Interested in International Relations at NYU? Here’s what YOU NEED to know.

Colleges and Universities A-Z New York University
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<p>INTRO: As people have noted on this forum for years, there is a serious lack of information about the International Relations (IR) honors program at NYU. I’m writing this guide to help clarify the program, the admissions process, the requirements, and whether or not the program is for you.</p>

<p>ABOUT ME: I’m a junior in the College of Arts and Science and am majoring in International Relations. I was accepted to the IR program in the fall of 2012. I had just under a 3.9 when I applied.</p>

<p>THE PROGRAM: The International Relations program is pretty unique to NYU, and one of the primary reasons I applied. It is unique in the sense that it is truly interdisciplinary—it involves a mix of politics, economics, international relations theory, international relations practice, history, foreign language, and regional specialization courses. I think it is a great academic mix. Knowledge in all these fields is indeed required for understanding international relations.</p>

<p>(The basics: The International Relations major is an honors major at NYU, meaning you must apply and be accepted. You apply early in the first semester of your sophomore year, and are accepted/denied some time in November of that same semester. More general information is available at the NYU Department of Politics website.)</p>

<p>The program also requires studying abroad. I just returned from study abroad, and I can honestly say it was the best four months of my life. Even if you are not interested in or accepted to IR, I strongly recommend going abroad! </p>

<p>There is a great deal of speculation surrounding how selective the program is. The Department of Politics (which runs the program) is, for whatever reason, highly secretive about this. Therefore, I really can’t speak to it too much. Somewhere between 25 and 45 students are accepted every year. I’m unsure of how many applicants there are. The applicant pool self selects because people under the required GPA of 3.65 don’t apply, so I would assume the acceptance rate is quite high.</p>

<p>My two cents: If you have above a 3.7 and have an A-/B+ in the two or three core freshman year IR courses, I think you should feel confident. Have a 3.8+ and an A in those courses? You’re a shoe in, in my opinion. I will speak to this later, but I really do believe performing in these courses is paramount to getting into the program.</p>

<p>People do get rejected. The only student I personally knew who got rejected was just below the 3.65 requirement, but was encouraged to apply nonetheless. I have heard of others being rejected and meeting the requirement. I think the best way to guarantee acceptance is to do well your freshman year and really kill it in the required classes. I also think the small essay you have to write for your application plays a huge part. More on that later. </p>

<p>Finally, don’t stress too much about the program! As I wrote above, it is interdisciplinary. There are NO courses that are only open to IR majors (besides the senior thesis, which you can write in any other department). This means that even if you are rejected, you can take exactly the same coursework IR majors do and have the same interdisciplinary experience. Sure, your diploma won’t say International Relations on it, but I think you can spin it to employers/grad schools all the same. </p>

<p>THE FRESHMAN YEAR REQUIREMENTS: During your freshman year you need to take two out of the four “core” IR courses. First, you must take International Politics. It is offered in both the fall and spring semesters. Second, you must take either Economic Principles I (macroeconomics) or Economic Principles II (microeconomics). You can also take both I and II your freshman year. If you major in IR, you will need to take both at some point before you graduate. Both classes are offered in the fall and the spring semesters. In terms of courses during freshman year, that’s it! Only 2 (or 3) classes. This means that your grades in these classes are quite important. If you’re serious about IR, you have to do well in these classes. I took International Politics and Economic Principles I. I received an A in both classes. </p>

<p>I have some good news: none of these courses are particularly difficult if you put in the work. All three have a big lecture and smaller recitations, and have pretty straightforward grading. </p>

<p>In addition to these two, I highly recommend taking a language your freshman year. For the IR program, you need to finish any language through the intermediate level and then take two advanced classes on top. If you start a new language, that means you have to take: Elementary I, Elementary II, Intermediate I, Intermediate II, Advanced Elective #1, Advanced Elective #2. CAS requires you to finish through Intermediate II, IR requires you to take two more classes. At a minimum, this process will take you 2 ½ years. It’s much better to start your freshman year. You can also place out of certain levels of language (I took my language in high school, and placed right into Intermediate I). Obviously, this will decrease the amount of time it takes for you to finish the requirement.</p>

<p>The final freshman year requirement is to maintain a GPA greater that 3.65. You cannot apply to the program without this. Getting a 3.65 is not that difficult freshman year IF and ONLY IF you put in the work. No, you can’t go out every night of the week and expect to do well. It’s college, and NYU isn’t a walk in the park. But if you attend your classes, manage your time, study, and get help when you need it, a 3.65 shouldn’t be a problem.
Note: As I mentioned, I had a friend who was just below a 3.65 and was encouraged to apply to the program. If you are in the ballpark, there’s no harm in throwing in an application. He was rejected, however, and so I wouldn’t bank on getting accepted. Get above a 3.65!</p>

