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Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy

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Lead for the future of global affairs

In a rapidly evolving world, where diplomats, CEOS, and NGO leaders navigate challenges at lightspeed, the need for agile and impactful solutions has never been greater. Are global supply chains ready for the next pandemic? Can governments counter misinformation in a multipolar world? How does modern warfare affect women and marginalized communities differently, and what solutions can governments and nonstate actors develop to address these problems? 

The world needs changemakers like you. Fletcher can help you get there.

The Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD) is Fletcher’s flagship degree program, designed to equip you with the skills to tackle complex challenges with innovative, responsible, and sustainable solutions. With a comprehensive foundation in global affairs, the MALD allows you to tailor your education by pairing two fields of study, giving you the depth and breadth of knowledge needed to excel in your areas of interest. You'll also complete a capstone project with an eye to solving complex problems in a globally integrated world.

Key features

  • 2 year residential program on Fletcher’s Boston-area campus
  • 2 fields of study to help you specialize 
  • Flexible curriculum to allow you to customize the degree to your interests

MALD - International and Development Economics Track (IDE)

The MALD: IDE rigorously equips students with advanced quantitative skills in economics and econometrics, empowering them to address global economic challenges through specialized coursework.

  • STEM-designated track builds a powerful quantitative foundation within the MALD curriculum
  • Students from outside the United States may qualify for an additional two years of optional professional training (OPT). 

Meet Your Classmates

For Harrison Wedgeworth F25, Fletcher was the first step he needed to take in order to advance in his career, and as a Clarke Fellow that path will lead him to the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). 

Harrison Headshot

My goal is to get into the foreign service. I want to represent my country overseas at the highest level I can. You don’t see a lot of diplomats from the Deep South, and that's a point of pride for me; it's a valuable perspective to bring into the international sphere.

The Clarke Fellowship is a really good blend of diplomacy and law enforcement. The job of DSS special agents is to make sure that the other diplomats get where they need to go safely; we protect the embassies and all their information. If things go bottom up, we make sure that we mitigate as much harm as possible. For me, that’s the perfect job that combines my previous experience.

Harrison Wedgeworth

As a first-year student, Natasha Frazier F25 studied water policy. Frazier aspires to work at the intersection of federal and tribal policy and governance with a particular focus on environmental issues and water policy. The summer after her first year, she took a closer look from Capitol Hill as a Udall intern at the United States Senate.

Natasha headshot

While tribes hold senior water rights in the U.S., known as Winters rights, tribal nations face significant disparities when it comes to access to clean and safe drinking water.

It has been really gratifying, through several of my classes at Fletcher, to bring tribal nations into my studies. We’re an international relations school, but tribes in the U.S. have a nation-to-nation relationship with the U.S. government, and tribes hold a particular legal status within the U.S. that recognizes their inherent sovereignty.

Natasha Frazier

Degree requirements

    • Students take 48 course credits for the MALD. 

  • Students take two courses in Diplomacy, History, and Politics. Additionally, they take one course in International Law and Organizations and one course in Economics and International Business.

  • MALD students are required to choose two Fields of Study around which to shape their degree. This framework enforces an interdisciplinary approach to your studies and puts you in control of what shape your curricular pathway takes, allowing you to address your specific policy interests and gain the skills needed for your desired career outcome.

  • For students enrolling as of Fall 2025, demonstrating proficiency in more than one language will be a graduation requirement for the MALD degree. This may be done through one of four means:

    • Language testing
    • Completion of intermediate level language courses
    • Prior completion of language courses at the intermediate level
    • Prior degree completion in a language other than English 

  • All MALD students complete a capstone project under the direction of a professor. The capstone allows students to sharpen their analytical skills, build deep knowledge in a specific area of expertise, and create a bridge to their job search. Capstone projects have included business plans, policy memos, case studies, group projects, and academic theses.

  • This program provides guidance on all aspects of career development, including building a strategic résumé, strengthening your cover letter, honing your interview skills, and more.

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