Prepare to Thrive in a Global Market
Learn how our cutting-edge curriculum helps you build skills to thrive.
Gain the quantitative and qualitative skills to holistically understand risk.
Join our global network of 230,000+ Johns Hopkins University alumni.
Johns Hopkins is ranked #10 for best global university, a top-10 national university and Top 3 Best School for International Relations master’s program.
Earn your master’s part-time. No GMAT/GRE required for admission.
Months
Part-time
Courses
Online
GRE/GMAT
Required
2024
Start Date
Request Information
To learn more about the MA in Global Risk (online) and download a brochure, fill out the fields below, or call +1 410-648-2495 or toll-free at +1 888-513-5303 to talk with one of our admissions counselors.
Since the global financial crisis of 2008, the era of unfettered economic globalization has been replaced by increasing geopolitical tensions and heightened financial risk. From the rise of populism and the fight against climate change, to mercantilist trade policy, a deadly pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the world has become a much more uncertain place to do business or conduct public policy. Our MA in Global Risk (online) helps you acquire critical knowledge in economics and politics to understand these shifts, gives you cutting-edge quantitative and qualitative skills to respond to these challenges, and enables you to build a professional network that will enhance your career in international affairs.
The MA in Global Risk (online) program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) prepares students to understand risk models and decision-making frameworks, and then take their insights a step further. By combining both the quantitative and qualitative tools of risk management with critical thinking, regional knowledge and research skills needed for more comprehensive risk analysis and mitigation, graduates of the MA in Global Risk are uniquely positioned to succeed in today’s global environment.
The MA in Global Risk (online) program includes two in-person residencies in the Johns Hopkins SAIS campus in Washington DC. These experiences give students the opportunity to build or expand their professional networks before they graduate, studying alongside their peers as well as connecting with our expert faculty and risk management practitioners. Before completing the program, students will participate in a final residency, also in Washington DC. Immediately following the residency, students will participate in the Johns Hopkins SAIS commencement ceremony with the school's entire graduating class. These residencies offer students an excellent opportunity to expand their network. For any questions or concerns regarding the in-person residencies, connect with an admissions counselor via chat or submit the request information form.
In addition to the online program, SAIS Europe provides an in-person, one-year MA in Global Risk located in Bologna, Italy. Students attending this program have the opportunity to participate in research organized by the Bologna Institute for Policy Research (BIPR).
The School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) has created a culture focused on supporting each other, collaboration, and challenging each other to continuously improve. All students, both online and on-campus, have opportunities to participate and build on that culture as members of this accomplished community.
Global Risk Management Careers and Industry Outlook
While risk management has been a formal discipline for decades, the complexity and ways that organizations must deal with it have evolved considerably. One key factor in modern risk is the rise of emerging threats, which describe risk that stems from unexpected events like natural disasters and geopolitical conflicts. According to research firm Marsh & McLennan Insights, this is an area of increasing importance for risk management professionals. Furthermore, while risk is an increasingly global and interconnected discipline, there are no established processes for global governance and collaboration. As these challenges rise across all industries, there will be opportunities for risk management leaders to help address them, lead organizational change and establish best practices that pave the way for a better world.
Visit our global risk careers page for more information.
$18.5 billion
Total projected value of the risk management market in 2026
Global Risk Curriculum
The MA in Global Risk (online) is a part-time, cohort-based program that is completed over 21 months through a sequence of 12 courses (50-credit hours). The coursework covers statistics, economics, risk modeling, global markets and risk in different regions of the world. The curriculum has been designed to prepare graduates to better understand the greater context around risk and critically evaluate risk management strategies.
In addition to online coursework, the program features two one-of-a-kind residencies, giving students the opportunity to connect in-person with their cohort and other members of the Johns Hopkins SAIS community, as well as participate in rich experiential learning opportunities. Visit our residential experience page for more information.
View the course list below, or visit the curriculum page for full course descriptions.
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Microeconomics & International Trade Theory
- Static Models for Understanding Risk
- Economics of Global Markets
- Systematic Approaches to Understanding Risk
- Statistical Analysis and Financial Management
- Risk and Crisis in Global Economy
- Quantitative Models for Risk Assessment
- Regions of the World I
- Understanding Risk in a Complex Environment
- Regions of the World II
- Capstone
- Capstone Residency I
- Capstone Residency II
Admission Requirements
The Johns Hopkins University MA in Global Risk (online) is open to applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. We take a holistic approach to reviewing candidates, and, as a result, there is no minimum GPA or GRE/GMAT requirement for admission to the program.
See our admissions page for a full list of requirements.
The continuous collaboration between professors and students has been so amazing. The professors are all working professionals, and their knowledge has allowed me to develop quantitative analysis skills in global economics, macroeconomics, and statistics.
The program is wonderful as far as flexibility and being able to attend classes from all areas of the world. There are many people in the program that live in different countries, including Bulgaria, Germany, Japan, and South Africa. It is definitely a global cohort.
The mentorship component of the program is amazing and affords lots of opportunities, especially in terms of making connections with people on LinkedIn and opening up different avenues that otherwise would not be available.
If you ask me what my favorite courses are, I’d have to say all of them! I especially found the economics courses to be critical. I added the tools I needed to be able to fully engage with complex questions and follow in-depth lines of reasoning, skills that are integral to navigating global economic issues.
Additionally, I appreciated that the courses are tied to current events. For instance, I was in the Microeconomics and International Trade Theory course during the Silicon Valley Bank implosion, so as a class we were able to follow the reporting and the implications of what was happening and have some very good conversations.