Overview

As one of the world's leading public policy schools, the two-year full-time Master in International Affairs (MIA) programme brings together a broad but practical training experience to intensify expertise, knowledge, and insight into international affairs.

Graduates of LKYSPP programmes become leaders in their field by developing a fundamental understanding of global affairs, while also gaining a deep understanding of how Asia influences and is influenced by the rest of the world.

The Master in International Affairs programme provides students with a strong foundation in both theoretical frameworks and practical knowledge of multi-disciplinary subfields of international relations, together with an immersive experience in Asia.

Singapore is the destination of choice for pursuing a Master in International Affairs (MIA) programme. It is a cosmopolitan city at the heart of Asia, and its geographical location is strategic in its proximity to Asia’s emerging economies — a region marked by unprecedented economic growth, rapid urbanisation, domestic reforms and globalisation.

Widely regarded as the world’s gateway to Asia, Singapore offers a balanced and culturally-grounded perspective of geopolitical and socioeconomic issues in Asia. With world-class infrastructure, Singapore itself is a testbed for new policy solutions and new ways of governance. From Singapore, you can gain a panoramic yet intimate understanding of the diverse challenges and opportunities in Asia.

Singapore is a global business hub with over 7,000 multinational companies headquartered in the country. It ranks as the most competitive country in Asia and the second most competitive country in the world, based on the Global Competitiveness Index by the World Economic Forum (2015-2016).

This puts Singapore ahead of the United States, Germany and the Netherlands as a hub for commercial activities, and translates into abundant opportunities for you to intern and work with multinational corporations. Singapore is the ideal launching point for your career anywhere in the world.

Singapore attracts an elite community of researchers and specialists from all over the globe and has built up an international reputation as a hub for world-class education and research. You will be plugged into a network of top-notch academics and practitioners who contribute to a vibrant academic community in Singapore. The LKY School itself hosts numerous keynote lectures by world-famous thought leaders, and this allows you to interact and build professional connections with business and government leaders.

Did you know: the annual Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore, also known as the Asia Security Summit — brings together Defence Ministers and officials from the Asia Pacific to discuss and debate the critical security issues and challenges of the region and beyond. Organised by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) and conceived as the Asian equivalent of the Munich Conference on Security Policy, the SLD is a crucial site for feeling the political-strategic pulse of the Asia-Pacific, especially when it comes to security policy orientations and initiatives of significant and other relevant powers. The LKY School’s faculty are regular SLD participants.

Singapore has been ranked by the Mercer 2016 Quality of Living Survey as a top Asian country for its quality of life. You will enjoy living in one of the cleanest and greenest cities in the world, with award-winning urban infrastructure, amenities, and healthcare. The city-state also maintains one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Enjoy living in a multicultural and vibrant city, where diverse traditions and cultures co-exist harmoniously in the crevices of everyday life. English is the lingua franca in Singapore’s education system, and with English as the primary language, you’ll find it easy to get around the country.

The low study costs, combined with Singapore’s strong economy and excellent higher education system, makes the prospect of undertaking a Master in International Affairs study in Singapore extremely attractive.

What Can You Do
With an MIA Degree?

Are you pondering over what can you do with a Master in International Affairs? Our MIA alumni have gone on to pursue meaningful careers in a variety of roles and industries across Asia. Equipped with international perspectives and a nuanced understanding of Asia, our students go on to be leaders in their respective fields – read on to hear some of their stories.

Prior to enrolling in LKYSPP, Jessica had worked as an Associate Producer at CNBC International in Singapore. After completing the MIA programme, Jessica joined Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) as an Assistant Director, ASEAN. Her work focuses on Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Thailand. She was involved in SIIA’s report on The Sino-American Conflict & ASEAN. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies, Broadcast & Cinema Studies from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Winston is an Investment Consultant at the Huafa Group, a state-owned enterprise in China. His department oversees infrastructure construction, and his primary responsibilities include procedural jobs, such as government paperwork, as well as providing legal advice. As an MIA student, Winston did a yearlong internship with Hengqin Innovation and Development Research Institute. Winston holds a Bachelor in International Relations and Public Affairs from the University of Macau.
Akanksha currently engages in intelligence gathering and strategising for the Government of India on shaping the start-up landscape of the country through better policies and enhanced role of state governments. During her study in the MIA programme, she had an opportunity to work closely with the Energy Studies Institute and Abbott. Akanksha had worked as a Financial Market Analyst and Research Associate prior to joining the MIA programme. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce, India.