UCF v. FIU - International Relations

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Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs at FIU or the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs at UCF?

Hello,

I am an incoming transfer (Junior) student deciding between schools. I was accepted into both and am heavily leaning towards FIU. I wanted to get opinions from anyone who has related experience/knowledge.

Personally, I was looking for a couple of things-

  • an online program ( I work full-time)
  • decent prices/ financial offer (I got into Stetson but it’s too expensive and not worth imo)
  • solid International Relations program

From what I read, FIU seems to have a better IR program specifically, which is why I’m thinking this is the way to go. The prices are cheap and the program can be done FULLY online.

I do like UCF though, and think their Global Studies major is interesting. They’re not too expensive and I feel like it’s the better school overall, just not for my major?

Anyone have any advice on their reputations or academics? Or even has attended themselves?

Thank you so much.

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One downside to “fully online” is that part of that major involves meeting people, being on campus for conferences by ambassadors/cultural envoys, watching lots of foreign films, etc. You’d have to find a way to replicate that.
Is there a way for you to get to either campus occasionally?
Otherwise, FIU seems to have your preference and to fit your needs best.

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Thanks for the response. Yes, you’ve brought up the main point why I’m still debating on UCF as well- I live relatively close by and could actually stop in for events. FIU is hours away for me… Personally, I feel like I could make do. I am planning to talk an advisor on resources for involvement and support. Hopefully, they have decent stuff, considering the program is designed to be online.

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I was EXACTLY IN THE SAME POSITION AS YOU LAST YEAR. I lived in Orlando (kind of still do), and just Graduated from Valencia College with my A.A. and a Certificate in International Businness.

I wanted to study International Relations mainly because College Algebra was a hurdle too big to make over for me, so an IR Major with proper supporting minors will help increase employability. Better to earn a 3.5 on a BA on IR than a 2.0 on a Business major

I met with UCF advisors first and was very disappointed. Although I passed my ENCs 5 years ago, they told me technically I satisfied the requirement it was not going to be accepted (I stopped attending Valencia for a while to work overseas). They also told me that out of my 70 Transfer Credits, only 25 were going to transfer towards my 120 Credit Requirement, with no clear explaination why. I felt I was being taken for a ride, AND I WAS.

I met with FAU because they were offering an IR Major with Intl Business Minor. The advisor looked over my transcript told me that since I took ENCs so long ago they recommend I get very familiar with their writing center tutors and not take Fully Online for a few semesters. They told me my out of my 70 Credits, 60 transfer over as per state educational mandate (they were right). I was really impressed, and was almost decided there with only FIU to meet with te next day.

My meeting at FIU was unbelieveable. My transfer credits were all good, I mentioned the ENC concerns the advisor looked at my last Intl Busiess bloc of grades, knew exactly what it entailed, told me he isnt really concerned then asked me if I had any projects or papers on hand, which I could pull up on Blackboard App. Called a few offices, then sent me to an IPE Professor, who read my Intl Finance Research Paper and Intl Marketing Paper. He gave me very honest feedback about jumping from Formats (MLA and APA… Big NO NO in IR),but no concerns there. He then proceeded to have a very honest and extremely helpful conversation about my goals post graduation, minor selections and what classes I should take first and last as to ease general learning. I was leaning towards Minoring in both Business and Econ. I was somewhat off, and he suggested I was discrediting the value of my INTL Business Certificate at Valencia and minoring in Business would be somewhat repetitive, but my Intro Micro/Macro indicated Econ was good choice. He drew out a course for me to utilize my Group 1&2 to meet my Econ Minor Electives. Then suggested outside electives I should consider. He concluded by sending me to the Business Department to grab Major/Minor/Certificate pamphlets look them over, and declare one after my first semester. I basically got an Orientation, Career Counseling, Course Eligibility Evaluation, and an actual plan. This was the college for me.

Overall, I had a bad experience with UCF, I have heard similar stories from my peers attending there calling it “U Can’t Finish.” Their Global Studies program looked good on paper, but comparing it to FAU and FIU, it’s an IR Degree, same standards same requirements really. If you are going to do Fully Online, you are going to want engaged professors who can present and utilize the course content, because speaking honestly this Major does not translate well to online platform… theories and explanations can get blurred real easily, and Multiple Choice Exams in IR classes… OMG. I work full time in Miami, rent a small room near campus, and commute back and forth to Orlando on my days off to my family. THIS IS HARD, but the quality guidanceand ecucation I have received as been life changing.

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Hi there, thank you so much for the thorough advice and response!

Firstly, I have previously attended UCF (for 1 semester) and had a pretty bad experience so this really reinforces that view. I think if I had a better previous experience I would have considered it more but at this point, I don’t think I will be attending. I have also heard the same thing about “U can’t finish”, which sucks because I also have friends who loved it there.

Anyway since I last wrote this, I have pretty much decided on FIU. You make a really good point about IR being a degree that doesn’t translate well to an online platform and that has been my biggest issue. Tbh though, I really like my current job and where I live so I am going to work hard to make it work for me. I will see what happens after a semester or 2. Do you have any advice for professors or classes you like?