<p>THE APPLICATION: The IR application is available online on the Department of Politics website. It is surprisingly simple. You have to fill in some personal information and the grades you received in certain courses. The main part of the application is writing a “short essay…describing areas of research in international relations that are of particular interest to you” that is “as specific as possible” and does not “exceed a page in length.” DO NOT let the seeming ease of this essay deceive you—I would take it very seriously. This is the main part of your application, and your chance to show the readers why you deserve to be selected to the program. Spend some time on it, do some research, run it by a professor in the field to see if it is a viable research proposal, edit it heavily to make sure there are no typos/awkward sentences. I did not cite any sources any mine, but it was well researched and within the context of current academic debates.
Pro tip: The senior thesis you will eventually write if accepted will include (gasp!) math—specifically, statistics. If you can find a way to incorporate this into your proposal, I think you will be in really good shape. You shouldn’t be putting actual math into your proposal (especially since you probably haven’t taken statistics at NYU yet,) but saying something like I will statistically model X can only help.</p>

<p>CONCLUSION: The International Relations program has been one of the most rewarding parts of my academic experience at NYU. I highly encourage everyone to apply. It is truly unique among top universities, and in my opinion (from hearing from friends) is often better than comparable departments. There are some downsides—the Department of Politics makes little effort to have IR students get to know each other, for example. However, the positives greatly outweigh negatives, and I love it.</p>

<p>If you have any further questions, I would direct them to the Department of Politics undergraduate adviser (who is also the IR adviser.) </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>What is the path for someone admitted via the Liberal Studies program and spending their first year in Paris?</p>

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<p>I’m not sure. LSP students can indeed apply to the program, but if you are in Paris you will not be able to take the required freshman year classes (unless they are offered in Paris.) I would contact the Department of Politics Undergraduate Academic Adviser for more information. Her info is here: [Contact</a> Us, Department of Politics, NYU](<a href=“Wilf Family Department of Politics”>Wilf Family Department of Politics)</p>

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<p>@axelfoley, what was your major when you first applied to NYU as a freshman?</p>

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<p>Thank you for making this outline. I’ll be a sophomore come fall, looking to apply to IR, and this post was very reaffirming.</p>

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<p>Hi axelfoley,</p>

<p>Thanks so much for detailed outline of the IR Application process!
I was wondering if you could, or if anyone here could, please tell me if the one page essay they require is to be single or double spaced?</p>

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<p>I single spaced mine. </p>

<p>And sorry for the late reply, muf123. I believe my intended major was IR…but I don’t really remember. Besides, it doesn’t matter – the people reading your application don’t see/care about what your major was when you applied. It’s expected that students will change their mind.</p>

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<p>Hi! Dumb question, but what are some examples of careers or career paths that an international relations major would go on to pursue, specifically an IR major at NYU?</p>

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<p>@axelfoley, thank you for making this thread! It is amazing, especially for a prospective IR major like myself! I was wondering if you could answer a few questions:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>A big reason why I want to go to NYU is because of its location. Is it true that there are many invaluable opportunities for internships & work related to international relations?</p></li>
<li><p>My parents are kind of reluctant in allowing me to apply ED because they’re concerned with its reputation/rank. Is NYU a prestigious school that employers or grad schools will respect? Regardless of the undergrad institution itself, is it true that NYU’s department of politics has one of the best programs for IR and poli sci in the world?</p></li>
<li><p>Do you know if IR majors at NYU will be at an advantage at all applying to an IR grad school, such as JHU SAIS, or law school, since it is an honors program?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thank you so much!!</p>

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<p>Also, do you know if it’s competitive applying to tier 1 law schools from NYU? Are there a lot of NYU applicants, especially those with IR majors, who apply to such law schools?</p>

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<p>There are many, many jobs that you can pursue with a degree in IR. I personally am planning to attend law school after I graduate. IR majors can work at think tanks, international organizations, U.S. Foreign Service, other government jobs, consulting, etc.
I’m certainly no expert in this, however, so I would refer you to these websites:
[Career</a> Resources ? APSIA](<a href=“http://www.apsia.org/careers/career-opportunities-in-international-affairs/]Career”>Job Openings & Internships - Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA))
[Careers</a> in International Relations](<a href=“Rutgers University :: Department of Political Science”>Rutgers University :: Department of Political Science)</p>

