Genocide Prevention & Human Security
The Master of Arts Program in Genocide Prevention and Human Security (GPHS) prepares students to engage the major 21st century challenges to peace through interdisciplinary research, policy analysis, and advocacy on genocide and mass atrocity prevention and the promotion of human security in local, national, and international frameworks.
The MA program offers three tracks:
Thesis Track
Thesis Track - designed for students who wish to go on to PhD studies. They will have the option additionally of focusing on topic courses that reflect their academic interests and taking language courses (at Keene and elsewhere) to complement their studies.
For students more interested in nongovernmental organization (NGO) and other professional work after graduation, there are two tracks. Both the tracks will result in a final project involving substantial research and writing.
Critical Global Engagement
Critical Global Engagement - will allow students interested in international work to focus on a particular region and country, including through travel to that region, with optional internships and language courses while there.
Internship Track
Internship Track - allows students to take up to four courses that consist of completing internships and honing leadership, career building, and job skills.
The program offers an Accelerated Masters option for current undergraduate students who wish to complete their studies without interruption at the Masters level in the field of Genocide and Human Security.
MA courses will be taught either online (synchronous or asynchronous) or face-to-face, depending on face-to-face enrollment. Face-to-face courses will not be open to CAP students, unless they are in residence at the time.
Admissions Criteria
Students with a baccalaureate degree in any field may apply for admission to this graduate program on a part-time or full-time basis. Admission will be based upon the evaluation of undergraduate transcripts, a writing sample, and a statement of interest and intended study in the program. All students must submit an application for Graduate Study in Genocide Prevention and Human Security, including required materials, to the Graduate Studies Office. For additional information refer to the Graduate Application. All students will select a graduate faculty adviser upon matriculation to the program.
Accelerated Masters Admission Criteria
Any student with 74 undergraduate credits may apply for admission to the M.A. program.
Major Requirements
32 credits
Introductory Courses
GPHS 600 Intro to Atrocity Prevention GPHS 601 The Genocidal Process
Electives/Concentrations
8-16 credits
Students take up to four classes from the list below. With advisor permission, students can include up to two semesters of GPHS 692 Internship and up to two semesters of GPHS 698 Language Study. Language study may be completed at other institutions (see GPHS 698 for details).
- GPHS 605 Graduate Seminar in Genocide Studies
- GPHS 606 Graduate Seminar in Holocaust Studies
- GPHS 607 Case Studies in Genocide Prevention & Human Security
- GPHS 610 Upstream Prevention (Certificate program course)
- GPHS 620 Midstream Prevention (Certificate program course)
- GPHS 630 Downstream Prevention (Certificate program course)
- GPHS 698 Independent Study (subject to faculty availability and approval)
- HIST 651 Introduction to History and Archives Studies
Students who are not in the Critical Global Engagement capstone track can take GPHS 693 – Critical Global Engagement and GPHS 694 – International Study Program.
Students may decide to cluster their elective courses within one of five topics courses: Courses are available to be repeated up to 4 times for a total of 16 credits.
GPHS 640 Gender & Genocide Prevention
Topics may include: Gender & Genocide; Gender Identities & Conflict; Perpetrator Behavior; Queering Genocide Prevention; and Women & Peacebuilding.
GPHS 645 Education & Genocide Prevention
Topics may include: Education in Emergencies; Education & Genocide Prevention; and Memory & Memorialization.
GPHS 650 Social Justice & Human Security
Topics may include: Human Security Approaches to Genocide Prevention; Social Justice Activism Against Genocide; Trauma & Social Healing; Peace Building in Theory and Practice; Refugee Crises; Ideologies of the Other; Colonialism & Genocide; and Indigeneity & Genocide.
GPHS 655 Mapping, Technology & Prevention
Topics may include: Genocide Prevention Policy: Issues & Actors; Early Warning; Technology & Genocide; and Mapping Genocide.
GPHS 660 Law & Prevention
Topics may include: Intervention in Genocide; Justice & Genocide; International Law & Genocide; Domestic Prosecutions & Universal Jurisdiction; and Lemkin & the Genocide Convention.
Capstones: Choose One from Thesis, Internship, or Critical Global Engagement Tracks Below