<p>I graduated in May from Miami University with a bachelors degree in International Studies and Spanish. I speak Spanish fluently. I graduated with a 3.6 GPA and I studied abroad for 6 months living with a Chilean family, speaking spanish everyday for those months. I have done some volunteer work but I do not have any professional experience. I am about to take the GRE and I think I will do well. I got a 151 on the LSAT. What are the chances that I will get into a program like Monterey Institute?</p>
<p>I have to say that I think this is likely one of the most interesting threads I’ve read yet. Having only done as much research as brand names schools offer on their flashy websites I’m not convinced that there’s a huge amount of different between the top schools. From what I’ve observed in my (very) short career in IR experience is by far the most important factor in the end result: getting a job. Having interned at State and now working with a big international org. I will confess that you see a recurring theme in the bios of the top management and policy officers (brand name education and/or bottom-to-top experience with NGOs, national governments, etc.) BUT (caps in lieu of italics) that isn’t the only path.</p>
<p>First things first: you can’t beat the location of schools in the D.C. area and the fact that experience abounds (think-tanks, NGOs, lobbying, government internships), and to a lesser degree in New York and Boston. The biggest flaw in a great majority of these programs becomes the cost (a factor that I think doesn’t get nearly enough attention). I personally have no interest in $50-80k in debt for tuition plus cost of living in some of the country’s most expensive cities (a fact that kept me to a “public ivy” for my undergrad and no debt), and terminal M.A.s seem to attract next to no financial support. I suppose in the end it’s a gamble similar to law and medical school: invest some now to bring in more later.</p>
<p>I expect to be a net asker on this thread, but my one contribution to the advice is to take at least 1-2 years after undergrad to get experience, preferably abroad with a foreign language in the field of your interest, but if you are a page for your state senate you at least have something to list on your application.</p>
<p>Dream program: SIPA/Sorbonne dual</p>
<p>How do the job prospects for IR grads (both publib and private sectors) differ or compare with MPA grads? Both are terminal masters, but does one havean advantage for certain types of work?</p>
<p>MPA is more of the MBA of the political/public finance world. A terminal MA in International Relations from a TOP school is just as good but not as highly regarded from my understanding. I guess its the difference between an MBA an terminal MA in Management.</p>
<p>I was wondering if it was worth going to a non-top ranked program at all? Say like a Cal State or USC? Will those require applicable job experience and once again, is it worth it at all? </p>
<p>I just recently graduated and have been working kind of as a legal assistant. I would like to get a Masters in IR, but after reading this I'm not sure whether to wait.</p>
<p>How is USC's program?</p>
<p>There is a large difference between public admin/policy and international relations. A terminal MA in IR isn't less "highly regarded".</p>
<p>If you study PA, you'll have better chances applying for PA jobs. If you study IR, the same for IR.</p>
<p>Stop overthinking this.</p>
<p>I should add: study what you freaking like, not what you think employers want! If you don't like it, you shouldn't go to school, let alone go into massive debt for it.</p>
<p>Admissions for international students.</p>
<p>Hello,
I was wondering if anyone of you could tell me what you think would be my chances of getting admitted to one of these prestigious universities for graduate studies in IR considering that I'm an international student. </p>
<p>I'm a little bit worried about my GRE score (Q610, V550). I suppose they take into consideration the fact that I'm not a native English speaker but still I'm not sure if I should retake the test and try to get a better score. </p>
<p>I studied IR at a good university here in Mexico (altough not one of the traditional ones in the IR field) and got good grades (highest GPA of my class). And I think I've had a good deal of international experience so far: two exchanges abroad (SciencesPo and UBC) and already more than a year working at an important embassy in Mexico. My English TOEFL score is above the required by these programs and I'm also fluent in French, and I'm starting to learn Russian. </p>
<p>So I wonder what do you think about the GRE part, should I retake it?</p>
<p>And on another note... I'm interested in SAIS, Fletcher, Stanford, but what do you think about Carleton University (NPSIA) in Ottawa? I've heard good things about it. What's your opinion?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>So I am currently going to A&M University in Texas, and I want to go to graduate school for International Relations/Affairs... I'm currently a year ahead in school and am a Junior. I want to go to a TOP graduate school for International Relations/Affairs but don't really know where to start and how it all works... I would rather go out of the country but can't find much information about colleges overseas that are as prestigious as some here. </p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone could help me or point me in a direction to go to find out what I need to do and what scores and experiences are needed to get into these types of programs.</p>
<p>Any advice would be greatly appriciated!</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>stephg,</p>
<p>In answer to "where to start", I'd definitely answer with "At least a few years of related work experience."</p>
<p>But then again, it also depends on your career goals, which should be very clear and well thought out before attempting to enter such a program. Are you planning to pursue a PhD and go into academia? Along those lines, does research/think tank work interest you? If that's the case, then maybe the work experience isn't quite so important, but if you're going to a top school straight out of undergrad, then your test scores and GPA should be darn near perfect. (By "top", I'm assuming you mean places like Harvard KSG, Columbia-SIPA, Georgetown, Tufts-Fletcher, Johns Hopkins SAIS, Yale, etc.</p>
