Committee on International Relations Homepage | Committee on International Relations
Source: https://cir.uchicago.edu
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:39
Committee on International Relations Homepage | Committee on International Relations
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Learn more about MA programs in the Social Sciences
Attend our DC Info Session April 21
CIR offers an
interdisciplinary, customizable curriculum
for those ready to shape international affairs now — not years from now.
The University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations (CIR) offers an intensive, one-year MA program that fast-tracks students to turn insight into global impact.
Each year, a select cohort builds advanced research skills, engages with global issues through an interdisciplinary lens, and customizes their path toward career goals.
Whether pursuing roles in policy, diplomacy, consulting, or academia, CIR graduates leave equipped to shape global outcomes — immediately and meaningfully.
Learn More About CIR
Why CIR at UChicago
Personalized Mentorship
Benefit from our small cohorts and close faculty/preceptor advising. This fosters direct engagement and flexibility to tailor your studies
OUR GRADUATE PROGRAM
Interdisciplinary Excellence
Dive deep into international relations through an adaptable curriculum spanning the social sciences, tailored to your unique interests.
EXPLORE OUR CURRICULUM
Global Experiential Learning
Gain invaluable real-world experience through our Politics and International Relations Treks to global centers like Washington D.C. and Taiwan, connecting theory with practice.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR TREKS
Global Impact & Strong Career Trajectories
From policy-making to academia and consulting, our graduates forge impactful careers worldwide, supported by a vast alumni network.
VISIT STUDENT OUTCOMES
CIR by the Numbers
90%+
Placement Rate
Most of our graduates are employed full-time or pursuing PhDs within 9 months of graduation.*
(Based on 2020–2023 cohorts, with an average 90% response rate)
7+
Career Sectors
CIR alumni pursue careers across more than seven major sectors, including government, NGOs, international organizations, consulting firms, and leading research institutions.
30+
Countries Represented
Students in recent cohorts come from more than 30 countries, creating a dynamic, globally minded academic community.
80
Students per Cohort
CIR maintains small cohort sizes to support personalized advising and seminar-style engagement.
5
Fields of Study
Students explore five key areas of International Relations as part of the distribution requirement.
1 Year
Completion
The CIR MA program is designed for completion in just one year of full-time study.
New rankings place UChicago’s CIR in the top 10
Life at CIR: Beyond the Classroom
CIR offers a dynamic graduate experience that extends well beyond lectures and assignments. Students participate in immersive treks abroad and within the U.S., attend rigorous academic workshops, and join a tight-knit cohort that fosters community and collaboration.
Asian International Relations Seminar
Each year CIR takes a group of students over spring break to meet policymakers, journalists, analysts, scholars, and others who offer insight into IR in a crucial part of the world.
LEARN MORE
DC Career Trek
In this two-day trek, participants visit a number of CIR alums at their respective office locations and have the opportunity to explore organizations where their academic skills can be leveraged.
LEARN MORE
Where our Graduates Excel
Government & International Organizations:
United Nations (Advisor-Intern, Associate Political Affairs Officer)
U.S. Department of the Treasury (Analyst)
U.S. Department of Defense (Political/Military Analyst)
UK Government (Policy Officer)
Congressional Research Service (Analyst)
Research & Academia:
PhD placements in top PhD programs such as UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Columbia, MIT, Ohio State, Stanford, and UChicago
CIR alumni hold faculty appointments at UC Berkeley, London School of Economics, George Washington University, and Boston College.
Consulting & Private Sector:
McKinsey & Company (Analyst, Business Analyst)
Bain & Company (Associate Consultant)
Morgan Stanley (Investment Banking Analyst)
Deloitte Consulting (Senior Consultant)
Google (Policy Advisor, Account Strategist)
PIMCO (Product Strategist)
Jane Street International (Strategy and Product Team)
See Where Our Alumni Go
Alumni Conversations
Learn more about the CIR experience through these in-depth alumni stories:
Kiana Ashtiani, CIR’13
“UChicago alumni are renowned for their sharp problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, which are highly valued in any workplace”
READ MORE
Ajah Sias, CIR’24
“I chose CIR because of the opportunity to study different fields like international law, or humanitarian rights and because it's a well-known program that many professionals in the field of international politics and law recognize.”
READ MORE
Guido (Martin) Roa Gimenez, MA’24 (CIR)
“I listened to the professors, the career advancement staff, and heard them describe the resources and how they focus on students and their research. They help students develop a robust research experience, which I knew I needed”
READ MORE
View All Alumni Conversations
Message from the Chair
The Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago is the nation's oldest graduate program in international affairs. It combines intellectual diversity, analytical rigor, and global reach.
Read More
News
View All News
Elijah Jenkins (BA RDI, LLS; MA CIR) Named One of Two 2026 Marshall Scholars
CIR Students Explore Geoeconomics and Career Pathways
CIR hosts Yale Law scholar Yangyang Cheng
Dr. Kara Ann Hooser Named Pedagogy Fellow by Chicago Center for Teaching and Lea...
Elijah Jenkins (BA RDI, LLS; MA CIR) Named One of Two 2026 Marshall Scholars
CIR Students Explore Geoeconomics and Career Pathways
CIR hosts Yale Law scholar Yangyang Cheng
Dr. Kara Ann Hooser Named Pedagogy Fellow by Chicago Center for Teaching and Lea...
