<p>I was planning to attend JHU for Poli Sci with a focus in IR until I recently got off the waiting list at Georgetown for the Walsh School of Foreign Service...</p>
<p>Now I don't know what to do.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me which school is better for undergraduate International Relations? The rankings vary and some contradict others. I'm so confused...</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Are you going into medical/Enginering or IR.....enough said</p>
<p>Actually, that is both arrogant and wrong. Hopkins is as well known for IR as Georgetown.</p>
<p>Edmund</a> A. Walsh School of Foreign Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>The current, future and recent past heads of state for five of the one hundred and three of the thirty most populous nations in the world are Georgetown SFS alumni as is the Majority Whip of the US Senate, the Chief of Staff of the US Army and the President of the European Commission. Whatever the respective rankings are within the academic world (SFS is number one at the graduate level and number four behind two Ivies and Stanford for undergrad, which is substantially higher than JHU, according to Foreign Policy Magazine), the kind of prestige Georgetown SFS has outside the academic world in the political world at large, makes any serious discussion of turning down a Georgetown SFS offer of admission to be very problematic and hard to justify.</p>
<p>Hopkins SAIS is highly regarded among the IR circle. In terms of general prestige and name recognition, I would agree that they are both generally the same overall. </p>
<p>However if you want specific undergrad IR, then go to Georgetown. If you want graduate school IR, JHopkins SAIS easily trumps Walsh anyday of the week, not that Walsh is not a terrific program or anything. Can't compare with top three, Columbia SIPA, Princeton WSG, and Johns Hopkins SAIS.</p>
<p>With that said, the name recognition and prestige between Hopkins and Georgetown is marginal when you take a look at the greater IR picture. Both are great schools, you really can't go wrong with either. Hopkins probably has the greater edge on prestige and general reputation in academics.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>i wonder if hopkins is the better choice for me in case i pursue IR and decide that it's not for me since JHU seems to be more well rounded...</p>
<p>and does JHU have an edge because I can do a 5 year BA/MA program with SAIS?</p>
<p>SFS has a five year BSFS/MSFS (thats the degree all people who graduate from the SFS receive, Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, which is unique to Georgetown), however while I can't speak for SAIS, I know the 5 year program is extremely competitive in the SFS, though certainly not impossible to get into if your determined (i'm pretty sure u apply after ur sophomore year).</p>
<p>In your case certainly apply to both schools (unless you hate the vibe u get from either), I'd say if your pretty sure u want IR, georgetown is a little stronger, even for say government or some type of public policy given all of DC's resources. Definitely however visit both, preferably during the school year, so you really get a feel for what campus life is like at both schools.</p>
<p>Actually, Phead, Georgetown's graduate programs are considered among the very top. There's no sense in which they "can't compete" With Harvard, Woodrow Wilson, or SAIS.</p>
<p>Quoting from an old press release (<a href="http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=22838):%5B/url%5D">http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=22838):</a> </p>
<p>*In the survey conducted by researchers at the College of William and Mary, faculty members nationwide were asked what they considered to be the top five terminal master’s degree programs in international relations for students looking to pursue careers in policy. Georgetown ranked number one in the survey, above second place Johns Hopkins University and far outpacing Harvard University in third. Tufts and Columbia universities followed in fourth and fifth places. </p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Scholars were also asked for the first time to identify the best places for undergraduates interested in studying international relations. Georgetown earned the fourth highest number of votes in this area, above Columbia and Yale universities. Harvard, Princeton and Stanford universities placed first, second and third respectively. </p>
<p>...</p>
<p>The survey’s findings are published in the March/April 2007 issue of Foreign Policy magazine in the article “The View from the Ivory Tower: What International Professors Think About Foreign Policy.” During the fall semester 2006, the researchers surveyed 1,112 scholars, more than 41 percent of all international relations professors in the United States, about their views on the state of the discipline and contemporary policy issues. *</p>
<p>According to Foreign Policy Magazine's rankings, Georgetown SFS has the number one graduate IR program in the country.</p>
<p>To add to what mikey said, there are also 5-year joint programs with the other masters degrees offered by the graduate SFS, which includes various regional studies tracks (Latin American Studies, Arab Studies, etc.) and also the Security Studies program, which is the one I'm enrolled in now.</p>
<p>I had to apply for the 5-year in the early part of the spring semester of my junior year.</p>
<p>Graduate program at Gtown is awesome...undergrad JHU is the most rounded and flexible by a lot. IMHO.</p>
<p>I think that JHU Undergrad IR + Georgetown Graduate SFS is probably the best combination of IR out there.</p>
<p>I don't get where all this sudden influx of JHU IR stuff is coming from.
How could you beat SFS + YOU'RE IN DC AND HAVE HELLA SICK INTERNSHIPS?
I strongly disagree with the above posters who claim that the JHU IR program is superior to Georgetown's SFS. I could see the argument about a premed/science major, but let's get serious. This is Georgetown.</p>
<p>perfect10- it's clear where you attend and great that you're happy. However, The rest of us are being more objective with a bigger point of view. Sorry we can't agree with you.</p>
<p>There is something truly special about an institution that can boast past Heads of State and past Cabinet officers as members of its faculty, at a location two miles from the Situation Room, three miles from the Capitol and one mile from the State department. Georgetown SFS is truly an extraordinary place.</p>
<p>perfect10, I love Georgetown too! But I think Kuaila has a point, it's better to be objective here... I don't think school spirit is an issue at Georgetown ;)</p>
<p>With that said, the SFS is one of the best of its kind. Georgetown's location speaks for itself. I personally know of congressional offices reaching out to Georgetown kids during the first months of school for internships. Every SFS student I know is very satisfied and challenged by his/her education. You can't go wrong with the SFS - you are not limited to IR/Gov't with a degree with SFS - you can basically pursue any career.</p>
<p>And I'm in the MSB. I usually try not to praise the SFS.</p>
<p>"This is Georgetown."</p>
<p>As much as I don't care for such statements, I'd probably go for G-town undergrad and SAIS for grad with the given conditions. Now if you suddenly decide to change from the IR/ Foreign Policy track, note that G-town doesn't have some particular majors (i.e., some engineerings, etc.). So there may be some less flexibility. </p>
<p>That being said, people in the VA/MD/DC-area naturally hold a higher opinion of G-town than the rest of the nation, so be wary of biased opinions. From being in FL, NYC, Baltimore, and Boston, I never really heard any mention of the school until I started hanging out in DC. It's a highly rated school though.</p>
<p>If you are considering Johns, the commute from Baltimore to DC isn't that bad if it is short-term. </p>
<p>But in the end, do what is best in regards to your aspirations and keeping your options open (if you change your mind).</p>
<p>Not to disagree but I live in NYC, trust me Georgetown is talked about...</p>
<p>but beware of "biased" opinion - my disclaimer</p>
<p>Georgetown is also talked about in Boston...</p>
<p>Husband went to JHU and Georgetown (though not for foreign service). For undergrad, go with Georgetown, then would pursue grad school at SAIS or Columbia SFA. Congrats (you really can't go wrong)!!</p>