<p>If you're not planning to go the purely academic route after your degree, then work experience is absolutely essential to your application at these schools, even moreso than the most awesome of test scores and GPAs.</p>
<p>A little more info about your area of interest might help me and other posters to give you a good starting point. What aspect of International Relations interests you, in terms of career goals? Security issues? Conflict resolution? Human rights? International development (and the many sub-categories of this)? International NGOs? Are you interested in working for the Foreign Service? CIA?...list goes on...lots of opportunities out there.</p>
<p>You also asked about overseas schools, which I'm not as familiar with. But I have heard that LSE has a good program for an MA in Int'l Relations. But is it really just the degree you want to do overseas? Maybe overseas work experience would be better for you career-wise (and then come back to the U.S. to do your Master's in IR).</p>
<p>Volscio, you said: </p>
<p>
[quote]
If you study PA, you'll have better chances applying for PA jobs. If you study IR, the same for IR.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's my doubt. </p>
<p>1) What is the difference between PA work and IR? Don't most of the organizations recruiting at IR schools also involve policy work? For instance, if I were recruited after an IR school into UN or World Bank or even a ministry, wouldn't my work involve policy formation? I'm trying to figure out what "international relations" entails. It seems to be a nebulous term. </p>
<p>2) For people who are not citizens of the US, would it make sense to do a public policy program from a school in the US (or UK's LSE or Oxford for working in the UK)? It looks like unless you're a citizen, you cannot work in the ministries of these countries. I don't have any interest in working for peanuts at the likes of UN and be in constant debt. What, then, are the options for international students who wish to work in the US? Career placements stats for most top schools suggest that students go back to their countries in the foreign ministry or something. Can I get into foreign service after an MPA from a top school in a country where I do not yet have citizenship? (Or, as a second part of this question, if my own country requires some entrance exams for the usual "civil services" line, will an MPA allow me to bypass that route?)</p>
<p>
[quote]
A little more info about your area of interest might help me and other posters to give you a good starting point. What aspect of International Relations interests you, in terms of career goals? Security issues? Conflict resolution? Human rights? International development (and the many sub-categories of this)? International NGOs? Are you interested in working for the Foreign Service? CIA?...list goes on...lots of opportunities out there.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I am interested in becoming a diplomat. Which means, "foreign service" in your post I guess? Which schools would be the top for this? Thanks!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Can I get into foreign service after an MPA from a top school in a country where I do not yet have citizenship?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>By and large, no, unless you're named honorary consul or something (which is generally ceremonial).</p>
<p><a href="Or,%20as%20a%20second%20part%20of%20this%20question,%20if%20my%20own%20country%20requires%20some%20entrance%20exams%20for%20the%20usual%20%22civil%20services%22%20line,%20will%20an%20MPA%20allow%20me%20to%20bypass%20that%20route?">quote</a>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You'd have to check how the process works in your own country, every civil service system is different. I doubt that an MPA would allow you to entirely bypass the standard route, though.</p>
<p>Stratosphere,</p>
<p>I’d say Georgetown – they offer an M.S. degree in exactly that ("Foreign Service"), though the other schools I mentioned in my earlier post are probably just as strong. Oh, and add to that list Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs.</p>
<p>what are the chances of me getting into an IR program? </p>
<p>i've worked with an NGO for 2 years working overseas. however, my undergrad GPA isn't that strong...i will be taking my GREs soon. frankly, i'm a bit hesitant about applying to certain programs specifically because of my GPA. it's been awhile since i graduated so would my experience count more?</p>
<p>Does anyone know who has the strongest programs in international development? American's looks really good on their website and they say it's the largest (I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing though).</p>
<p>American's ID program is very, very strong. I don't know much about any others, though.</p>
<p>Kigali- do you know what makes their program strong? Do employers look more highly at American I.D. graduates than others?</p>
<p>My view may differ from others. I'd say go for the best university you can. American is hardly a brand name beyond one sporadic program here or there. Looking back, you will realize that you invest in the alumni network of an entire university for your life, not one program. Besides, if you look at an "I.D." program, there's nothing much distinguishing about it. A couple of courses in development economics don't a unique program make. I would go to the best brand name I can.</p>
<p>Thanks, stratosphere, for the advice. I am really shooting for Gtown as of now but I'm applying to GW and American as well. I really like the program at Fletcher too but I really want to be in DC.</p>
<p>One more question...I know that Gtown, Fletcher, SIPA and SAIS are all very highly regarded, but are some of these harder to get into than others? I will be applying directly from undergrad so I am particularly worried about my lack of work experience (although I have volunteered and done research abroad for two summers and I will be interning at the State Dept. in the Spring). Do some of these schools expect more work experience than others?</p>