• Introduction
• Recognition
• Curriculum
• Course Delivery Format
• Admission
• Graduation Requirement
• Articulation to Master of Arts (M.A.) in Diplomacy and International Affairs

Introduction

Zayed University educates and trains future generation of diplomats from the United Arab Emirates, as well as professionals from around the world, for successful careers in diplomacy and international affairs.

The Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs seeks to educate a new generation of world diplomats. The interdisciplinary program, focused on the United Arab Emirates and Gulf region, prepares professionals ready to contribute with innovative ideas to the challenges and opportunities that public and private sector organizations face in the 21^st century.  More specific, the program prepares professionals capable of:

• Representing the interests of the United Arab Emirates to other states and to multilateral institutions,

• Demonstrating strong knowledge of the contemporary history of the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf region, and the Middle East,

• Showing a professional knowledge of the major canons in international law, their applications, and practical limitations,

• Articulating the economic challenges present in a global economy,

• Submitting sound analyses and critical perspectives on global security challenges, and

• Conducting research in the field of diplomacy, and presenting policy options to their governments.

Recognition

Zayed University's graduate programs are approved by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. As Zayed University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Zayed University's graduate programs are internationally recognized for further education and employment in private and public sector organizations.

Curriculum

At the beginning of the program, students take an intensive one-day orientation seminar. The orientation offers a number of workshops to introduce students to the program, during which students are introduced to Blackboard (virtual classroom software), case study and analysis, library resources, and the writing of reports and reference citations.

The interdisciplinary nature of the Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs guarantees the preparation of versatile professionals knowledgeable about local and international contemporary history, the characteristics and major elements of an interconnected global economy, the law of the nations, and modern theories in international politics.

The intensive academic training is combined with workshops designed to equip diplomats with the written and oral language skills as well as the analytical tools that allow them to communicate effectively with their own governments, the general public, and the press, as well as the leadership training to transform participants into effective and successful diplomats.

In order to earn a Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs, students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of study.  Six (6) graduate credit hours must be taken from core courses and six (6) from elective courses or approved independent study courses, from which at least one (1) course has to be from Area Studies.

Core Courses

• HSS 623 International Relations
• HSS 633 Diplomatic History: The Shaping of Contemporary International Affairs
• HSS 643 International Political Economy
• HSS 653 Public Diplomacy
• HSS 663 The United Arab Emirates: Political and Administrative Structure
• HSS 673 International Relations of the U.A.E.

 Elective Courses

• The Gulf States*
• HSS 693 Security Studies
• International Negotiation*
• Crisis Management*
• Development and Underdevelopment*
• Migration and International Affairs*
• International Criminal Jurisdiction*
• Human Rights*
• HSS 683 Politics of Oil

 Area Studies

• Europe and the European Union*
• African Politics*
• Latin American Politics*
• People's Republic of China in the 21^st Century*
• Politics of East Asia*
• Southwest Asia*
• The Russian Federation and its Neighbors*
• HSS 613A Area Studies: The Middle East
• HSS 613B Area Studies: Africa

Independent Studies

• HSS 699 Independent Study

 *Courses pending final approval

Course Delivery Format

The format for delivering the Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs is designed to minimize time away from work and family while maximizing interaction with fellow students and faculty.

Faculty members utilize a mix of in-classroom and distance learning instruction that demonstrate the flexibility needed to accommodate experienced working graduate students. The onsite delivery for each course is normally conducted during three evenings on weekdays. Blackboard customized courseware, with e-mail and course management features, is used to deliver the offsite computer-based portion of the curriculum. Portions of some courses involve videoconferencing. Students and faculty interact frequently to exchange e-mail, transfer files, submit papers, and access course materials in the form of PowerPoint slides during courses.

The Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs is delivered over a period of 6 months at Zayed University located in Abu Dhabi and/or Dubai.

For more information on the admission deadline, please visit the Key Dates section of our website.

Admission

• Admission is open to males and females of all nationalities.
• Applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree with a GPA of 2.5 or higher from an accredited university.
• Applicants must demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to manage a challenging, fast-paced program.
• 

For more information on the admission requirements, application procedure and program cost, please visit the Admissions and Fees section of our website.

Graduation Requirement

Graduate students must maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in course work taken in fulfillment of the requirements of a graduate certificate.

Articulation to Master of Arts (M.A.) in Diplomacy and International Affairs

Courses successfully completed with a "B" or higher grade may be transferable into an affiliated Zayed University masters degree program; however, admission into the Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs does not guarantee admission into the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Diplomacy and International Affairs program. Students, if admitted, must request transfer of completed graduate certificate course credits to the masters degree program.