The web portal Study in Greece is campaigning for the promotion and international visibility of Greek Universities and the comparative educational advantages of our country. In particular, the campaign focuses on the foreign language study programs that Greek Universities offer to Greek and international students. The initiative is supported by the General Secretariat of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In this context, a number of educational programs and actions are presented in detail on a regular basis, such as undergraduate and postgraduate programs, summer schools etc, to inform international students about the many foreign language options offered by Greek Universities.
Study in Greece interviewed Professor Aristotle Tziampiris, Director of the MSc in American Studies: Politics, Strategy & Economics offered at the University of Piraeus on the program, its features and what it has to offer to international students.
Aristotle Tziampiris is Professor of International Relations at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus. He also serves as the Director of the MSc program in American Studies: Politics, Strategy & Economics, which is offered in English in collaboration with the Center on Global Affairs at New York University. He is also the President of the Council for International Relations-Greece (CFIR-GR). Dr. Tziampiris’ primary areas of academic interest are energy diplomacy, Greek history, and international relations.
Mr. Tziampiris, could you tell us in a few words what the Master’s degree in American Studies: Politics, Strategy, and Economics deals with?
The Master of Science (MSc) in American Studies: Politics, Strategy and Economics of the Department of International & European Studies of the University of Piraeus, Greece. The Program is taught online, in English, and in collaboration with New York University’s Center for Global Affairs (CGA). It is also the first of its kind in modern Greek history. It aims to attract students who have professional goals in business, academia, politics, public administration, parliamentary organizations, consulting, the media, the military and the wider realm of public security. The MSc in American Studies program has beenestablished to systematically fill the void of a master’s level program dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of the politics, strategy, culture and economics of the United States of America. It focuses on cutting-edge topics and current research, as well as the analysis of variousregional policies of the US. The program is offered by academics with extensive knowledge and experience and a demonstrated track-record of conducting research, teaching and acting as practitioners in America but also South Eastern Europe and the wider Eastern Mediterranean. Taught online and in English, the program aspires to attract students from Greece, Cyprus, Southeastern Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as neighboring regions who aim to pursue manifold professional opportunities. It thus offers students the opportunity to engage with the complex and diverse forces that have come to shape the past and present of the United States; to examine American ideals and how conflicts challenge them; to understand the changing relationship between the United States and the rest of the world and to analyze transatlantic relations in depth, as well as US policies in the Balkans, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Tell us about the collaboration with the professors from New York University’s Center for Global Affairs. Which are the benefits provided to students by this collaboration?
The program aims to equip its graduates with suitable specialized knowledge and adequate tools for them to have a competitive advantage in the job market, while also offering a deeper understanding of US decision-making processes. It is supported by distinguished Professors from the University of Piraeus, New York University and other Universities in Europe, as well as globally recognized experts, who come together with great enthusiasm in this innovative curriculum.
Why, in your opinion, should an international student select this Master’s degree above others, considering that it is the first program devoted to the interdisciplinary study of politics, history, strategy, and economy of the USA and is provided by a Greek university?
The Master in Science in American Studies program combines the development of interdisciplinary theoretical knowledge in the fields of economics, history, politics, culture, strategy and international relations with their practical application. The interactive nature of the program encourages the development of critical skills, creative thinking and the intellectual resources that are necessary to flourish in a global context.
Innovative methods of teaching and research are applied which include lectures, tutorials, seminars, conferences, study visits and more. This program aims at the immediate incorporation of students into the market. It is well suited and specifically designed to aid and advance the careers of diplomats, members of the military, civil and public servants, journalist, business executives dealing with the USA and students who ultimately aspire to higher degrees of learning within this field. Therefore, besides regular lectures and seminars, the program also includes presentations by renowned experts, as well as partly subsidized educational trips. An important aspect of the program is its cooperation with leading academics, researchers and experts, and its strategic partnership with New York University’s Center for Global Affairs.
The benefits of this program for students include:
– Development of hard and soft skills that will boost career prospects in business, academia, politics, public administration, parliamentary organizations, consulting, the media, the military and the wider realm of public security.
– Access to University of Piraeus and New York University’s prestigious academics and experts who are shaping policy and conducting cutting-edge research in their fields.
– Engagement in an international level curriculum and program at a very competitive tuition cost.
– Access to public or invitation-only academic and policy-related events.
-Access to a global network of colleagues, academics, experts and program graduates.
-Familiarization with cutting edge academic, research think-tank, international organization and governmental landscape.
-Possibility to participate in unique study visits, educational trips and interactive events.
-Possibility of receiving merit-based scholarships.
The United States is without a doubt the global leader in a number of fields, including international relations. Regarding the relationship with Greece, what benefits do you think Greek institutions could have from collaborating with American universities?
Greek institutions collaborating with American Universities have the opportunity of partaking in cutting edge research and exchange of ideas with world renowned professors. If institutionalized, such collaborative schemes will have lasting value and make long term positive contributions.
Tell us a little bit about the University of Piraeus, the Department of International and European Studies, including its background, initiatives to promote its research, and future goals.
The Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus is one of the most selective departments in all of Greek academia. It has three graduate programs, ten laboratories and has as its major goal extroverted collaboration with international institutions and Universities.
https://www.des.unipi.gr/images/Brochure-AmericanStudies_edited_16-MAY-2024-10.pdf
Applications deadline: 22 July, 2024