About the MGA degree
The Master of Global Affairs degree positions graduates to accelerate their careers in business, government and NGOs, as these sectors pursue their strategies in an increasingly interconnected and multipolar world.
The University of Toronto's MGA program offers students the hard and soft skills they need to excel in their field of specialization, as well as an understanding of the broader economic, political, and social architecture of global affairs.
Year one
All students in the Master of Global Affairs program receive a strong grounding in global institutions, the global economy and finance, and global civil society.
Students who have not taken courses in micro- and macroeconomics will do so in their first year. Students who are specializing in the global economy will also take Financial Accounting and Statistical Methods in their second year.
Core courses / Click here to view course descriptions
- Introduction to the Development of the Global System
- International Economics
- Global Civil Society
- Decision Making and Strategic Development in the Global System
- Global Policy Analysis
- Global Security
- Public International Law
MID-PROGRAM INTERNSHIP (REQUIRED)
The Munk School of Global Affairs connects students with opportunities in top-tier businesses, international and national institutions, and civil-society organizations—and connects organizations with a new generation of leaders prepared to thrive in the global milieu. In addition to fulfilling the required internship, students are encouraged to study abroad for one of the program’s four semesters.
Year TWO
Equipped with core competencies—both theoretical and practical—in the global architecture, students specialize in one of the program’s three streams.
| Global Economy & Markets | Global Institutions | Global Civil Society |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Social Responsibility | Citizenship and Globalization | Citizenship and Globalization |
| Financial Accounting I&II (Taken at the Rotman School of Management) | Development Policy & Change | Corporate Social Responsibility |
| Financing Global Cities | Geopolitics of Cyberspace | Development Policy & Change |
| Global Capital Markets | Financing Global Cities | Geopolitics of Cyberspace |
| Global Management Perspectives (Taken at the Rotman School of Management) | Negotiating Internationally | Global Governance |
| The Politics of Money and Trade | The Politics of Money and Trade |
Examples of Elective Courses (Subject to Change)
- Geopolitics of Cyberspace
- Corporate Social Responsibility
- Development Policy & Change
- The Politics of Money and Trade
- Global Governance
- Citizenship and Globalization
- Negotiating Internationally
MGA Lab Course Option in Partnership with MaRs
In their second year, Master of Global Affairs students – MGA2 – are invited to take a lab course in the Solutions Lab at the MaRS Discovery District (a mission-driven innovation centre located in the heart of Toronto.) In the spirit of a creative, open innovation system, the Lab is a structure that not only thinks, but also does. Inside the Solutions Lab students will work on issues relating to a wide array of global affairs challenges: health, energy, education, social finance, technological innovation, science based economic development, next generation manufacturing, and crowd funding models. Much like a traditional science lab, the MaRS Solutions Lab is dedicated to problem-solving in a highly experimental environment, through repeatable, rigorous protocols. Master of Global Affairs Students will benefit from the combined advantages of Munk School and MaRS resources: distinguished mentors; a systems view of the innovation process; a hands-on approach to collaboration; a focus on implementation and delivery; access to leading entrepreneurs and expertise covering a wide range of disciplines; connections to finance; engagement of policy makers; and a global network of partner institutions and thought leaders.
Regional Courses (in cooperation with region-oriented Masters programs)
All students undertake a major project in their final year, integrating the tools they have acquired through the program and bringing these to bear on a global policy problem in their chosen field. Students complete this final project under the joint guidance of a scholar and a practitioner.
Please Note: The MGA cannot be taken part-time.
Discover the benefits
Equips students with an awareness of global economic and financial systems, global civil society, and global strategic and security issues;
Brings scholars and practitioners together to ensure that students' thinking is informed by rigorous theoretical work as well as real-time, real-world experience;
Enables students to specialize in one of three streams—the global economy, global civil society, or global institutions—only after having achieved a level of fluency in all three;
Provides students with the critical management skills required to take a leadership role in their chosen field;
Prepares students for strategic thinking and responsible leadership on global issues;
Draws on the strength of the University of Toronto's faculty across a wide range of disciplines;
MGA Alumni Spotlight
"A hub for tomorrow's global leaders, the Munk School of Global Affairs prepared me for an exciting career in government, international organizations, and the private sector. Its student-focused approach, which combines practical skills development with training in analytical methods, empowered me to pursue challenging, albeit rewarding, pedagogic opportunities at the Embassy of Canada to Brazil, the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations, and the G8 and G20 Summits. Fundamentally, because of the Master of Global Affairs degree, I now have the skills and tools I need to achieve profound impact beyond borders."
Ashley Pereira (MGA '12)
Executive Assistant to the CEO , Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption
MGA Student Ambassador Program
Want to learn more about the MGA program from a current student?
Contact one of our MGA Student Ambassadors. Click here for more information.
MGA Student Ambassadors are a diverse team of first and second year MGA students whose mission is to provide guidance and assistance to prospective students to help make their decision more informed and their transition to the MGA more seamless.
