<p>Hello there</p>
<p>I was wondering, considering that my intended major will be international relations, which professors are the best to have and which courses they teach. Also, could you compare the polisci dept at penn to others?</p>
<p>Remember that by its interdisciplinary nature, the IR department itself teaches very few classes. I've only had one (INTR-101, intro to IR), and the professor was young but excellent.</p>
<p>As for Penn's PSCI dept as a whole, it's not particularly prestigious, but when you step outside the prestige cult, I've enjoyed all my PSCI classes and found the professors to be of the great sort that actually enjoys teaching us undergrads.</p>
<p>And given that Penn's new President (Amy Gutmann) is a PSCI wonk, you can bet that more funds will be steered into increasing the prestige of what is already a department that gives you an excellent PSCI education.</p>
<p>Penn has had lots of alumni go into high places at the State Dept and be leaders of random foreign countries.</p>
<p>Arlen Spector (R-PA) and Ed Rendell (PA governor) are both Penn grads.</p>