<p>what would be a better pathway to work for ngo/government/private sector? </p>
<p>a masters in international affairs/relations </p>
<p>or a </p>
<p>JD with focus on International Law</p>
<p>Obtain a JD if you plan on actually practicing law (and taking/passing the bar). If you’re interested in purely international relations, get a MA in that.</p>
<p>will firms choose the JD in international law over the MA in IR? </p>
<p>or will the fact that paying the MA less be an incentive to hire?</p>
<p>What firms? These kinds of questions really puzzle me because while IR is very interdisciplinary, MAs in IR are not interchangeable with JDs or MBAs, contrary to popular belief. They’re vastly different programs, and while there may be some overlap, they’re not different pathways to the exact same jobs. If you want to do both, go for a joint program.</p>
<p>It really depends on where you want to work, and what specifically you want to do in the field. I would explore exactly what you want to do, and this will help you find the answer to your question.</p>
<p>This isn’t the 1940’s anymore where everyone in management posotions in the government had law degrees.</p>
<p>If you want to practice law, get a JD.</p>
<p>If you want to do IR, study IR.</p>
<p>what business type career paths are available to IR grads? assuming one doesn’t want to or can’t work for the government?</p>
<p>take it from somebody who has been through a few clearance checks, they are not easy hurdles to clear. i have been through a few secret checks and they took about nine months to clear. if a top secret is required, count on waiting 9-15 months, and then they may or may not come back to clarify something you answered. ultimate clearance time may take 18 months and some can’t wait that long to get their careers on track.</p>
<p>rcoll, if you focus on econ there’s probably a lot of private sector crossover there.</p>
<p>even without an undergrad in econ? i’m really at a crossroads. i’m active duty military and ready to get a master’s degree. my choices are limited to MA IR, MS operations management, and a no name, but accredited MBA. the IR degree intrigues me, but i worry about employment prospects.</p>
<p>Rcoll, your military background gives you a wealth of options (defense contracting comes to mind, and the pay is pretty sweet). I’d suggest going for the degree you’re most interested in, as you’d be miserable otherwise, but your background coupled with an IR degree would open quite a few doors many others would have trouble getting open. Good luck!</p>
<p>As someone who works for a government agency, and whose supervisor has a JD,I’ll put in my two cents. She says its not necessary (unless you work as a legal advisor) if you’re going to be doing IR work, and it even may be counterproductive, as you maybe viewed as overqualified and prone to leaving for bigger things, and you might not get hired. MAs are generally considered de rigeur in some of the international relations agencies, however. PhDs–perhaps, and it depends where you are.</p>
<p>Not sure if this is an option for you financially or academically, but a ton of schools offer joint/dual-degree JD/MAIR programs now. Most programs are 4 years or less for the whole shebang. Having a JD, if you have any interest in law, opens you up to more job opportunities. Such as, if you’re interested in human rights work with children in third-world countries, but don’t get hired by UNICEF, you can work for a child advocacy group within the U.S.</p>