Twenty-five students from 17 countries are enrolled in the Kroc Institute’s Master’s in International Peace studies program for fall 2013. This is the largest class (up from 20 students) since the two-year master’s program began in 2004.
Selected from more than 300 applicants, the new students hail from Afghanistan, Canada, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Nepal, Nigeria, Serbia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, USA, and Zimbabwe.
Since the master’s program became a 2-year program in 2004 (it began as a one-year program in 1986 and expanded following the bequest from Mrs. Kroc in 2003), a maximum of 20 students has been admitted each year. This year, an unprecedented number of highly qualified applicants led to offers of admission to 25 students.
“These students come into the program not only with outstanding academic credentials but also with work or volunteer experience in peacebuilding,” said Susan St. Ville, director of the master’s program. “The next two years will provide knowledge and skills to shape and focus their professional lives.”
The Kroc Institute’s master’s degree in international peace studies prepares students for careers in public policy, political change, organizational management or conflict analysis and transformation. Students complete interdisciplinary coursework in peace and justice theory, contemporary conflicts, and peacebuilding strategies.
Each student receives a full scholarship from the Kroc Institute and a stipend for housing and living expenses for two years, including a six-month internship at a leading organization in Cape Town (South Africa), Gulu (Uganda), Mindanao (the Philippines), Israel/Palestine, or Washington, D.C.