Hi guys, I need help deciding between International Relations at King’s College London, or University of California-San Diego (Undergraduate). I’m a student from India, but a citizen of the United States. Curriculum flexibility, work options after college (primarily Think Tanks), general atmosphere and intellectual stimulation are my main concerns. Any information about the IR program at KCL and International Studies at UCSD will be welcome!
Thank you.
The main difference is that at Kings’s you will study ONLY International Relations for the full length of your degree. Have you looked in detail at the sourse outline on the KCL website:: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/international-relations-ba.aspx. There’s no choice in the first year at all, but various options in later years. At UCSD you MUST take a number of courses in other subject areas (known as general education requirements); the payoff is that there is a lot of flexibility to change from IR to some other subject if your interests change.
I’d say King’s is the better course IF you’re 100 per cent sure it’s the right subject for you (congrats on getting admitted). OTOH you can’t guarantee getting a visa to work in the UK afterwards, which is something you wouldn’t need in the US.
PS: London’s also a real international city with lots of potential for internships.
@Conformist1688 thank you so much! This has been very helpful. Any information about University of British Columbia (Canada) versus UCSD? Will I be able to get internships in San Diego?