<p>Not knowing whether I wanted a policy-oriented career or an academic one, I applied to a mix of Master’s in IR and PhD programs in poli sci (with a concentration in IR). I got in to 2 schools:</p>
<li><p>American University SIS: MA in International Relations. Reputable school, in APSIA, great contacts in DC, government, etc. However it is costly (probably 60-75K in debt, which seems enormous for me). Would take less time (only 2 years) but I would be away from the gf.</p></li>
<li><p>City University of New York PhD in Political Science: Less expensive, but not that reputable. They have some interesting scholars there, they are close to where my gf and I live (an important factor). They also belong to a consortium where I could take classes at a number of other universities, including Columbia (I will likely do this) and Princeton (probably not–too far away). I could also work full-time while attending half-time, which I wouldn’t do with AU.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>In the end I chose CUNY because, although its not as reputable as other PhD programs, I figure I could get a government job with a PhD if I couldn’t find a tenure-track position. </p>
<p>However I am now second-guessing myself. I don’t know, did I make the right decision? Should have I gone to AU instead? I imagine job prospects from AU would be great, with the connections and internships they run. Though cost was a huge factor in my decision and I didn’t want to have that much debt. </p>
<p>Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>It's difficult to post advice without knowing your career goal. If you want to work in policy, it doesn't make much sense to spend years in a poli sci Ph.D. program. There are public policy masters programs that would be better for this goal. It's easier to get into a prestigious MPP program than a poli sci Ph.D. program -- and it only takes about two years.</p>
<p>If you want a tenure track academic job, you might consider transfering to a poli sci program that is more highly ranked. What is CUNY ranked? More importantly, how is their placement record?</p>
<p>Your two choices each involve a serious sacrifice: 60k and 2 years -- or roughly 5 years of academic work, plus financial sacrifice. I wouldn't commit to either option without a clear idea of what I wanted to do in the future.</p>
<p>If you simply have a passion for IR, and you don't care about getting a prestigious job -- or even about getting an academic job -- a Ph.D. program at CUNY could be an enjoyable experience for you. That's certainly a good enough reason. But if you have a specific career goal in policy or in academia, you might want to re-think.</p>
<p>CUNY political science program, I believe, is listed as #47 on the National Research Council rankings. Not that high I know and I'm not sure about their placement stats. I inquired but I wasn't able to get a definitive number on that (I guess that's not a good sign). Online I ran into a study that determined CUNY placed a relatively small number of graduates compared to the "Top 8", but placed them well. Problem is that the program is large.</p>
<p>I figure I have the following options:
1. Go forward with the program and get the degree. Hope for a TT job somewhere that's not in east jabib.
2. Go with the program for a year, then start taking classes within the university consortium at Columbia. Schmooz with professors there and hopefully they could get me in.
3. Go forward with the program but quit after getting the en-route Master's.
4. Go forward with the program but if I don't like it, transfer to somewhere else (AU).
5. Drop everything and continue with my measly office job indefinitely.</p>
<p>I would like to work in academia, but given the competitiveness out there, I'm not sure if that's even realistic. I also like the idea of working in policy, especially in foreign policy, with the government but I don't like the idea of spending 60-75K to do that.</p>
<p>I'm someone who loves to second-guess myself so had I chosen AU I would most likely be sweating over the debt and whether I would be happier in a PhD program. Plus, I have a strong relationship here and leaving that to go to DC would be additional stress. </p>
<p>I guess my question is: if I finish the PhD and am unable to find a tenure-track job, would I be at a disadvantage in finding government work when compared with MPP/MPA/MA in IR candidates?</p>
<p>I think you have several good options. If you want a tenure track job, I would not stay at CUNY -- but you would have time to transfer / finish an MA and apply elswhere / make connections at Columbia.</p>
<p>But if you decide that academia isn't for you, I don't see why you couldn't get a government job. I'm not an expert, but my instinct is that you could. If this becomes your goal, you might want to focus your dissertation on an area related to policy (or to whatever you want to apply for) so that your research seems like a good qualification.</p>
<p>And, I think you were right to avoid debt -- that is the kind of price that could haunt you forever, especially in this economy, especially when Congress keeps passing legislation that helps loan and credit companies (and hurts those in debt.) There are other ways to get where you want to be... and there is always next year, if you decide you would like to transfer. You can always apply to other schools.</p>
<p>One more thing -- you should really try to get a placement record from them. Even if they only place in non-academic jobs, it will give you an idea of what you might do with a CUNY Ph.D. I imagine that many graduates of the program have government jobs.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice. I feel a bit better now. </p>
<p>I imagine the difference between these schools (and other IR programs) is not necessarily the curriculum (although a PhD program would be a bit more rigorous) but the additional programs and connections that are available with the school. AU, for example, strives to place its students in internships. Study abroad programs help with resume-building as well. Alumni networks are also helpful. AU, along with other DC IR programs, has that. CUNY does not necessarily have those resources.</p>
<p>Debt sucks but over time it gets reduced not only with rising salaries but inflation as well. So maybe 60-75K in debt may seem a lot now, it may not be so bad in a decade or two. Six figure salaries will be even more common in future years. Still, debt is debt.</p>
<p>I think what I will do is enroll in this semester, seek advice from my advisor, and go from there. Meanwhile I think I might talk to a rep. from AU and possibly reapply so I can revisit this question and extend my doubts and insecurities indefinitely.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your advice though. I appreciate it.</p>
<p>And I'll see if I can get any more info. out of government placement among CUNY PhD's. Maybe that will give me more of a perspective.</p>