<p>so i'm facing a bit of a quandry and was hoping people on this board could help me. i have offers w/ funding from some top 25 IR PhD programs (all just offered me funding - which means some of their funded students declined on the 15th). the programs are solid, but definitely in the twenties in terms of rank. i also may have a job opportunity materializing at a top 25 school - the work wouldn't be that applicable, but i could take grad classes for free - i have minimal IR and quant methods coursework up to this point. if i take the job, i can add a few of these classes to my transcript, probably get a research paper as a writing sample from a final project in one of them, maybe an additional LOR, and reapply, strengthening my application significantly, hopefully enough to get into a top 10-15 department. on the other hand, getting a fully-funded offer from a top 25 PhD program in IR is nothing to sneeze at, considering how competitive these programs are. basically, i see the benefits of both sides here. thoughts?</p>
<p>I really don't see much that a Top 10 IR program could offer you that a Top 20 program couldn't, beyond better networking opportunities. I think it would be foolish to turn down full dunging at a Top 20 insititution, especially in a field such as IR where you won't necessarily be making alot of money straight out of grad school. As I have always said, try to balance expenditures with quality--don't go somewhere you hate even if it is free, but don't blow 60K a year on an IR degree, only to find out that you wont be able to work in IR upon graduation because you have too much debt.</p>
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I think it would be foolish to turn down full dunging at a Top 20 insititution,
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<p>I'm sorry, I just have to point out this great typo. Gotta love how missing one letter can make a sentence really funny. :p</p>
<p>Anyway, fp06, I think you should take one of the offers. If something really important comes up about your current program, there are opportunities (albeit rare ones) to transfer. Congrats!</p>
<p>Don't know if its feasible (but some programs do this) - but you could pick up the masters part (if they give you the masters) and use that as a platform to apply to other Ph.D programs. </p>
<p>You'd then have the advantages you describe (coursework, projects etc.) and they'd probably recognise a lot of credit towards the new Ph.D from your masters.</p>
<p>I know this is a little bit devious tho ;).</p>
<p>I do however concur that there will be little difference between top 20 and top 10 and thus its not really worth it in that respect.</p>
<p>Hahaha! Nice pickup, UCLA.</p>
<p>My favorite typo, and one that happens all the time due to the placement of the keys on the keyboard is when you are IMing someone and type "wait a sec" but hit the "x" insted of the "c." Always fun to explain that one.</p>
<p>To add to what Uncle and UCLA said in regards to fp's original question, I also thing that, within IR and Poli Sci, there isn't the smae type of immediately apparent differences in post-graduate employment between Top 10 and Top 20-30 programs than there is in MBA's and Law Schools, for instance, where Top 10 schools will get you places other schools just can't.</p>
<p>i was actually under the complete opposite assumption, that w/ PhD's in IR, there is a huge difference (in terms of academic placement) in going to a department ranked in the mid-to-low-twenties versus one in the top 10-15. in fact, the latter is what i've been repeatedly told, hence the reason i was considering deferring and taking some coursework for free instead.</p>
<p>fp06,</p>
<p>Well, there is definitely SOME benefit to a higher ranked program. But a lot will depend on the work you produce in the program and what you want to do afterwards. If you're not looking at working for Harvard afterward, I wouldn't really worry about it that much. See if maybe one of your programs will let you defer.</p>
<p>harvard isn't necessarily the goal - though, what the hell, if they offered me a teaching gig, i'd probably accept. :)
but i would like to teach in top 25 departments. better resources, more aspiring students to teach, etc. that's what i'm trying to figure out...if i really do well, publish, etc., is that attainable from going to schools ranked in the lower part of the top 25/30? i imagine it's quite hard, even if you get a top post-doc fellowship after your PhD.</p>
<p>Look up Matthew Shugart. He got his PhD from UCI (under Arend Lijphart) and is now here at UCSD.</p>
<p>UCI is by no means a top poli sci dept., even under Lijphart.</p>
<p>UCLAri has brought up this particular individual a few times, and I am always pleased when he does. The point that is worth making is that, although graduating from Harvard or Princeton with your Poli Sci PhD will open up some great opportunities for you, an academic career is like any other career--your education might get your foot in the door some places, but once you are there, you have to deliver results. The measure of an academic isn't just where he graduated from, but what type of wok he is doing after his PhD. There are numerous examples of people graduating from mediocre departments who have excellent academic careers, as well as those who graduated from top programs who are stagnating in academia.</p>
