<p>not trying to hijack the thread but a quick question..im a senior in high school and I am considering majoring in IR but I have no clue what kind of jobs I can expect from this field...I know there are jobs like ambassadors and such but I bet the competetion for those top level jobs are fierce...so what kind of jobs can a college grad expect to get? is the competetion in the IR department fierce...b/c unlike a doctor or a lawyer which is needed all over the US, IR seems to be valuable in big cities on the east & west coast only...I'd really appreciate if someone could clarify IR for me. Thanks.</p>
<p>There are many public sector jobs but also private sector ones. For instance, I currently intern at a think tank where I research, edit, and write policy papers on everything from FEMA to geopolitics in Central Asia. I just love it! But to continue on this path I need a master's which is why I will be going to grad school next year and I will probably eventually need a Ph.D. I think many IR jobs require graduate degrees and public sector jobs usually require passing an exam.</p>
<p>Maybe I wasn't very clear. I'm not "upset," just looking for information. I read very varying opinions on another IR thread regarding the value of different school's programs and reputations, and I don't know how to proceed. </p>
<p>Is there someone out there who can tell me how much relevant experience (i.e. majoring in political science or moving to France or volunteering for an NGO) can influence admissions to IR masters programs? And do top IR programs seriously consider re-applications?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>mogibbs13,</p>
<p>Work experience is really good to have for most of the top IR programs. All of the people I talked to said that 3 years seems to be about the median for most admits to the top 5-10 programs. Work experience can be the difference between being "average" (good grades and good GRE only) and being exceptional. </p>
<p>I think that having a poli sci major helps, but it's not everything. Any of the top programs are going to accept a well-rounded econ BA over a lackluster poli sci BA anyday. </p>
<p>But if American is offering you good funding, I'd take it. That's just me, though.</p>
<p>I have a question about work experience for an IR masters. I'm hoping someone has some insight personally or from talking to professors about how military service is seen in the review process.</p>
<p>I graduated from college about 6 years ago as a Latin major with a 3.1GPA. I know, I know. Anyway, while in undergrad and since then, I worked as a professional designer and on the stock market, then enlisted in the Army. Without revealing too much, I learned Arabic in school and deployed to Iraq as an analyst involved in special operations.</p>
<p>I just took the GRE and got a 700V/670Q.</p>
<p>I'm unsure how this sort of information would be considered by reviewers. Personally I consider it a unique background, including direct foreign policy experience to put it lightly. I have a stellar statement of purpose prepared. My recommendations will be different than the norm as I'm lacking in undergrad references at this point.</p>
<p>Right now I'm planning to apply to Fletcher, Carleton, McGill, UTexas, and maybe Columbia.</p>
<p>Thoughts, please? Thank you for your time.</p>
<p>Volscio,</p>
<p>The longer you're out of school, the less your grades and the more your professional achievements matter. I'd say that you'd have a good shot at several of the top ten to fifteen programs as long as you trump up your very good professional experience. I'd also consider GTown and other DC based programs, by the way.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response, UCLAri!</p>
<p>Georgetown was actually my dream pick when I was considering trying for foreign service... But to be honest I want to avoid government work now. I still think its available courses look the most interesting to me so maybe I'll give it a shot!</p>
<p>I'd really recommend any of the top 10 programs to you, as long as you're willing to put in the work on the apps. </p>
<p>Are you particularly wedded to the Middle East?</p>
<p>Wow, well maybe I should gun for better schools then... Thank you for the optimism!</p>
<p>Really it comes down to what emphasis the school puts on having a variety of interesting topics for its courses each semester, for me. In your other posts you've differentiated between academic and policy schools, and I'm definitely more interested in policy schools. Also, I've noticed some schools have a limited selection because their programs aren't well-developed.</p>
<p>I'm not wedded to MENA at all although I'm rather familiar with it. I think the areas I would want to focus on in my studies would be China (from a business point of view) and Africa (for NGO studies).</p>
<p>Programs that are particularly strong in China and Northeast Asia include:</p>
<p>JHU- SAIS
UCSD IR/PS
Columbia SIPA
Georgetown
Monterey
Harvard KSG</p>
<p>Africa isn't my area, but I'd say any of the top 10 programs, UCSD excluded, would be good. Also check out Denver, American, and George Washington. </p>
