global Justice and Human Rights
        • GGOV 649 Readings in Human Rights and Global Justice
        • GGOV 653 International Organizations and Public Policy
        • GGOV 654/PSCI 610 International Relations Theory
        • GGOV 655/PSCI 611 Current Issues in International Relations
        • GGOV 658 Special Topics in Multilateral Institutions and Diplomacy
        • GGOV 659 Readings in Multilateral Institutions and Diplomacy
        • GGOV 660 Public International Law
        • GGOV 661 International Organizations Law
        • GGOV 662/SOC 781 Global Development Governance
        • GGOV 663 China and Global Governance
        • GGOV 668 Special Topics in Global Social Governance
        • GGOV 669 Readings in Global Social Governance
        • HIST 604 Theory and Practice of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: Historical and Contemporary Issues
        • HIST 606 International Development in Historical Perspective
        • HIST 610 War and Society in the Twentieth Century I
        • HIST 611 War and Society in the Twentieth Century II
        • HIST 626 Modern European History I
        • HIST 627 Modern European History II
        • HIST 632 History of the United States I
        • HIST 651 Historians and Public Policy
        • PSCI 639/GGOV 642 Global Social Governance
        • PSCI 651 Democracy and Development
        • PSCI 657/GGOV 650 International Organizations and Global Governance
        • PSCI 658/GGOV 640 Human Rights in the Globalized World
        • PSCI 680 Critical Security Studies
        • PSCI 684 Special Topics in International Diplomacy
        • Note: Not all courses are offered each year and more courses may be available. Consult the respective departments for information on available courses in any given year. Consult the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar course catalog for full course descriptions.
      • Students in the MA program may also wish to pursue a Graduate Research Field in Peace Integration.
      • A Graduate Research Field is a University credential that is recognized on the student’s transcript and is intended to reflect that a student has successfully completed research and a set of courses that together provide an in-depth study in the area of the Graduate Research Field. A student will only obtain the Graduate Research Field on their transcript if they have completed the requirements associated with the MA degree and the requirements associated with the Graduate Research Field.
      • The course requirements for the Graduate Research Field in Peace Integration are described below.
      • Students must successfully complete the following courses:
        • GGOV 600 Global Governance
        • 1 course from the following list:
          • PACS 601 Systems of Peace, Order, and Good Governance
          • PACS 602 Practice of Peace
          • PACS 603 Building Civil Society
          • PACS 604 Conflict Analysis
          • PACS 605 Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding
        • 2 courses from the following list (note: each of the 2 courses must be from a different subjectcode/area):
          • INDEV 604/PACS 650 Sustainable Cities
          • INDEV 605/PACS 651 Economics for Sustainable Development
          • INDEV 608/PACS 652 Water and Security
          • INDEV 609 Sustainability Concepts, Applications and Key Debates
          • INDEV 613 Water, Human Security and Development
          • GEMCC 602 Climate Change: Vulnerability and Adaptation
          • GEMCC 622 Climate Change, Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Reduction
          • GEMCC 640 Climate Change Governance: From Global Treaties to Local Innovation
          • HLTH 603 Health Systems and Policy
          • HLTH 604 Public Health and the Environment (blended on-campus/online offering)
          • HLTH 607 Social, Cultural and Behavioural Aspects of Public Health I (blended on-campus/online offering)
          • HLTH 614 Foundations of Program Evaluation
          • HLTH 632 Health Economics and Public Health (online offering)
          • HLTH 661 Geographic Information Systems and Public Health (online offering)
          • HLTH 662 Global Health
        • 2 additional courses from the following list (note: each of the 2 courses must be from a different subject code/area):
          • History component: 1 of the following courses (or an appropriate alternative):
          • HIST 605 Global Governance in Historical Perspective
          • HIST 606 International Development in Historical Perspective
          • HIST 607 Human Rights in Historical Perspective I
          • HIST 608 Human Rights in Historical Perspective II
          • HIST 612 Global Indigenous Rights
          • HIST 660 Transnational and Global History: Old Problems and New Directions
          • Economics component: 1 of the following courses (or an appropriate alternative):
          • GGOV 610/PSCI688/PACS 630 Governance of Global Economy
          • GGOV 613/PSCI 668 The Politics of National Innovation Systems
          • GGOV 614/PSCI 614 Global Business and Development
          • GGOV 618 Special Topics in Global Political Economy
          • GGOV 619 Readings in Global Political Economy
          • GGOV 621/PSCI 606/ERS606 Governing Global Food and Agriculture Systems
          • GGOV 663/PSCI 619 China and Global Governance
          • ECON 631 International Trade
          • ECON 635 International Trade and Development
          • ECON 637 Economic Analysis and Global Governance
          • ECON 673 Special Topics in Economics
          • Political Science component: 1 of the following courses:
          • GGOV 610/PSCI 688 Governance of Global Economy (GV 731 at WLU)
          • GGOV 620/ERS 604/PSCI 604 Advanced Topics in Global Environmental Governance (GV 732 at WLU)
          • GGOV 621/ERS 606/PSCI 606 Governing Global Food and Agriculture Systems\
          • GGOV 630/PSCI 678/PACS 634 Security Ontology-Theory (GV 733at WLU)
          • GGOV 631/PSCI 679/PACS 635 Security Ontology-Issues & Institutions
          • GGOV 640/PSCI 658/PACS 633 Human Rights in the Globalized World
          • GGOV 642/PSCI 639 Global Social Governance (GV 735 at WLU)
          • PSCI 657/GGOV 650 International Organizations and Global Governance
  • Link(s) to courses
  • Master's Seminar
    • Students must attend the program seminar. The seminar will meet regularly throughout the first and second term. Meetings will include visiting speakers (at both the University of Waterloo and the Centre for International Governance Innovation), guest talks by core faculty members and, during the second term, discussions of the research plans of students for the Master’s Research Paper (MRP). Attendance at the Seminar is required, but grades will be assigned on a credit/non-credit (or pass/fail) basis.
  • Master’s Internship
    • All students are required to spend the equivalent of one academic term as an intern working on global governance issues in the public or private sector, at a research institute, or for a non-governmental organization. The work-term will normally take place in the third term of the program. A written report arising out of the internship experience will be required and will be evaluated. This report is distinct from the MRP, but could build towards it.
  • Master’s Research Paper
    • After the completion of the internship, students will concentrate during their fourth term on the completion of a MRP. The MRP provides students with an opportunity to pursue a specific research topic of their choosing relating to the study of global governance. The minimum length is 40 pages double-spaced and the maximum is 60 pages double-spaced.
Balsillie School of International Affairs website
Master of Arts (MA) in Global Governance future students program page