<p>I'm an undergrad trying to figure out the next step - I'd like to go into the academia or work for the govt. </p>
<p>I'd like to get a PhD in IR or a related polisci field. Do people usually go straight from undergrad to a PhD program, or do they take years off to accrue work experience?</p>
<p>What do the admissions at the PhD programs consider when evaluating? GRE, UGPA, work experience? Is volunteering important?</p>
<p>Do the same schools with strong MA IR programs generally have strong PhD IR prgs as well?</p>
<p>I know, a lot of questions, but any response would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>Its hard to answer your questions without knowing what it is that you want to do with a PhD. Basically, there are two very different types of PhD's in IR. The first is an academic degree, designed primarily for those who intend to pursue a career in teaching and/or research. These typically are offered by political science departments of research universities, because international relations is a subfield of political science. The best programs are usually fully funded (meaning a tuition waiver plus living stipend), in return for which the graduate student usually is required to to be a teaching or reseach assistant. The better programs are very selective, and most applicants already have a masters degree in a related field. Most applicants also have work experience. These degrees frequently take 5 to 7 years to complete. The best programs (Harvard, MIT, Princeton, etc) require very high GPA's, high GRE's, and spectacular recommendations. Work experience and publications are a plus, but not necessarily required. </p>
<p>The other type is a professional PhD--offered by graduate school of international studies such as SAIS, Fletcher, SFS etc. Typically, these are small programs limited to those who already have a masters degree from that school or a comparable professional school. These degrees are designed for professional needs (think tanks, government, etc), are usually easier to obtain than academic degrees (1-2 years post masters), and tend to carry less panache than the best academic PhD's. Also, it is quite rare to get university funding for these degrees (although if you work for the government, it often pays for them). Almost all applicants for these type of degrees have considerable related work experience.</p>
<p>Some Universities offer both types of PhD's. Johns Hopkins, as an example, has PhD programs through SAIS and through its Political Science Department in the Arts and Sciences school.</p>