<p>Georgetown, Tufts, Johns Hopkins are all well known for International Studies and have graduated many future diplomats. Most of the ivy league would also fall into that category. Middlebury is especially well known for language but less so for IR. Just the reverse for Macalester.</p>
<p>I think most universities and LACs have responded to the globalisation by beefing up their international programs, so it's hard not to find strength at all top schools. I'd suggest that you pick the schools that appeal to you for other reasons -- size, location, politics, ambience -- and worry less about the majors. If the academics are good, you'll find a reasonably good international focus. (Though if you're looking for an "off the beaten path" language you may have to be more selective.)</p>
<p>McGill University (in Montreal) draws many international students and has a great international reputation. It's especially appealing if you are interested in learning French. But they don't have an international relations/studies major; they have international development, which focuses on developing countries. They do have IR as a minor. Plus, it's Canada. You can't beat that.</p>
<p>Obviously, Georgetown, Tufts, Harvard, etc have excellent programs in this area.</p>
<p>However, Macalester, Middlebury, and Bard are also extremely strong. I looked at a lot of LACs with strong international studies programs and ended up giving the nod to Macalester, where i'll be this fall majoring in international studies and Russian, most likely.</p>
<p>moocow961, I have a friend who's heading into her sophomore year as a Russian/international studies major at Macalester! She's actually in Russia right now on an exchange program having the time of her life. Great pick. :)</p>
<p>add haverford into the list too. haverford has an extensive language program.. chinese, Italian, Japanese, French, french studies, Romance Language, german, german studies, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Hebrew & Judaic Studies, and Iberian Studies.</p>
<p>psst. . .interesteddad. . .nice drive-by on the previous page. Too bad that whole pitch is old, tired and discredited. </p>
<p>I'd get on to more contemporary matters, like figuring out whether Ahmad Chalabi, Karl Rove or John Bolton is most deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize.</p>
<p>i echo the sentiments about macalester. it truly has an international student body -- more genuinely diverse than any other college my s. looked at. And there really seems to be a kind of global sensibility about the place. A very impressive college, though prob. a tough place to be in February.</p>
<p>Among the Ivies, Dartmouth and Brown are known for their study abroad programs, Columbia too. Most Ivies have a pretty high international population. Harvard only recently started encouraging students to go abroad.</p>
<p>You guys are forgetting the west coast! Pitzer and Lewis and Clark, while neither is top notch academically, both have incredibly strong international focuses. More than 60% of the students at both schools go overseas as an exchange student for at least a semester.</p>
<p>Drawingdot, good information. However, this quote isn't entirely true:</p>
<p>"Macalester's...distance from centers of American culture make it hard for it to claim that it is internationally focused when its far from where things are happening. You cant take the bus downtown and see all members of the congress or the president on ANY given day, or go outside and talk with the business leaders of the world in the midst of 8 million diverse people. "</p>
<p>Macalester is not in the nation's capital, no, but it is in the capital of Minnesota. A good amount of students intern with senators/representatives of Mn. Macalester's location isn't really a hinderance, other than the fact that isn't on the east coast...The campus is located in an upscale urban area of the twin cities, very close to both Minneapolis and St. paul, with lots of little ecclectic cafes and shops. Its not DC, but its not in the middle of nowhere, either.</p>
<p>Many of the schools being mentioned are obviously excellent, but you've said most would probably be reaches. And, as all posters on CC know, ALL Ivies are reaches for virtually everyone. Several people have mentioned Dickinson College. Good programs, tons of study abroad, and "reachable" for most decent students. Check it out.</p>
<p>University of Pennsylvania:
-One of the largest international student populations (by %) in the country
-Outstanding foreign language programs (over 100 languages are offered - and if some obscure one that you want isn't offered they'll hire someone to teach you)
-International & Area Studies programs are also amazing (International Studies, Asian, Latin American, etc.)
- Specialized internationally focused program in business (huntsman), as well as a large intl emphasis in other business programs (international finance, multinational corporate management,etc.)
- Awesome Intl. Relations department </p>
<p>Penn along with Macalester, Middlebury, Gtown, Tufts, JHU are considered some of the best schools in the things that you are looking for.</p>