Personal * Passionate * Professional
For almost fifty years the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce has concentrated on providing an exceptional masters degree program that prepares future leaders for successful careers in international affairs.
Our hallmarks have been the deliberate small size of our school, the low cost of our program and its focus on both diplomacy and international commerce. Patterson graduates pursue exciting careers with governments, international organizations, NGOs, think tanks and in the private sector.
Our program is notable for its passion. The faculty are dedicated to providing an unparalleled direct learning experience to ensure students have the knowledge and skills to operate on the world stage. Our students seek more than just a profession; they want to make the world better.
Patterson School faculty are a mix of exceptional scholars and practitioners with decades of experience at the Departments of State, Commerce and in the intelligence community. They know firsthand what is needed to succeed in the international arena.
Our professional masters program offers concentrations/majors in diplomacy, international commerce, development, international security and intelligence.
Small Is Beautiful
Size matters. The State Department is the smallest senior cabinet agency; White House staff and the CIA are similarly lean and select. The natural environment of diplomacy and business is intimate and personal, one-on-one or small groups. Cognoscenti understand that key decision making takes place in more restricted venues (think the Cabinet, UN Security Council or corporate boardrooms). We believe the same holds true for professional education.
Keeping our program small, select, and focused (75 full-time, resident masters students total; only 35 new students admitted each year) lets us provide an exceptional level of attention, instruction, and interaction. Our focus is directly on our students, with seminars, conferences, speakers programs, and events specially crafted to develop their full potential. We are proud to measure our success by the strength of our graduates, not the strength of their numbers.
Exceptional Value
Patterson students are passionate about making the world better. This leads many to careers in professions that are exceedingly rewarding personally, but not always financially. Government and diplomatic service, or work with development agencies and NGOs may let them witness history, advance peace, and help feed the hungry at reasonable, but not stellar pay.
While we cannot improve the salaries these employers offer, our high-value, low-cost education may afford our students greater professional latitude—and substantially less debt—upon graduation. Tuition is reasonable and the general cost of living in Lexington appreciably below that at similar schools on the East or West coasts.
Real-World Diplomatic Skills
Our program is focused and flexible. Core courses ensure students obtain a strong foundation of theoretical and practical knowledge. We know that advanced diplomatic skills have utility far beyond the Foreign Service. We concentrate on developing students' professional writing, public speaking, and people skills. Learning how to be effective as a negotiator or mediator, knowing how to accommodate or adapt to cultural differences, and being comfortable with economic and statistical analysis make our graduates exceptional and effective.
Corporate Engagement
In today's "flat" world an exposure and appreciation of international business is increasingly essential to any professional education. At the Patterson School we not only bring in key corporate leaders working at the forefront of globalization, but travel as a group (again an advantage of our small size) to headquarters, manufacturing, and operating facilities of several leading multinational corporations.
