February 2010

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

Should the Board of Regents authorize the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York to confer the additional degree of Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.) at The City College of New York?

Reason for Consideration

Required by State statute.

Proposed Handling

              The question will come before the full Board for consideration at its February 2010 meeting, where it will be voted on and action taken. 

Procedural History

On November 25, 2009, The City University of New York Board of Trustees adopted the following resolution:

Resolved:  The Master’s Program in International Relations (MPIR) will change its type of degree award from the generic “Master of Arts” to a “Master of International Relations.” [the Regents official degree is the Master’s of International Affairs (M.I.A.)].    There are two reasons for this change.  First, it more accurately reflects the curricular direction of the program. Over the past five years, the MPIR has become a professionally-oriented program for students pursuing an international affairs career as a policy analyst or staff member in an international organization, national government agency, private contractor, the Foreign Service, or non-governmental organization.  Second, for students entering the job market, a generic master’s degree is far less useful than one that specifically mentions international relations. 

The Trustees resolution indicates that The City University of New York conducted a survey and found that eight “sister colleges” offer programs in International Affairs.  Three institutions offering the master’s degree in International Affairs, but not the M.I.A., include New School University, New York; Seton Hall University, New Jersey; and Georgetown University, in Washington D.C.  Columbia University offers the International Affairs program leading to the Master’s of International Affairs (M.I.A.), the only higher education institution in New York offering this degree.

 On November 24, 2009, the Department received from The City University of New York a proposal requesting a change in degree award from a Master of Arts (M.A.) to a Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.) for the registered program in International Relations (Program Code:  02285; HEGIS:2210.00). This would be the College’s first program leading to the M.I.A. degree.   

Background Information

Paragraph (8) of Section 6206 of the Education Law authorizes the CUNY trustees to:

“….grant the certificates, diplomas and degrees which were announced in the bulletins of the existing public institutions of higher learning published for the term beginning immediately prior to April sixteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-six, and also such other degrees and honors as the regents thereafter specifically authorized or may hereafter authorize it to grant.”

At The City College, the CUNY Trustees are authorized to award the degrees of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S.), Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.), Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. in Ed.), Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.), Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.), Master of Architecture (M.Arch.), Master of Science in Education (M.S. in Ed.), Master of Engineering (M.E.), Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Master of Landscape Architecture (M.L.A.), and Master of Urban Planning (M.U.P.).  The College offers programs in the discipline areas of the Biological Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, the Fine Arts, the Health Professions, the Humanities, the Physical Sciences, and the Social Sciences.

The Department has determined that the proposed awarding of the Master of International Affairs degree meets the standards of registration set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Board of Regents authorize The City University of New York, The City College of New York to award the Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.) degree on students successfully completing the registered International Relations program, currently leading to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree at The City College of New York, effective February 9, 2010.

Timetable for Implementation

              If the Board of Regents authorizes The City College of New York to award the Master of International Affairs degree, the Department will proceed to register the International Relations program as leading to the Master of International Affairs degree and the institution will continue to offer the curriculum as registered.