Master of Arts in International Trade

Spring 2025 was the last intake for the MA in International Trade. While we no longer enroll students in this program, we continue to offer trade coursework in our MA in MA in Global Governance and Policy. This program provides a wider range of career opportunities.

For Current International Trade Students

Advising

Your program’s dedicated career advisor will work with you to clarify your career objectives, communicate your strengths, and assess your career readiness. They will help you craft your resumes, cover letters, and online presence, developing your professional network to access the hidden job market. You’ll learn how to interview effectively and negotiate offers. Your advisor will personalize your strategy to align with your unique background and advance your career goals.

Alumni Network

Our large and influential alumni network in Washington, D.C., and other centers of international trade are eager to help you prepare for your next steps.

• Our Middlebury in DC office provides the entire Middlebury community with a wealth of resources.
• The annual Career Exploration Week in the nation’s capital gives you facilitated access to D.C.-based employers and alumni.

Practical Experience

• You will gain the equivalent of multiple years of professional work experiences to add to your resume during the course of your master’s degree.
• Your classes will often feature work with real clients, allowing you to develop practical skills before you graduate.
• You can earn your degree in 12 consecutive months to accelerate your return to the workforce or in 16 months giving you the flexibility to gain more practical experience via summer internships.
• Our location in Central California puts us in the dominant import/export region in the U.S., home to major agricultural firms, the international economic hub in San Francisco, and Silicon Valley.
• You will put theory into practice through a semester-long practicum in the field.

Careers

From NAFTA to the U.S.-China trade conflicts, trade is at the forefront of many public policy discussions. It is crucial to understand trade from diplomatic and practical standpoints. This is truly a pivotal time to launch a career in this critical area.

Our graduates are often hired before they complete their program, leveraging real-world projects from their classes, internships, and practicums to showcase their relevant professional experience. They are thriving in careers at organizations like Apple, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the U.S. Department of Commerce. 

Explore careers in international trade.

Curriculum

Build your expertise in these areas:  

• Trade policy

• Economic diplomacy  

• Trade law and compliance  

• Negotiation  

• Data analysis  

• Intercultural competence and a  second language  

You can customize your degree with electives that build on core competencies and develop skills for your chosen career path.

Review your curriculum.

Faculty: Professors and Practitioners

Our faculty combine academic expertise with years of professional experience and include the former chief economist of the U.S. International Trade Commission. Together with career advisors, they mentor each student to ensure that they receive the academic and professional experience that will help them realize their career goals.

Meet your faculty

Program Duration

You can earn your degree in 12 consecutive months, 16 months (three semesters with a summer break), or over four semesters:

• If you are starting the program in the spring, the shortest option available to you is 16 months.
• If you are starting the program in the fall and want to accelerate your return to the workforce and you have professional experience (relevant to your field of interest), consider the 12-month option, which includes a January term and summer semester.
• If you need to gain work experience while you earn your degree, consider the 16-month option, which takes longer but leaves the January term and/or summer open for internships or other experiential learning opportunities.
• If you want to craft a niche career, you can add a specialization or a second master’s degree in our carefully designed joint master’s degrees. This will take up to four semesters for you to complete.
• If you would prefer or need to spend more time in your program for any reason, we encourage you to add a specialization or pursue a joint master’s degree program for a four-semester program.  

You only need to finalize a decision on which path to pursue after you have enrolled—your career and academic advisor will help you make this choice.

Practicum

Gain in-demand skills and access to the highly dynamic world of international trade with this supported, hands-on job experience.

Our career-oriented coursework culminates in a professional practicum that allows you to apply your skills to real-world projects with the top trade organizations and build critical skills so that you graduate prepared to advance quickly in the workforce.

Your final semester practicum can be completed in-person or remotely, allowing you to transition to your preferred location before you graduate and gain professional experience in a context that closely aligns with your career goals. Learn more.

Working Paper Series

The working paper series showcases research by students in the International Trade program ranging from China’s digital trade to NAFTA. Check out the working paper series.