The Middlebury Institute of International Studies will conclude all of its programs by the summer of 2027. We are committed to supporting all of our students through the completion of their degrees.
Learn MoreIn August 2025, Middlebury’s Board of Trustees voted to conclude all in-person programs and two online programs at the Middlebury Institute. In April 2026, after careful consideration, Middlebury leadership made the decision to wind down our remaining online master’s programs in August 2027.
The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) will continue to operate as part of Middlebury, with locations in Monterey; Washington, D.C.; Middlebury, Vermont; and Vienna, Austria.
We are committed to supporting all of our students through the completion of their degrees with rigorous academics, experiential learning opportunities, and career planning.
We will enroll new students in some exchange and non-degree programs in summer and fall 2026. We are no longer enrolling new students in any other programs or semesters.
The Middlebury Institute of International Studies is a graduate school of Middlebury College and training ground for developing and implementing practical solutions. Offering in-person and online programs, it is home to some of the world’s leading experts in global security, sustainability, development, education, and language services. They will be your mentors, teaching you how to advance understanding, promote peace, and drive change in pursuit of a more just world.
Nearly 40 Middlebury Institute students recently participated in experiential learning trips to South Africa, Czechia, Austria, and Bhutan. These global courses were grounded in local partnership, applied learning, and critical reflection.
The Middlebury Institute of International Studies made history this November by hosting the first-ever West Coast edition of the International Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, the Atlantic Council’s flagship cyber policy competition.
Five delegates from Middlebury Global Climate Policy Network are joining the international climate conference in Belém, Brazil November 10-21, 2025
Middlebury Institute alum Aleksandra Zubenko interned at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), supporting global disarmament and nonproliferation to promote global security.
International trade student Andrew Sang worked on a team researching possible openings in the trade market for Costa Rica’s export agency.
Through a yearlong fellowship supported by the Conflict Transformation Collaborative, 40 students applied their skills to develop creative approaches to conflict.
Nuclear nonproliferation and Middle East experts from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies shared their knowledge across national and international media.
International policy student Roo Luo shares what she thinks changemakers could learn from Serbian youth during the largest protests in Serbian history.
The Middlebury Institute differs from a lot of other institutions in that we’re required to study language here. But also we’re expected to put that language into practice. At the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, I work as a graduate research assistant. And in that role, a lot of my research that I do is conducted in Chinese.
In the field, being able to access documents and media reports in a foreign language, firsthand, directly from sources, is something that’s really important.
We’re learning the language, not just to learn the language, but how to use it in conversations of what we would use in our professional careers.
I haven’t taken a Spanish course since high school. It was intimidating at first, but I was able to catch up. Remember what I needed, just like conversational phrases, and eased right back into it with the grammar and the vocabulary.
There are a lot of great things about being in Monterey and being at the Middlebury Institute. While I’m in school, I’m able to build a portfolio of work using the target language to show to future employers, or if I wanna go to get a PhD. These are real world skills that I’ve put into practice.
Learning language is one step that students who wanna be leaders in this field in the future should take if they have the opportunity. And I definitely felt that going to the Middlebury Institute was my opportunity.
There are just so many benefits and advantages with having a second language, especially in this globalized world. Things are changing, the world is changing. So the Middlebury Institute is taking us on to new approaches, to new methodologies and tools that we can use.
Monterey is incredible, I moved from the East Coast, I’ve lived through many harsh winters. So first of all, the weather is unbelievable.
I love the fact that I live 5 blocks away from the beach and I can sort of fall asleep listening to the sea lion bark every single night.
The bike path runs along the coast for miles and miles, so if you need a break from work, school assignments then getting some fresh air and being on the water is amazing opportunity.
I love the ocean and we’re so close, we’re only a five minute walk from the beach.
The aquarium is one of my favorite spots. Every time I have somebody visiting town, I take the opportunity to go and visit the aquarium with them.
Because there are such large populations of people from all over the world here. There’s also food from all over the world here. So, you can take a five minute walk and you will find just about any food you want.
Bars, restaurants, shops, there’s plenty going on. But it is a small-town feel so you can still have that community component as well.
There are a lot of informal activities that I think make MIIS an enjoyable place to be in school. There is bike rides, there is hikes, there is a group that does swimming in the bay. There are so many outdoor activities to do in this area and I think those give a lot of balance to the more formal academic stuff that we also participate in.
It’s a quiet place but at the same time has other interesting places that are close enough to escape for a weekend.
I go hiking in Big Sur all the time. Whether it’s a backpacking trip for a whole weekend or you can do a day hike. It’s beautiful, it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world.
We’re close to Silicon Valley, we’re close to San Francisco. There are so many things that we can access from here. Both on the personal and the professional side that make it, to me, perfectly situated.
It’s unbelievable. I’ve never lived anywhere like this in my life.
At the Middlebury Institute, your career is our focus from your first day of classes.
You’ll not only take in-depth courses taught by world-renowned experts. You’ll also get personalized, comprehensive academic and professional advising, plus valuable internships and assistantships. You’ll graduate with a practical degree, fully prepared for a rewarding career.
When you earn a graduate degree from the Middlebury Institute, you’ll be prepared to be a leader in high-demand global industries and organizations. With our scholarships, grants, and other aid, you’ll see that our programs are an affordable investment in your future.
Setting the tone for politics
Combining language studies with technology
Studying International Security and Arabic
Building a Career on International Experience
A Rewarding Career Change
Turning Business Plans Into Reality
Bringing help to Romanian orphans
Applying learning to life
Be taught by faculty with extensive professional experience at organizations around the world. You’ll be guided by the most up-to-date field information and technology along with expertise and mentoring.
I believe that progress is possible only when we grasp at a deep level what caused our missteps.
Associate Professor, Translation and Interpretation
Meet Xiaoyan Shen
I study terrorism and nuclear weapons, particularly in South Asia: terrorist group strategies, nuclear tension in the subcontinent, and the security of nuclear weapons in Pakistan.
Associate Professor, Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies
Meet Sharad Joshi
I am committed to collaborative environments in which societal inequities can be both explored and resisted through the inclusion of diverse voices and ways of knowing.
Professor, TESOL and Teaching Foreign Language
Meet Netta Avineri
I encourage students to actively reflect on their thought patterns and experiences. I help learners uncover, examine, and potentially replace preexisting ideas and assumptions.
Associate Professor, MPA, International Policy and Development
Meet Mahabat Baimyrzaeva
The Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) is the largest nongovernmental organization in the world devoted to curbing the spread of weapons of mass destruction—and the only organization dedicated exclusively to graduate education and research.
Visit CNS
The Middlebury Institute is located in the heart of Monterey, California, known as the “language capital of the world.” With our culturally diverse population, educational opportunities, natural and scenic recreation areas, historic significance, and proximity to Silicon Valley, you’ll find a wealth of advantages when you choose to study here.
Read MoreHow will you change the world?
Get InfoWhat makes us different?
Visit Campus
