51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ

Guided by an interdisciplinary faculty, students benefit from a curriculum designed to provide confident grounding in the diverse perspectives and approaches within the field, a level of customization to suit students’ educational goals, and career development. In a set of core courses, MAIS students navigate the program as a small cohort, starting in the Fall term. These seminars invite students to examine key issues in detail and to learn through collaborative dialogue.

For their capstone project, students choose to pursue either:

Students have the additional flexibility to select their electives based on their own interests. Elective courses consist of regional concentrations – including Africa, Central Asia, China, Latin America, the Middle East, and Russia – and topical interests, such as security governance, social movements, migration, urban segregation, and surveillance capitalism. The MAIS curriculum ensures students graduate with expertise valuable to a wide range of sectors, including governments, non-profits, and multilateral organizations.

Program Timeline

Please review SFU’s requirements for admission to a master’s program (GGR 1.3.6a). Admission to the MAIS requires:

• 3.0 CGPA on a 4.33 grade scale
• Bachelor’s degree from 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏor its equivalent from a recognized university
  • A background in the arts and social sciences is preferred
• Research interest that aligns with that of the School’s faculty

Language Requirements

The language of instruction and communication at 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏis English, and students whose primary language is not English must demonstrate a command of English sufficient to pursue graduate studies (GGR 1.3.3).

51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏrequires English-language test scores from all applicants whose primary language is not English and whose undergraduate degrees come from institutions where English is not the primary language of instruction.

International applicants, regardless of nationality, will not be required to submit an English-language test score if they have completed a degree at an institution where the language of instruction and examination was in English, in a country where English is the primary language. Scores are only valid for two years from the date of examination.

Applicants with a strong likelihood of admission may request an English Language Waiver (ELW). The ELW is for applicants who have extensive and demonstrable ability in English but do not fall into one of the approved categories for meeting English language requirements. ELWs are rarely granted, and applicants may be required to submit English-language test scores regardless.

To request an ELW, include your request in writing as an additional document in your application or within the body of your letter of intent.

Applicants with English-language test scores lower than the minimum or with expired results will not be considered for ELWs.

To complete the MAIS program, students must fulfil the following requirements:

• Completion of required and elective course work
• Completion of a professional development seminar
• Completion of either:
  • A thesis, or
  • Two extended essays

The thesis option requires students to submit a thesis prospectus, complete an oral defence and submit the completed thesis to the 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏLibrary.

The extended essays option requires students to submit outlines for each essay. There is no requirement for an oral defence and submission to the 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏLibrary is optional.

Required Courses for Thesis Option

• IS 800 – Problems of International Policy & Practice (4 units)
• IS 804 – Approaches to International Studies (4 units)
• IS 830 – Methods for International Studies (4 units)
• IS 879 – Career Development Seminar (2 units)
• IS 886 – Thesis Prospectus (4 units)
• IS 898 – MA Thesis (18 units)

Required Courses for Extended Essays Option

• IS 800 – Problems of International Policy & Practice (4 units)
• IS 804 – Approaches to International Studies (4 units)
• IS 830 – Methods for International Studies (4 units)
• IS 879 – Career Development Seminar (2 units)
• IS 880 – MA Extended Essays (6 units)

Regular full-time tuition for the MAIS is $2,149.58 CAD per term for the 2025-26 academic year. The program offers equal tuition rates to domestic and international graduate students.

Students are required to pay ancillary fees each term in addition to tuition. For more information, see the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ Tuition and Fees. Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Funding

The School for International Studies has the following funding support available for MAIS students:

• Entrance awards,
• Paid teaching and research positions,
• Awards and grants for field research

See Funding & Awards for more information on the funding opportunities available to MAIS students. For an individual award’s terms of reference, visit Internal and Donor Funded Awards for International Studies.

Other funding opportunities may be available through external and/or governmental awards. These awards can be found on the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ Awards and Funding website. It is each student’s responsibility to apply for awards and assistantships for which they are eligible.

Application Fee Waivers

51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏdoes not offer application fee waivers. However, the School will consider reimbursing application fees for applicants experiencing financial barriers and who are admitted to the program. Please note that reimbursements are limited and they will be adjudicated on a first come, first served basis.

If you wish to be considered for a needs-based reimbursement, please contact the School’s Graduate Program Assistant at intst@sfu.ca.

Students are not required to contact individual faculty or secure a supervisor prior to applying or prior to acceptance into the MAIS program. Students are not admitted with the intention of working with a specific faculty member. The Graduate Program Chair will match admitted students with supervisors, taking into account students’ research topics, preferences for supervisors, and availability and topic alignment with the School’s faculty.

Students will be assigned a senior or primary supervisor and a second supervisor, who will make up the student’s supervisory committee.

The School will hold information sessions in Fall 2025. Subscribe to our mailing list or email intst@sfu.ca to be notified when registration becomes available.

• Tuesday, October 14, 2025 | 5:30-7pm (in-person)
• Thursday, November 6, 2025 | 9-10:30am (online)

A limited number of drop-in information sessions will be held in November and December 2025:

• Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 11am-12pm (online)
• Tuesday, November 25, 2025 | 1-2pm (in-person at , BAIS-specific)
• Wednesday, December 3, 2025 | 5-6pm (online)
• Friday, December 12, 2025 | 9-10am (online)

All information sessions are in the Pacific time zone (PT). You can convert to your time zone through online tools such as .

Thoroughly review the Application Process, including all supporting documents and, if applicable, English-language test scores required for your application. Please note that official transcripts are not required at the time of application, only unofficial transcripts. Official transcripts are only required if admitted.

If you are an international applicant, you may have additional admission requirements.

Faculty and administrative staff will not review your application prior to submission. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be reviewed.