Executive Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management
Location:
Washington, DC
Start dates:
Aug
Scholarships:
Available
Overview
Degree Program Overview
Today’s world needs future-ready global leaders and managers more than ever. The global economy is becoming increasingly complex and dynamic as the Fourth Industrial Revolution accelerates, reshaping how we create value, work, and live. In this new era of rapid change, transnational organizations demand entrepreneurial innovators who can create a sustainable global future that segues across geographies, cultures, and sectors.
Thunderbird’s one-year Executive Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management (EMAGAM) degree fosters a digital global mindset through a unique combination of 21st-century hard and soft skills. Students build expertise in leading systems and new enterprises, managing complexity, disruptive innovation, digital transformation, and collaborative problem-solving.
Based in Washington, D.C., the program is tailored for mid-career professionals in all sectors, offering specializations in global business or global public policy. Most classes meet every other Friday and Saturday. The flexible schedule allows participants to continue working while earning their degrees. Students may choose to travel abroad by adding one of Thunderbird’s immersive week-long field seminars and/or Global Challenge Labs+.
+Additional expenses associated with selections are expected to be paid by students.
Choose between two specializations: Global Business and Global Public Policy.
Who should apply?
- Professionals who are interested in leadership positions within their existing organizations or interested in making a move in their careers to switching industries entirely.
- Globally-minded mid-career professionals in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors interested in taking their careers to the next level.
- Experienced professionals seeking careers in international management, sustainable development, global policy-making, where a multi-disciplinary focus on global issues are held at a premium.
- Diplomacy, public policy, and global business professionals who want to develop the interdisciplinary skill sets needed to address global challenges by managing disruption and working across sectors.
Class Profile
Average Age:
40 years old
Average Work Experience:
14 years
Women:
50%
Admitted with Advanced Degrees:
45%
Non-native U.S.:
50%
Countries Represented:
9
Degrees of Prior Participants
- Ed.D., Higher Education Administration
- PhD, Environmental Engineering
- J.D. Law
- Bachelor of Science in Economics
- Master of Economics in International Development
- Master of Science, Homeland Security
- Master of Science, Environmental Engineering
- Master of Arts in Gender, Peace and Security Studies
- Master of Arts in International Politics and Security
- Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs, Master of International Relations
- Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in International Politics and Government Relations
- Master in Economic Policy and Management
- Master in Education, Information & Communications Technology
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Business Administration - International Business (MBA)
- Master in Public Administration
- Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies, School of Diplomacy
- Bachelor of Arts in Spanish
Employers:
- Foreign Embassies
- U.S. Intelligence Services
- World Bank
- Inter-American Institute for Economic Development
- International Monetary Fund
- International Finance Corporation
- Global Environment Facility
- Pratt & Whitney, a Raytheon Technologies Company
- U.S. Congress
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Leidos
- Bixal
- Amazon
- Global Factor
- Boston Housing Authority
- Aldrin Family Foundation
- Arizona Department of Economic Security
- American Dental Education Association
- Meta
- and others
Current and Past* Titles:
- Ambassador
- Executive Director
- Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Diversity Officer
- Senior Financial Analyst
- Economic Counselor
- Deputy Chief of Mission
- Director, of Operations
- Consultant
- Country Manager
- Intelligence Programs Advisor
- Senior Operations System Coordinator
- Senior Private Sector Specialist
- Acting Head of Mission
- First Secretary - Trade and Investment
- Policy Advisor
- Director of Business Development*
- Director of Community Outreach
- Minister of Education*
- Associate Director of Global Security Services
- Undersecretary of Climate Change*
- Commanding Officer*
- Senator*
- High Commissioner*
- Cabinet Minister*
- General Secretary*
- Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs/Chief Student Affairs Officer*
- Vice Chair*
- National Director of Climate Change Mitigation*
- General Secretary of the Ministry of Trade*
- Director of Projects
- Deputy Legal Counsel
- Vice President*
- Human Resources Manager
- Vice-Consul
- Head of Corporate Banking*
- Deputy General Manager*
- Director for Communications and Outreach
- Managing Partner
- Cybersecurity Expert
- Privacy Program Manager*
- and others
Student Testimonial Videos
Curriculum & Specializations
Curriculum
The EMAGAM curriculum features a total of 30 credit hours, including 21 credit hours from core requirements and nine (9) elective credit hours from two specializations: Global Business and Global Public Policy. Three (3) credit hours of the core must meet the applied learning requirement.
Students may inquire about eligibility for a Global Field Seminar*, internship, or other electives.
+Additional expenses associated expected to be paid by students.
*Optional, meets program requirements.
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Global Affairs: The Fourth Industrial Revolution in a Global Economy | 3 |
| International Finance and Trade | 3 |
| Data Analytics and Digital Transformation in the Global World | 3 |
| The Craft of Global Networks in a Changing World | 3 |
| Communicating and Negotiating Across Cultures* | 3 |
| Agile Governance and Leadership in a Complex and Digital World | 3 |
|
Global Leadership and Strategy |
3 |
Specializations
Global Business
Global Public Policy
Additional details
2023-2024 Program Calendar
Class schedule
| Week 1 | Week 2 |
| Aug 21-25 (residence weekend) | |
| Sep 8-9 | Oct 6-7 |
| Oct 20-21 | Nov 3-4 |
| Nov 17-18 | Dec 1-2 |
| Jan 26-27 | Feb 23-24 |
| Mar 8-9* | - |
| Mar 22-23 | Apr 5-6 |
| Apr 19-20 | May 3-4 |
| May 17-18 | May 31- Jun 1 |
| Jun 14-15 | Jun 28-29 |
| Jul 19-20 | Aug 2-3 |
Financial Aid & Costs
Financial Aid
Scholarships
Financial Aid
Program Costs
Apply early for priority admission and financial aid consideration.
| Fees | USD$ |
|---|---|
| Application Fee (domestic) | $70 |
| Application Fee (international) | $115 |
| Program Deposit | $500 |
| Program Cost | $60,000 |
Faculty & Campus
Faculty Highlights
Our Campus
Our downtown Washington, D.C. presence at Arizona State University's Barrett & O'Connor building on 18th and I (eye) Streets offer a convenient location for working professionals who need flexible degree programs. Located across the street from the Farragut West Metro stop (orange, grey, blue) and two blocks from the Farragut North Metro stop (red), our DC campus is just four blocks from the White House and sit at the center of the world's global policy center. A cross-cultural city in every sense, Washington is home to the U.S. federal government, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and a host of other multi-national organizations, think tanks, associations, and non-profit organizations.
Our Campus in DC
Requirements & Deadlines
Application Requirements
Overview
Global Leadership Potential
International Students
English Proficiency Requirements
Application Deadlines
Apply early for priority admissions and financial aid consideration.
| Deadline | Dates |
|---|---|
| Early consideration | October 30 |
| First round | November 30 |
| Second round | January 30 |
| Third round and international student deadline | March 30 |
| Final deadline | June 30 |
