Credit Policy

M.A. in International Relations program

To graduate M.A. candidates must earn a total of 42 credits in addition to completing and successfully defending their M.A. thesis and meeting the French language proficiency requirement.

Three credits are awarded for each course or internship that is successfully completed.

Transfer Credits

M.A. candidates who have already taken a course equivalent to an AGSIRD course at a satisfactory level at another school prior to attending AGSIRD may apply for a transfer credit. Only graduate coursework may be applied to a graduate degree.

Transfer credits are not used in the AGSIRD overall grade point required for good standing and graduation.

The decision to award transfer credits is based on the quality of the work, course content, and the time interval since the course’s completion and its relationship to the AGSIRD program.

A maximum of six transfer credits may be accepted towards the M.A. program.

Course Waiver

If a required course substantially duplicates a course the student has taken at an earlier point in his/her academic career the student may petition for a waiver of that requirement. S/he will not receive credit towards the degree but neither will s/he be required to repeat work already done.

Waivers typically arise when a student has an undergraduate degree in economics or law. The student has to demonstrate that s/he has taken a graduate or undergraduate course in the course in question and has received a grade of B or better.

Note that a waiver does not reduce the number of credits a student needs to graduate.

Ph.D. program

To graduate Ph.D. candidates must earn a total of 36 credits in addition to passing a pre-dissertation comprehensive exam, and successfully defending their dissertation.

Students are awarded three credits for each course or internship that is successfully completed.

Transfer Credits

Ph.D. candidates who have already taken a course equivalent to an AGSIRD required course at a satisfactory level at another school prior to attending AGSIRD may apply for a transfer credit. No transfer credit is given for an elective course. Only graduate coursework may be applied to a graduate degree.

Transfer credits are not used in the AGSIRD overall grade point required for good standing and graduation.

The decision to award transfer credits is based on the quality of the work, course content, and the time interval since the course’s completion and its relationship to the AGSIRD program.

Graduate study abroad program

Each course taken at the American Graduate School of International Relations and Diplomacy grants 3 graduate credits.
All graduate AGSIRD courses are accredited in the U.S. as part of the AGSIRD M.A. in International Relations and Diplomacy.
Credits earned at AGSIRD may be transferred towards another Master's program at another U.S. institution at the discretion of the other institution.

Undergraduate study abroad program

Summer study abroad program

Undergraduate students can get six credits (according to the American credit system) toward an undergraduate degree: three credits (equal to 60 hours, or one semester of class instruction) for each component of the program (French language and politics).

Semester study abroad program

Students earn 16 hour-credits over one semester (in accordance with the American credit system) toward an undergraduate degree:

• 6 credits for the core seminar

• 3 credits for each of the electives

• 4 credits for the French language

• If applicable 3 undergraduate credits per graduate-level course