| John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Preparing the Next Generation of Global Leaders |
| Established | 1997 |
| Type | Private |
| Parent institution | Seton Hall University |
| Dean | Amb. John K. Menzies, Ph.D. |
| Undergraduates | 250 |
| Postgraduates | 350 |
| Location | South Orange, NJ, USA |
| Website | shu.edu/academics/diplomacy |
The John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations (SODIR),[1] or simply the Whitehead School, is a post-secondary, degree-granting institution concentrating on international affairs within Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in collaboration with the United Nations Association of the United States of America,[2] it was the first school of international relations to be founded after the Cold War. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The Whitehead School is an affiliate member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs.
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The Whitehead School was founded in 1997, and welcomed its first class in the Fall of 1998. Among the founding members was its first dean, Ambassador Clay Constantinou, a former U.S. diplomat and graduate of Seton Hall Law. The school was later named in honor of retired Goldman Sachs executive and philanthropist John C. Whitehead, who served as deputy secretary of state under President Ronald Reagan from 1985–89; Whitehead also headed the United Nations Association of the United States of America and was the Chairman of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. As the first school of international relations in the post–Cold War era, the Whitehead School was founded with a need to “prepare the next generation of global leaders.”[2] The Whitehead School's founding was supported by the United Nations Association of the United States of America, with which it still enjoys a close relationship.[2] Its close proximity to New York City has also historically allowed its students and faculty to participate in U.N.-sponsored functions. Consequently, students from the school often interact with U.N. diplomats. The alliance with UNA-USA has also afforded students opportunities to receive internships and employment with various organizations of the U.N.
The Whitehead School offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees, a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations. In addition to its degree programs, the school is often a venue for professional workshops and conferences.
The undergraduate program, working toward a Bachelor of Science degree, is an intensive program which includes a 69-credit core curriculum. Students take a wide range of courses in international relations, history, economics, and ethics. In addition, there is an eighteen-credit foreign language requirement which usually leads to the completion of a minor. A special 5-year combined B.S./M.A. program is also offered for students who excel.
Students enrolled in the M.A. program participate in a two-year program that culminates with either a research project or a thesis. Degree requirements include the completion of at least two of thirteen different specializations. Students choose between functional fields of study such as:
Students can also design their own fields of study. Each specialization consists of three or four different courses. All students have to satisfactorily complete 45 credits. In addition, with the school's emphasis on building a strong economics background, all students have to complete a series of courses in economics.
In addition to these degrees offerings, the school also offers several dual-degree programs in collaboration with other academic units of the university. These include:
The Whitehead School is also known for its high-profile lecturers. The past two United Nations Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon have both participated in the Forum, as well as Sinn Féin Leader Gerry Adams, Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, Nobel Peace Laureate John Hume, President of Israel Shimon Peres, and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Other heads of state have included former Polish President Lech Wałęsa and, most recently, former Prime Minister Tony Blair in February 2009.
The Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations is an internationally distributed periodical produced by Whitehead graduate students.
The Journal's editorial board has worked together with notable contributors such as: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; European Court Justice President, Gil Carlos Rodriguez Iglesias; President Oscar Arias Sánchez; Former Director-General of the World Health Organization, Gro Harlem Brundtland; Iranian President Mohammad Khatami; Deputy Secretary of U.S. Treasury Stuart Eizenstat; and Under Secretary of State Thomas Pickering.
The Journal is indexed by Columbia International Affairs Online, the International Relations and Security Network, Public Affairs Information Service, International Political Science Abstracts, America: History and Life and Historical Abstracts, and Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory.
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