<p>There isn't a whole lot on this field on the rest of the internet. Does anyone know the best undergrad departments? Or, is it just the same as poli sci?</p>
<p>Tufts is considered the best in the country I believe. then other good ones I know are chicago, cornell, and any top school I'm assuming.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if it equates to a great international relations program, but I do know Macalester is an amazing liberal arts school with a huge global emphasis</p>
<p>Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs</p>
<p>Oh duh I forgot Georgetown school of foreign service as well. Good alumni :)</p>
<p>Most places that don't have an International Relations major will offer a concentration within the Political Science department on international relations.</p>
<p>Anferny, International Relations is a large and multi-faceted field. Most people who aspire to become career diplomats hold advanced degrees in the field. Their undergraduate experiences are variable. </p>
<p>There are quite a few undergraduate choices for IR. Some of the best known programs are Tufts, Johns Hopkins and Georgetown, but really you any academically rigorous school -- university or liberal arts college -- would qualify you for admissions to a top graduate program.</p>
<p>My advice would be to pick the college by fit -- size, location, teaching style, personality, ambience -- and don't worry too much about the majors available. </p>
<p>The prerequisites for getting into a good graduate program are basically good grades in a related major (could be IR, could be polysci, could be history, could be American studies), good recommendations, good interships and a highly developed sense of global awareness. Language skills are also helpful.</p>
<p>Your question asked about "International Relations" but I question if that is what you really mean. International Relations is a subfield of political science that deals with the political interactions of soverign states and issues of international organization. "International Studies" (which is what I suspect you are really interested in) is an interdisciplinary area of study which combines international relations, economics, and area studies (including language study) and is designed to train people for careers in foreign service, international business, banking, etc. Your confusion (if I am correct) is understandable because some programs/students inaccurate refer international studies as "international relations." some also refer to it as Global Studies. </p>
<p>I make the distinction because the answer to your question depends on it. The most highly regarded programs in international studies are at Johns Hopkins, Tufts, Georgetown, Princeton and Columbia. George Washington U and American U also have strong programs although, IMHO, not as strong as the others I mentioned. These schools, in addition to undergraduate programs, also have strong professional masters degree programs--SAIS at Hopkins, Walsh School at Georgetown, Fletcher School at Tufts, Woodrow Wilson at Princeton, etc. </p>
<p>If I am wrong and it really is IR (the poli sci subfield) that you are interested in--the list would include the aforementioned schools plus a whole lot more--basically every top poli sci school would be included.</p>
<p>Bonanza's right - the top schools are Princeton, Columbia, JHU, Tufts, Georgetown, though not necessarily in that order.</p>
<p>Georgetown, and what the others said.</p>
<p>Also, American and George Washington are great as well. While not so selective, they should not be discounted.</p>
<p>Claremont McKenna College has the best IR department for LACs.</p>
<p>Thanks guys,
This has been a big help.
I'm definitely looking into Tufts, Georgetown, George Washington, American, and some Ivies.</p>
<p>University of Rochester has a new IR program. </p>
<p>U Penn has IR.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins...</p>
<p>IR is a very popular major at USC USC</a> School of International Relations
There is also a joint degree program between IR and Business Administration.</p>