<p>I only use Shugart because he's the most immediate person on my mind. I'd also look at Gary Cox (Caltech grad who's now one of the only political scientists in the National Academy), Hans Morgenthau (got his degree at a good German school, but not one that would get note on this site!), Alexander Wendt got his PhD during Minnesota's renaissance, but still...</p>
<p>Tons of really great scholars came from relatively "unknown" programs.</p>
<p>all good points...and let me say i'm not one who is blinded by name-brand institutions. but a point another poster or two has brought up on this board before is training...basically intimating that folks who go to the top 10-15 depts tend to be better trained than those at depts ranking 20-30 or so. that is one of my main concerns...well, besides basic institution bias, which i'm sure will be an issue (though possibly overcome if one is well-trained, enabling one to deliver results).</p>
<p>Besides thinking about rank, take a good look at the faculty members. You will spend a lot of time with an advisor and dissertation committee and faculty offering courses. A grad program can be ranked a bit lower while having the top people in a particular field, say Chinese politics or arms control. Those are the folks who are going to advise you in your projects, mentor you, write you letters of recommendation and, eventually, help you get a job.</p>
<p>For those of you who know about IR programs, how is the M.A. program in International Affairs at American University School of International Service? I applied on a whim and got accepted. I didn't expect it because I have no prior coursework in international affairs-related subjects, I was a film major and stuck to the humanities. I've been wanting to get into IR. I had been planning on taking an extra year + summer of UG political science courses (plus econ) and then reapplying for Fall 2008 to SIPA, possibly SAIS, KSG, Fletcher or Gtown. </p>
<p>But this American U acceptance has thrown a wrench into my plans. I am tempted to go there, because I could start grad school this fall, and maybe transfer into SIPA (#1 choice) instead of taking UG classes. I know my credits might not transfer, but my UG ones wouldn't either. And I would be able to prove myself through graduate courses instead of UG courses. </p>
<p>I want to be in a program that will prepare me for PhD work in the future. Will American University do that, or am I better off at a higher ranked school? Could I even get into a higher ranked school? At this point my UG GPA is 3.56, honors program, and I will most likely graduate with distinction. My GREs are low-600 quant, high-600 verbal, and 5.5 writing. I speak 4 languages (2 fluent, 2 intermediate), I have lived, traveled and worked in my fair share of countries (~15), so I have international experience to back up an interest in international affairs. </p>
<p>I have to decide within the next 2 weeks. Go to American, or take more UG courses? Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Rory123,</p>
<p>American is definitely one of the top 10 or so programs, so I wouldn't worry about its quality. Transferring, however, is almost never done. In fact, I don't think I've ever met anyone who's even tried to do it (Incredulous may...)</p>
<p>Why do you want a PhD? </p>
<p>As for your GRE, it's pretty good, but top 5 programs are usually looking for somewhat higher in the quant section.</p>
<p>I want to teach/do research at the university level. My research interests are in media/politics/IR, but I feel like I need more formal training in the latter 2....</p>
<p>Rory,</p>
<p>American is legit. There is no point in reapplying to Fletcher or SAIS if you are already accepted to American, unless you think you will get a big time cash break on tuition from any of thos institutions. American is definately Top 10, and it is in DC, so you will have networking opportunities left and right. Are you the poster that is from Con U? If you are, go tear it up at American, become crazy rich than give back to Concordia and they will build a wing with your name on it! That's one of the benefits of going to a young school! Hahaha!</p>
<p>momfromme...the depts i've gotten into have good faculty in the areas i want to work on...but they aren't the top people in the field. on the other hand, there definitely are programs out there that do, and i'm wondering if i could be competitive for them w/ some additional grad coursework. that's one of the major reasons i'm still considering my options. when i talk about rank, i'm not really referring to US news rankings...i'm thinking about academic placement and top faculty doing research in my areas of interest.</p>