The two new degrees are unique in the United States and offer students with little or no prior work experience an opportunity to tap Thunderbird's world-renowned management education. This includes admitting students straight out of undergraduate school.

Beginning in the fall of 2007, Thunderbird will offer a Master of Science in Global Management and a Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management.

Thunderbird is the only business school in the world offering the Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management, and it is the only school to have both the global affairs and management components in the name as well as content of the program. With this degree, Thunderbird fills the gap between universities that offer degrees in international affairs and business schools that primarily offer MBAs. This degree combines coursework in international relations and global business.

"There are global MBA programs like Thunderbird's, and then there are graduate schools of international affairs that train specialists that go on to careers at international institutions, foreign affairs agencies, and global nonprofits," explained Dr. Glenn Fong, associate professor of international studies and academic director of the new degrees. "But in the real world, the worlds of global business and international affairs are increasingly intertwined. Private corporations, government agencies and nonprofits definitely have their respective strengths, but the enormity of global challenges -- such as resolving international conflicts, promoting sustainable development, and securing human rights -- require, indeed demand, collaboration across these different players. The MAGAM explicitly offers the needed cross-training in international relations and global business."

Having this unique degree offered at Thunderbird also will give graduate students seeking degrees in global affairs an opportunity to attend a world-class institution in the Southwest. Until now, there were no APSIA (Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs) schools in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico or Texas.

Also unique to Thunderbird is the new Master of Science in Global Management. Thunderbird in one of only a few business schools in the United States offering a master's of science degree in management, and Thunderbird is the only one with the global component.

This degree provides fundamental global business skills for individuals who may have little or no prior business coursework or work experience seeking to launch careers in global business. Master's degrees in management have become very popular in Europe and have become the degree of choice for many of Europe's top employers, according to a report in the Financial Times.

"Thunderbird is excited to extend its leading international business education programs to students who may have little or no prior business coursework or work experience," said Fong. "Leading MBA programs, including Thunderbird's, properly require prior work experience as an admissions requirement. The MSGM does not, and it opens up the world of global business to whole categories of new students."