<p>Hi Ladyseacow,</p>
<p>Here are my two cents: </p>
<p>R Guy/Helen: One criticism I've heard of SAIS is that there is no thesis project like at KSG. Does that hurt one in the job market/for further study?</p>
<p>To my knowledge, the lack of a thesis requirement does not affect one's job prospects (if anyone thinks otherwise, please chime in). In general, I think a thesis is seen as more of an academic exercise, whereas SAIS and most of the other IR schools (except Fletcher) are focused more on practical exercises. At SAIS, this takes the form of language study (which the majority of students do for their two years, although technically you only need to pass proficiency in one language), oral exams, and internships. The oral exams are given at the end of your second year and are conducted with economics professors and your concentration professors. They're basically discussions where you apply what you have learned over your two years (although you are being evaluated during the process, so maybe discussion isn't the best word...) An internship is not required (and some departments do discourage them), but I can tell you that most SAIS students (especially 2nd years) do have internships in DC, whether it is at an NGO, consulting firm, think tank, or govt. agency. So I think these aspects of the program are intended to focus on developing practical IR skills and prepare students for the working world. This isn't to suggest that a thesis isn't helpful.....on the contrary, I think it would allow you to learn much more about one specific issue. But I think in a cost/benefit analysis, the benefits of the practical aspects of the program outweigh the benefits of a thesis, especially given the type of work that most SAIS students intend to go into (i.e. not academic). </p>
<p>Have you heard that area studies folks are at a disadvantage when it comes to generalist jobs, e.g. at the World Bank/UN? I was looking at the graduates of the SEA program and it looks like a huge majority of them go on to jobs specifically related to SEA (often right in SEA).</p>
<p>That's a good question, and I don't know if I have a good answer for you there. The generalist/specialist debate has been going on for a long time. I will say that the majority of area studies students I know do get internships or jobs that at least relate to the area they concentrated in. This is partly because they're most competitive in those areas and partly because most of them genuinely want to specialize in those regions. I think if you take a lot of upper level econ classes (regardless of your concentration), you would be a good candidate for a World Bank job. A lot of it comes down to who you know (from networking) and how much you know in your interview, not so much what your specific concentration is. Remember, every SAIS student graduates with a dual concentration that includes international economics...it's built into your degree and it's on your diploma regardless of your "chosen" concentration. That is advantageous. As for the UN, I can't say much, but I have heard that it's very difficult to get hired if you're an American (due to quota limitations). Of course, if you're an international student, you don't have to worry about that so much. </p>
<p>Also, what's with the large number of people in the private sector? Is this because they cannot get employment in the public/non-profit or is that the starting intention?</p>
<p>I think SAIS attracts a lot of people who desire to go into the private sector because of its economics reputation. Whereas a lot of the other top tier IR schools have great programs in regional studies and other functional studies, I think SAIS is the only one with a very solid and established econ reputation. Furthermore, quite a few of the finance types are doing joint MBA programs with Wharton or Tuck, and I think SAIS is the only school with official joint degree programs with those schools. That being said, there are still a lot of students interested in development work (Intl. Development is the largest concentration at the school) and public service jobs (about 40 students from the graduating class were selected as Presidential Management Fellows this year). So you can definitely find your niche if you're not a finance or econ type. As for employment, I can tell you that it's much harder to get a job in the private sector (I'm talking mainly about finance) than it is in the public or non-profit sector. Getting a job in the govt or at an NGO is actually relatively easy.....the hard part is 1) getting a job you want to do and 2) getting a job that pays a reasonable salary. Now THAT is difficult.</p>