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<ol>
<li><p>Yes. There are certainly many internships available. I want to attend law school so I’ve only applied to legal internships. I’ve worked at an NGO, with a congresswoman, and am currently at a legal services firm. I know several people who have worked at the UN, Council on Foreign Relations, etc. To be clear: these internships are very competitive. Many times, I’ve applied and received no response back (looking at you, CFR.) However, it’s not impossible – you just have to work for it. Also, the great and unique thing about NYU with respect to internships is that you can intern during the fall and spring semesters. During the summers, you are competing against a much larger applicant pool from a huge range of universities, including Ivy/top tier I students. However, during the fall and spring, it’s really just NYU and Columbia students competing for the best internships (and to some extent the top Baruch/Pace/Fordham students). This increases the likelihood of getting an internship. This is especially true as you get older and have more experience – I’m a junior and I would say 90% of my friends (not just in IR, but in all fields) have internships right now. This is pretty unique among top colleges – frankly, there’s no where to intern in Ithaca even if you wanted to.</p></li>
<li><p>Ah yes, prestige. I’m certainly not an employer but I’ll give you my two cents. I think NYU is on the low end of Tier I. It certainly is not as prestigious as the Ivies or schools like UChicago/Stanford. However, it definitely has a good name that carries weight. I would say the IR program is well respected.
Here’s one thing I do know: NYU’s reputation is only getting better. Our global network university is truly unique and pioneering – no other university in the world has anything like it. We really are on the cutting edge. This stands in contrast to schools like GWU, who aren’t even ranked this year in US News b/c of an SAT score reporting scandal and recently received criticism because their “need blind” admission isn’t actually need blind. I pick on GWU because I was choosing between IR at NYU and the Elliot School – and I’m very happy I chose NYU. NYU’s prestige is only going to grow.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>3/4. I’m applying to law school, and I really don’t know anything about IR grad programs. With respect to law schools: Simply, law schools don’t care where you went to undergrad, let alone what major you were. It really just comes down to your GPA and your LSAT. It is very different from undergrad admissions in this way. “Softs” (extracurricular activities, internships, honors) are at max 10% of the admissions process for law schools. GPA/LSAT are 45% each. For more info on this, I would check out top-law-schools.com – pretty much the collegeconfidential for law school applicants.
Many students from NYU do apply to law school, yes. Is it proportionally more than at any other similarly ranked university? I really doubt it. More importantly, law schools don’t really care – you won’t be at a disadvantage applying to any law school coming from NYU. I personally am applying to the top tier of law schools and know of former NYU students who have attended them.</p>

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<p>Thank you so much, axelfoley!! I am definitely applying ED to NYU now! I have one question though. How difficult is the course work for the IR program at NYU? Is it hard to get a really good GPA (3.7+)?</p>

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<p>Great to hear! I would say the coursework for the IR major is on par with other CAS majors. This is partially because IR has no courses of its own – we take a mix of economics, politics, language and regional courses. I don’t think it’s THAT hard to get a 3.7+. You have to stay on top of your work and get help when you need it. It’s definitely harder than high school haha. But certainly not impossible. I’m balancing school, an internship and the LSAT right now and have an A in all 4 of my classes (knock on wood!).
One thing I would stress – not just to you, but really to everyone – is that college gets easier as you get older. This is ironic because the work generally gets harder. But you learn the ropes, understand what professors want, write better, etc. etc. So, don’t get discouraged when you first start out! You’ll get the hang of it.</p>

<p>I would also VERY, VERY strongly recommend these two books to ANY college student looking to do well:
[How</a> to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less: Cal Newport: 9780767922715: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-A-Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383955573&sr=8-1&keywords=cal+newport]How”>http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-A-Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383955573&sr=8-1&keywords=cal+newport)
[How</a> to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country’s Top Students: Cal Newport: 9780767917872: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-College-Surprising-Countrys/dp/0767917871/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1383955575&sr=8-5&keywords=cal+newport]How”>http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-College-Surprising-Countrys/dp/0767917871/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1383955575&sr=8-5&keywords=cal+newport)
It’s an investment that will pay you back (literally) thousand fold in your future. I read them my freshmen year, and have maintained a 3.9+ since then. They will change the way you work forever. I’m hugely grateful to them.</p>

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<p>Hi,
Does one have to declare an IR major when applying to NYU prior to their freshman year? Or is it possible for someone to decide that they want to major in IR later on- perhaps in the end of their freshman or at the beginning of their sophomore year?</p>

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<p>The major you put on your Common App becomes virtually irrelevant once you enter the College of Arts and Science (I don’t know how this works for Tisch, Stern, etc.) Once you are a NYU student, no one will care/look at what you put down on your Common App.
As explained in the first post, IR is an honors major that you must apply to. You apply in the fall of your sophomore year.
In general, you have to declare a major by the end of your sophomore year. Even then there’s some leeway. No one is going to pressure you to pick a major during your first two years at NYU.</p>

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<p>So what is the point of putting a major in the Common App? I mean, assuming you get in, what do they then do with that information?</p>

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<p>I suppose one reason is that colleges want to compare you against other students applying to the same major. They also want to see whether you’re passionate about a subject (and it’s okay if you’re not yet – you can also put down undecided).
I’m not sure if I’m missing something else. It’s been a while since I went through the college application process, so this is a question probably better answered by an admissions officer or your guidance counselor. Once you’re in, colleges don’t do anything with this information. Within CAS, you can switch your major whenever you want without anyone caring. However, this is different in Tisch – there, you apply to a specific program (film, recorded music, etc.) and I imagine you are held to that decision pretty strongly.</p>

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<p>That sounds pretty logical. It seems like as long as I apply to the right school, it doesn’t matter which major I put down. I mean, I obviously would not put down a major just for the heck of it, but yes, this makes sense. That being said, I do have a major in mind that I chose when I submitted my application. However, other schools I may apply to if I do not get into NYU do not offer this major.</p>

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<p>i thought the supplement this year for freshman applicants was easiest for those imterested in IR. any thoughts/where did you all pick?!</p>