<p>Can anyone explain the difference between IR and IS? I've been looking for safeties/matches, and it seems that many schools have IS as a major. What could one do with a degree in IS? Would one still be able to go into international affairs with such a degree? If anyone can answer one or any of those questions or add any insight into the subject, I would be very grateful. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>from princeton review:</p>
<p>"As an International Studies major your focus is more on depth than breadth, so while youll gain a greater appreciation for the commerce of the world as a whole, you will probably concentrate on a specific region of the globe, studying in detail its unique history, economy, and political structure. Whether its Africa, Asia, or Western or Eastern Europe, you will have the opportunity to focus on the region or countries that interest you most, learning their language, and perhaps even spending a semester studying abroad. In addition to focusing on a specific region, International Studies majors concentrate on some of the most pressing political and social issues of the contemporary world. You can choose to focus your area of study on economic development issues around the globe, or problems of diplomacy."</p>
<p>"With a major in International Relations, you'll study the relationships among countries, governments, peoples, and organizations all around the world. You'll learn about global issues from a variety of perspectives-issues including war, poverty, disease, diplomacy, democracy, trade, economics, and globalization. Though it is, of course, impossible to predict the future, by studying how the past has influenced the present you'll be attempting to predict the consequences of international decisions. As an International Relations major, you'll be integrating many points of view in an effort to work together for a better world. Topics of study might include the balance of power, fair distribution of wealth, and the economic gap between rich and poor.
International Relations is a multi-disciplinary major that draws from politics, history, economics, law, sociology, psychology, philosophy, ethics, and geography. You'll be dealing with foreign cultures, languages, worldviews, and values. The study of foreign languages is a necessity, as is a sense of empathy, compassion, and good will."</p>
<p>IR and IS are virtually identical, except I believe that IS is more culturally focused whereas IR is more politically focused. Now, of course, that is a massive simplification, as IR and IS are both interdisciplinary fields that encompass history, geography, humanities and art, poli-sci, languages, culture, etc. In fact, I've even heard IS and IR refered to as "Theoretical Geography" or "Theoretical Social Science" due to the broadness of the subject. Generally speaking, both IR and IS allow you to focus in certain regions/subjects, even if the names vary. For example, take two of the best IR/IS universities - Georgetown SFS and Tufts IR. At Georgetown, one can major in "Regional and Comparitive Studies" whereas at Tufts the major is called "International Relations" with a "Focus in Europe." Also, this is extremely similar to what would be refered to in IS (most likely) as "European Studies" or "International Studies - Europe" (Take, for example, William & Mary).
An IS/IR degree is a very good degree to obtain, as it is a culmination of a broad swath of the social sciences. As such, those who graduate with IR/IS degrees from the best schools in the fields (GU, Tufts, JHU, Columbia) will have a variety of top Graduate schools to choose from, in Law, Business, and surprisingly, Medicine. For your interest in International Affairs either degree is perfect. As for the very best HS students, here is a list of the best IR/IS schools. Please note that outside of the three principal categories, I am NOT ranking universities!! i.e. any of the schools in the "Best" category are excellent, etc. The reason I am listing these is that, as you very correctly stated, many schools do offer IS/IR, but there are only a few that are truly stand-outs and will give you an excellent position for Graduate Schools/Professional Jobs.
Best (Reputation-wise, extremely selective)
- Tufts University
- Georgetown University (School of Foreign Service)
- Columbia University
- Johns Hopkins University </p>
<p>Good Matches, Very respectable programmes, reasonably selective
- George Washington University
- Macalester College
- American University</p>
<p>Excellent schools abroad for IR/IS/Social Sciences/Humanities:
- London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE)
- La Sorbonne (please excuse me, I do not remember the exact # of the school in the l'Ecole Paris set, i.e. L'Ecole 4 Poli Sci)
- I've been told that McGill, although relatively easy to get into, has a very good IR/IS programme. </p>
<ul>
<li>William and Mary has a truly excellent IR/IS programme (it's in the middle of history-central, for goodness sake!). The College is also extremely difficult to get into. They are easily in the "Best" category, although their programme is smaller and as such probably not as well known to laypeople as the other "Best" schools. </li>
</ul>
<p>I do hope this helped - Feel free to ask me if you have any other questions :)</p>
<p>I'm well aware of the top IR schools in the counrty, but I'm unsure of top IS programs. Does anyone have a list or know of the top IS schools? Also, how does one become a foreign affairs official? Is graduate school common/necessary? I am highly interested in this field, so any insight is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Well, as I carefully explained above, IR and IS are virtually identical, and as such, the best IR/IS schools/programmes are listed above. Depending on your possible career path, a Grad degree may be necessary. If you're going into Foreign Service, an MA is not neccessary, but always helpful. In business, law, medicine, et it is considered "de rigeur" -- almost mandatory if you want to gain a very good job. The best IR/IS schools/programmes will give you that opportunity.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great info. I have been thinking about the responses and have looked further into my situation. All of the top IR programs would be reaches for me. There are quite a few world-reknown Political Science departments in my geographic range of colleges, a few being reach-matches for me. I was wondering if it would be more advantageous to study Political Science for undergraduate to gain a stable foundation since Political Science programs are much more prevalent and then move into IR for graduate studies?</p>
<p>Anyone today?</p>
<p>Other than working in the US foreign service, what other job oppourtunities await an IR/IS Major? Are average starting salarries comperable to say those offered to business majors?</p>
<p>Anyone have any comments on the Politcal Science major idea?</p>
<p>You could certainly do that, as many people do, but don't think that you can't get into a "good" IR program. There are a number of them around the country that admit 50%+ of their applicants, and you will get a strong foundation of IR at all of them. Syracuse, UCSD, University of Denver (Condi Rice's school), American, and University of Washington come to mind immediately. And of course this goes without saying, but only major in poly sci if you serious about it. Don't just view it as a stepping stone to IR grad school; although domestic and international politics compliment each other well, they are different things. </p>
<p>I feel its important to emphasize the differences between IR and IS programs though, because they are different programs; and thinking that they are interchangeable is incorrect. Most schools across the country offer some sort of IS or Global Studies program, but they don't necessarily equip you with the same tools that IR does. IR will give you the framework and foundation to interpret the world as a whole, while IS will give you a very focused perspective on a given region. What is essentially cultural studies will be viewed very differently than an IR degree which gives you a foundation in international economics, world trade, and diplomacy.</p>
<p>As far as employment opportunities, many IR majors go to law or med school; giving them an international background to work overseas and concentrate in intl law etc.. Others become intel analysts, embassy personel, NGO/humanitarian workers, or international business consultants. There really is a variety of options, and coupling an IR degree with a profession isn't terribly difficult, especially in today's globalized age.</p>