<p>I know Columbia has a graduate school for international relations, but for undergraduates it doesn't seem to offer much. I've seen some user's lists that say Columbia as a good IR school, but it doesn't even offer a minor. It's study abroad options are limited, and even though it has a very good reputation, it just doesn't seem like a good option for this field. Can someone please prove me wrong...maybe I'm missing something.</p>
<p>As far as I can tell you are right. Their graduate school is excellent from what I hear, though. Do they allow you to take classes in that school as an undergraduate? Otherwise consider a regional study program in undergrad and apply to Columbia for grad. If not, many undergrad institutions (Tufts comes to mind) offer great IR programs.</p>
<p>There's a 5 year program available at Columbia that can get you an M.I.A.</p>
<p>But no, there is no IR major. If you want to go IR I would say Georgetown unless you want to save IR for graduate school.</p>
<p>I don't think anyone will be dissapointed when you say you graduated from Columbia, even if you majored in Elvish Literature and minored in Stapler Studies.</p>
<p>Just choose the IR [url=<a href="http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/undergrad/main/requirements/index.html%5Dsubfield%5B/url">http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/undergrad/main/requirements/index.html]subfield[/url</a>] and you'll be golden.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help... choosing a subfield doesn't sound like a good idea if you want to be rounded out in political science. If you only chose the international relations subfield there wouldnt be much room to take other poli sci courses.</p>
<p>dolphins,</p>
<p>Everyone chooses a subfield at every school.</p>
<p>And really, you still manage to be pretty well-rounded.</p>
<p>Yeah, Columbia's great IR graduate school will reflect in their undergraduate offerings, even if it's not specifically and IR major. If you want to MAJOR in IR undergrad, Georgetown or Tufts would be your best bet. But really, I wouldn't worry about it.</p>
<p>if you really like columbia, id defenitly say major in poli science because of the core requirement in the major where you could pick IR. part of the reason why columbia is held in high esteem for IR is that it's got a great language department which is very important in the field.</p>
<p>also, yes, you are allowed to take classes at SIPA as an undergrad but ill warn you there's a bit of work to do it with all the extra registration materials. </p>
<p>but the UN's just around the corner, and frankly if you get an internship there i'd say you're def set!</p>
<p>Is Columbia bad for I.R.?</p>
<p>What rot!!! Of course not.</p>
<p>The undergraduate experience in international studies, while not identical to the graduatge program, can be outstanding. I am talking about the preparation you would receive from various undergraduate courses in History, political science, anthropology etc. There aren't too many places where you'll sit in a History classroom taught by a professor visiting from Havana, or who has contacts in the legislature of Japan or in Berlin or Zimbabwe.</p>
<p>To be clear, you can't get an internship at the UN as an undergraduate. Nevertheless, there are many other options for someone looking to intern in the IR field in New York, obviously.</p>