This Website Uses Cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
I Agree
Read more
Skip to main content
Learn more about MA programs in the Social Sciences
Attend our DC Info Session April 21
CIR offers an
interdisciplinary, customizable curriculum
for those ready to shape international affairs now — not years from now.
The University of Chicago’s Committee on International Relations (CIR) offers an intensive, one-year MA program that fast-tracks students to turn insight into global impact.
Each year, a select cohort builds advanced research skills, engages with global issues through an interdisciplinary lens, and customizes their path toward career goals.
Whether pursuing roles in policy, diplomacy, consulting, or academia, CIR graduates leave equipped to shape global outcomes — immediately and meaningfully.
Learn More About CIR
Why CIR at UChicago
Personalized Mentorship
Benefit from our small cohorts and close faculty/preceptor advising. This fosters direct engagement and flexibility to tailor your studies
OUR GRADUATE PROGRAM
Interdisciplinary Excellence
Dive deep into international relations through an adaptable curriculum spanning the social sciences, tailored to your unique interests.
EXPLORE OUR CURRICULUM
Global Experiential Learning
Gain invaluable real-world experience through our Politics and International Relations Treks to global centers like Washington D.C. and Taiwan, connecting theory with practice.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR TREKS
Global Impact & Strong Career Trajectories
From policy-making to academia and consulting, our graduates forge impactful careers worldwide, supported by a vast alumni network.
VISIT STUDENT OUTCOMES
CIR by the Numbers
90%+
Placement Rate
Most of our graduates are employed full-time or pursuing PhDs within 9 months of graduation.*
(Based on 2020–2023 cohorts, with an average 90% response rate)
7+
Career Sectors
CIR alumni pursue careers across more than seven major sectors, including government, NGOs, international organizations, consulting firms, and leading research institutions.
30+
Countries Represented
Students in recent cohorts come from more than 30 countries, creating a dynamic, globally minded academic community.
80
Students per Cohort
CIR maintains small cohort sizes to support personalized advising and seminar-style engagement.
5
Fields of Study
Students explore five key areas of International Relations as part of the distribution requirement.
1 Year
Completion
The CIR MA program is designed for completion in just one year of full-time study.
New rankings place UChicago’s CIR in the top 10
Life at CIR: Beyond the Classroom
CIR offers a dynamic graduate experience that extends well beyond lectures and assignments. Students participate in immersive treks abroad and within the U.S., attend rigorous academic workshops, and join a tight-knit cohort that fosters community and collaboration.
Asian International Relations Seminar
Each year CIR takes a group of students over spring break to meet policymakers, journalists, analysts, scholars, and others who offer insight into IR in a crucial part of the world.
LEARN MORE
DC Career Trek
In this two-day trek, participants visit a number of CIR alums at their respective office locations and have the opportunity to explore organizations where their academic skills can be leveraged.
LEARN MORE
Where our Graduates Excel
Government & International Organizations:
United Nations (Advisor-Intern, Associate Political Affairs Officer)
U.S. Department of the Treasury (Analyst)
U.S. Department of Defense (Political/Military Analyst)
UK Government (Policy Officer)
Congressional Research Service (Analyst)
Research & Academia:
PhD placements in top PhD programs such as UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Columbia, MIT, Ohio State, Stanford, and UChicago
CIR alumni hold faculty appointments at UC Berkeley, London School of Economics, George Washington University, and Boston College.
Consulting & Private Sector:
McKinsey & Company (Analyst, Business Analyst)
Bain & Company (Associate Consultant)
Morgan Stanley (Investment Banking Analyst)
Deloitte Consulting (Senior Consultant)
Google (Policy Advisor, Account Strategist)
PIMCO (Product Strategist)
Jane Street International (Strategy and Product Team)
See Where Our Alumni Go
Alumni Conversations
Learn more about the CIR experience through these in-depth alumni stories:
Kiana Ashtiani, CIR’13
“UChicago alumni are renowned for their sharp problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, which are highly valued in any workplace”
READ MORE
Ajah Sias, CIR’24
“I chose CIR because of the opportunity to study different fields like international law, or humanitarian rights and because it's a well-known program that many professionals in the field of international politics and law recognize.”
READ MORE
Guido (Martin) Roa Gimenez, MA’24 (CIR)
“I listened to the professors, the career advancement staff, and heard them describe the resources and how they focus on students and their research. They help students develop a robust research experience, which I knew I needed”
READ MORE
View All Alumni Conversations
Message from the Chair
The Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago is the nation's oldest graduate program in international affairs. It combines intellectual diversity, analytical rigor, and global reach.
Read More
News
View All News
Elijah Jenkins (BA RDI, LLS; MA CIR) Named One of Two 2026 Marshall Scholars
CIR Students Explore Geoeconomics and Career Pathways
CIR hosts Yale Law scholar Yangyang Cheng
Dr. Kara Ann Hooser Named Pedagogy Fellow by Chicago Center for Teaching and Lea...
Elijah Jenkins (BA RDI, LLS; MA CIR) Named One of Two 2026 Marshall Scholars
CIR Students Explore Geoeconomics and Career Pathways
CIR hosts Yale Law scholar Yangyang Cheng
Dr. Kara Ann Hooser Named Pedagogy Fellow by Chicago Center for Teaching and Lea...
This Website Uses Cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
I Agree
Read more