<p>I think what I want you to carry away from my posts, more than anything, is that you have a good shot at a top program. Though your GPA is certainly not going to be your strongest point, your various experiences and good GRE will more than make up for it. Make your essays convincing (and flawless), and get some good letters (a professional letter, maybe from a CO, will be important).</p>
<p>Thank you very much for the advice and support, UCLAri! Georgetown and JHU look like good fits for me.</p>
<p>Hmm, any more opinions on the matter?</p>
<p>what are some jobs that can be described as "good work experience" for a master's in IR? </p>
<p>besides peace corps and teaching english overseas, i know those are two options.</p>
<p>kfc4u, well if you can get an internship or job at a think tank or NGO that would be good work experience. But beware usually to get a paid job (more than a small stipend and many internships don't pay at all) is very difficult with only a B.A., in my experience at least. I have been interning at the think tank, upaid, for nearly a year now, it has been an amazing experience and I think that the recommendation my boss wrote me is what got me into my grad program. But for SAIS or SIPA usually several years of experience is desirable.</p>
<p>Internships are a great start.</p>
<p>I know one guy at IR/PS who worked for an NGO in the Bay Area doing...something "Japanesey." At any rate, I guess it was enough!</p>
<p>But don't expect much in the way of bucks with just your bachelor's.</p>
<p>I just discovered this website today. I'm a Pakistani student with an undergraduate degree in economics and a GPA of 3.65. My GRE scores are good, 800Q and 720V. I've decided to switch over into a more IR/international economics stream, and have recently started researching places to apply. I was pleasantly surprised to see the admission percentages of SAIS, SIPS and Fletcher, they all take in over 20%. I have no work experience, but at present am studying in Italy for a year to do a Masters in Economics of Energy and Environment (I'll start in Fall 06 that is). I am fluent in English and my native tongue Urdu, and by the end of this masters should also be fluent in Italian. I also know some French. However, the problem is that I have no work experience, save a short internship at an oil multinational. I needed some advice on the chances of my getting into a top-tier program - since I had figured that with my good scores and language background I'd be able to overcome my lack of work experience and relatively weak recommendations. Could someone help me out here please? Thanks a lot.</p>
<p>ECMilan, for SAIS, SIPA, etc. you probably really do need work experience, my impression, and why I didn't apply to those schools myself, is that they rarely take people right out of school who haven't worked for a few years first. However, you do have a grad degree so that may change the equation a little. Also, why will will your recommendations be weak? Recs can have an influence on admissions decisions. What degree are you applying for? a Ph.D?</p>
<p>ECMilian,</p>
<p>For an MA you'd still probably need some work experience.</p>
<p>For a PhD, you'd be in great shape.</p>
<p>first of all, thanks for the advice josephine and UCLAri.</p>
<p>josephine, my recommendations are weak because in undergrad i have mostly A-s, and most of my professors dont know me very well, even the ones with whom I have As. In my postgrad degree, since its starting in September, I doubt many of the instructors would be willing to give me recommendations, since most of the grades wouldnt even be in at the time of my dispatching the applications. On that topic, which would you recommend, taking more recommendations from undergrad professors, or trying to get to know the new ones well enough to get all my recommendations from them? Because after having gone through the applications process once last year i've been regretting not knowing the importance of getting along with your professors, and i plan to rectify that in this grad degree..</p>
<p>UCLAri,
it sounds like an anomaly, PhD better than MA :) But the problem is that I'm not sure if I want to do an PhD, and in no way do I know what area I want to specialize in. That would automatically make me a weaker candidate for a PhD..
Also, if i DO work before a second masters, would any field do or would it be best to work in a policy-related field in order to get admission into a policy program later on? Thanks..</p>
<p>ECMilan: Be aware that the best recommendations are not always from the profs who gave you the best grades. Since it already says on your transcript that you got an A in a class, a rec saying "[student] did very well in my class" does pretty much nothing to help you. If you've taken some classes that especially interested you, or where you do know the profs well, ask those profs, and provide them with a packet of information about you so that they have a better idea of what they're talking about when they write recs.</p>