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Prospective and Current Students FAQ:

Students often have questions about our program, therefore we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive. If you do not find your question below, feel free to contact us at  of fill out our RFI form.  

What makes Rutgers University "World Renowned"?

Discover Rutgers website here.

What are the benefits of enrolling in the UNMA program at Rutgers?

The only program in the United States completely focused on the United Nations disciplines at an advanced level, students gain the skills of a liberal arts degree to better prepare them for work in international policy sectors and/or continuation of Ph.D. study. For more information go here.

Where are courses offered?

Courses are offered at Rutgers University-New Brunswick-Douglass campus and virtual remote instruction via Webex/Zoom video-wall and/or online.

What are the requirements for obtaining a degree from the UNMA program?

In order to complete the UNMA program, students are required to enroll in three mandatory courses along with 27 credits of supplemental courses, which can be organized into one of our desired concentration. The mandatory courses are:

  • 16:790:500 - Introduction to the United Nations: Theory, Institutions, Policy and Processes (3 Credits)
  • 16:790:501 - Theory and Methods in the Study of Global Affairs (3 credits)
  • 16:790:599 - Capstone Seminar in United Nations & Global Policy Studies(3 Credits) Taken in the last semester of final year. 

What are Curriculum Concentrations?

Offering specialized courses in a variety of global policy areas, our concentrations help students narrow down their interest areas and provide specialized information when applying for employment post-graduation. Learn more here.

How long does it take to get an MA in Political Science? 

We offer on campus courses between 6:00–8:40 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays and Saturday courses during fall and spring semesters.  We also offer Monday afternoon course times.  We offer fully online courses each semester including summer sessions.  Students can earn their degree in 18–24 months or as little as 15 months, even while working full-time.

What employment opportunities are available for students who receive a Masters degree from our program?

Students who receive a Masters degree from the UNMA at Rutgers have opportunities to work in a variety of policy areas, from NGO’s, international agencies like the United Nations and World Trade Organization, Non-profits, and Higher Education. Learn more here.

Possible career paths include:

  • Civil Service Agents
  • Foreign Service Officers
  • Diplomatic relations
  • Public Relations
  • Journalist
  • Humanitarian Relief Worker

Additionally, some students choose to continue their studies in Ph.D. programs, law school, and other professional tracks.

Are there employment opportunities for current students on campus and within the UNMA program?

Currently the UNMA program does not offer our own fellowships, Teaching Assistant or graduate assistant aid for our students. However outside grants are available through the Graduate School-New Brunswick Financial Support page. Employment is available on campus with many of our students working as graders for undergraduate political science courses, phone interviewers at the Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling and within the student centers on campus and in other campus locations. The Eagleton Fellowship is open to all RU Graduate students and our students are encouraged to apply in early spring each year.     

For more information on student employee opportunities, visit the student employment office here as well as Rutgers Handshake as the job-search platform utilized by the Rutgers Career and Exploration Center. 

All Rutgers students can apply for many Food service on campus jobs here.  We recommend the Livingston Campus jobs at Henry's Diner, Rutgers Cinema and Kilmer Market for graduate students  - or jobs at Douglass cafes or student centers to be near the classes.

Graduate students can also check out job opportunities with tuition remission from the Office of Graduate Student Life

Where do graduate students live on campus?

Graduate students who wish to live on campus have several apartment style options through the Rutgers Housing Office. Housing is available on Livingston and Cook Campus, along with special family housing for students with families. Apartments are available for nine month and twelve month leases. More information on housing available here and Off Campus Living and Community Partnerships website here

Where do graduate students park on campus?

For Parking information, visit the Department of Transportation Services website. For UNMA students, your best location to park is Lot 79 (Hickman Hall) or the Douglass Student Center parking ramp. For DIRECTIONS go here.

How do graduate students register for courses?

Once accepted in the program as a fully matriculated student, registration instructions may be accessed online at the Registrars office.  Any registration questions may be addressed to . Students are encouraged to use the MyRutgersPortal for centralized student resources.  

How do I find Tuition and Financial Information for Rutgers New Brunswick, School of Graduate Studies (16)?

Information for tuition year to year and payment plans can be found on the Rutgers New Brunswick, Student Accounting, Billing and Cashier Services website. Use the Estimated Cost of Attendance here as Rutgers New Brunswick Graduate. Most students take 9 credits as a full time student.  Check out the second page of this chart to figure out price per credit and then, add in the fees per semester..  

Need Based Assistance:  Need-based assistance includes grants, loans, and employment. Most graduate students are eligible for some type of federal student assistance, usually in the form of a student loan. United States citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for need-based aid. Students who receive aid administered by the Rutgers Office of Financial Aid must report any employment offers, fellowships, scholarships, loans, gifts, and assistantships received subsequent to the original award made by the Office of Financial Aid. Learn more here.

Can you show me information specifically for prospective UNMA International Students?

Information on guidelines for International Students can be found here

International Students who wish to pay their term bills by sending money from a non-US bank will need to log into their student accounts and utilize our partners Scholarship and Peer Transfer to complete the payment. Learn more here. Rutgers Global often works with International Students. It may be useful to familiarize yourself with their website here and other resources here.  

How do I apply to the UNMA Program?

Information and requirements to apply are with the  Admissions Department within the School of Graduate Studies .

As a current student, how do I report an absence from class? 

If you are a current student and have to miss class, please be sure to contact the professor directly and go to the Student Self Reporting Absences Application.  

If I am a current UNMA student, where do I find relevant SGS Policies and Student Handbooks ?

The School of Graduate Studies Policies can be found here. UNMA Student Handbook is in the UNMA Graduate Workplace located here.  

If I am a current UNMA student, where do I find the UNMA Graduate Workplace Canvas site?

The UNMA Graduate Workplace Canvas Site is located here.  

If I am a current UNMA student, where do I find SGS Graduation Forms and Transfer of Credit Information?

If you are a second year student in your final semester, please be sure to reach out to the Program Coordinator for information on graduation requirements and "How to apply for degrees".  Student deadlines are dictated by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, and signatures for your forms must be coordinated with the UNMA office. UNMA students will need information for "Master's Degree without Thesis". 

If you are a current student looking to transfer credits from your Rutgers undergraduate years, please fill out the appropriate "Transfer of Credit" form from here. This is only appropriate for students enrolled in our Accelerated program and students who want to transfer credits from other graduate universities.  

How do UNMA students find internships and gain other relevant experience before graduation?

Although the UNMA Program does not officially place students in internships, most of our UNMA students gain significant work experience during their time in the program. We offer multiple resources to make the internship search easier and to help our students become more competitive candidates for openings. We have a “Career” site here that provides background information, search databases, tips, and more. Current students utilize the UNMA Canvas workstation for all sorts of career resources for the international relations and social science careers.  We also frequently partner and share information from Rutgers Career and Exploration Center  on how to connect with an advisor for internship search help. We also offer a Research Internship course so students can get credit while working in their internship and complete a related project.

How can I stay connected with the Rutgers UNMA program?

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