<p>So I've done a whole lot of research into the best schools for international relations programs, and I've narrowed the list down to the following:</p>
<p>-Princeton
-Johns Hopkins
-Tufts
-Georgetown
-American
-Chicago
-Columbia
-UMich
-Cambridge
-LSE</p>
<p>Now the main reason I'm making this post is to see if I can't narrow it down even further, but I was also curious about something else. I've gotten mediocre response when I asked around about Cambridge and LSE, which seem like they would have strong programs in the field. What makes them not stand out among international relations colleges? Also, should I consider applying to AmU Cairo, Renmin, Todai or a similar international graduate program? I've heard negative things about the university systems in some of those countries.</p>
<p>Some other notes: I really don't see much in the way of IR programs at the Kennedy school, and though I've listed the programs here, I'm really wary of the cost of living/tuition at either Columbia/Chicago. Any comment on that would also be appreciated.</p>
<p>Cambridge and LSE are not very strong because, to put it bluntly, they’re not American. IR is taught, researched, and conducted in a significantly different way outside of the US (with the exception of one or two Canadian schools.)</p>
<p>You should be worried about COL in NYC; I’ve heard Chicago’s not as bad, but what do I know?</p>
<p>You definitely should be aiming for Harvard (probably #1, tbh), but not the Kennedy school:</p>
<p>[Harvard</a> University - Department of Government](<a href=“http://www.gov.harvard.edu/]Harvard”>http://www.gov.harvard.edu/)</p>
<p>You can also look at GWU and Yale.</p>
<p>Agree. Academic IR is an American invention. It is largely dominated by positivist methodologies and most of the “big names” are in the U.S. Europe (and England in particular) has an older but more eclectic tradition in the study of the international, one that draws from History, Philosophy, International Political Economy, etc. It is far less linked with positivism. There is even an “English School” of international relations that has an esteemed, but minority, representation in IR.</p>
<p>Bottom Line: Cambridge and LSE are great places to study the international sphere and have qualities about them that many U.S. schools cannot match. But if you’re looking for “academic IR” in the American sense you’ll only find pockets of it in the UK (more at LSE than Cambridge by the way).</p>
<p>Cambridge has taken a self-conscious decision NOT to try to copy the American version of the discipline and its Politics and International Studies (POLIS) department has faculty from many different disciplines. Whether or not you think this approach is worse or better will largely depend on your presuppositions about what the discipline should entail.</p>
<p>Thank you both very much for your input on the matter.</p>
<p>I did some research into positivism, and it seems like that would be a doctoral goal, but of course I’ll have to continue learning about the programs as best I can. I’ll have to give Harvard another chance as well. (I know that’s a pretty ridiculous thing to say.)</p>