I am trying to speak with an advisor asap about transfer credits but they are very busy with COVID right now, wish me luck!

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The COVID 19 situationforced all classes online, so it may work out better for you.

For IPE I recommend Professor Ratzlaff, really good and will make time for you (He was a different IPE professor that I met with before enrolling). Ali Oakschouchi (I’m pretty sure I’m spelling it wrong, but he teaches AFP (You’ll know the name when you see it). SAVE THEIR POWER POINTS I have gone back multiple times in my other IR classes. I took them both in class but they are great professors.

After that, you kind of get to choose your IR discipline. I went heavy on Econ. Any online ECO ECS elective, take Professor Irma Alonso, her online classes is the gold standard of distance learning. She teaches a few classes online, you won’t regret it.

For INRs/CPO , I took IR of East Asia with Ryan Opsal, really solid CNN class and understanding. I also took Contemporary Problem in Intl Politics, which is basically a terrorism course with Nimhia Burghadi, good CV class learned a lit, but if you dont like video editing, there is 2 Vlogs you need to make.

I also took Economics of Asia, with Professor Salazar. Lots of writing, brutal Final Paper, but If you font like reading and writing, IR is not the major for you. I got an A in this class and B+ in INR of Asia, mainly because of my IPE and AFP sources, and Textbook.

Golden Advice for the Future Golden Panther:

  1. Take American Foreign Policy AFP, and International Political Economy FIRST and SAVE EVERYTHING, you will recall almost thg everything on future classes.
  2. If you are getting a certificate or minor in business discipline, take:
    Multinational Coroprations MNC
    International Law of the Seas ILAS. I earned credentials in INTL Business, so I skipped MNC, but ILAS, was soooooo useful in ECS of Asia and INR of Asia.
    3)If you are pursuing anything in ECON, Irma Alonso is a great resource for advice. She is s true expert, and in general these professors will be far more helpful in sorting out your future course and career path than advisors (they are great too, but students tend to leave the best brains to pick sitting on the table).
  3. myfiu.edu is a really good resource. Enrolling can be confusing at first, but you can really check your progress in Academic Advising tab and MyMajor Mal and Panther Degree Audit helps you keep tabs on your required courses… I’m going for a BA in ccx International Relations with a minor in Economics and Supply Chain Logistics. It’s a lot of moving parts and a big help especially since the advisors are booked so far back right now because of the pandemic.

Campus Life is fine, I’ve taken about 50/50 Live Classes to Online, but the Handshake, Career Fairs, and Guest Speakers are well worth the few hours commute. I’m 39 years old with a wife and baby in Orlando, so social clubs and events on campus is not a priority to me.

BTW, if you are commuting from Crntral Florida, Go2Bus or WanderEu are great bus apps for super cheap round trips. You can get Round trip busses from Central Fl to Miami Intl Airport for $25-$30, then take city bus or uber to campus. I get about 8 hours of school work on my to and from home.

Any other Questions you got just PM me.

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I’m a bit late to this, but I do recommend FIU’s international relation’s program.

A lot of the professors have field experience, and a great resources to reach out to for guidance if you are looking for career guidance.

I take it fully online as well, and I’m quite impressed on how tangible the courses and professors still are. The professors I have had are, with the exception of one - of which I will elaborate on in a moment - gracious, highly intelligent, available, and experienced. The best part of the program is how much of your major you can specialise - probably 60-70% of the program is flexible, and allows you to arrange your classes to your specialisation early on. That is why I like it - it’s to the point that, for the next 3 semesters, I have nothing but economics and international affairs classes.

My complaint in the FIU international relation’s program is the languages department. I only have a bit of experience with that department, however, the experience I have had have been disappointing. The office is not organised or helpful, from my observation, and the class I took from that department (French - I’m a B1 level French speaker, and was taking French II) was, I can say with no hesitation, the single worst, most disappointing class I have ever taken in my 14 years of academia. It was a pity, as I was initially planning to take a minor in French. The course was horrific - 400-600 questions due every 12-14 days, uneven progression through the material, and over-complication of the topic (what I would spend hours completing and homework and desperately trying to understand was easily explained to me by my French tutor in less than 10 minutes, who was also very vocal about how angered she was by how the material was presented). Taking language classes here, I quickly learned, only posed as a dead-weight to my progression in French, so taking it as a minor was quickly discarded.
I cannot speak on behalf of other classes or languages, but I would not advise seeking a language specialty here.

HOWEVER…the specialised classes from this department are excellent, even online. My favorite thus far is a political economics class I took surveying domestic economic development of a country I had previously only been educated on the ancient history on. It was a very complex class, but it was presented so well that it was feasible to learn a great deal, about a topic that is by no means simple, in a short amount of time. The quizzes were structured more as continuous pages of reference for your own knowledge rather than to test how much of the material you actual studied. So far, that seems to be the case with all of the classes of the specialised departments, which, as said before, consist of the majority of your degree.

There are also great opportunities within the program if you use a keen eye.

Good luck wherever you go - remember, it is not the program, but the work you put into (AND DO OUTSIDE OF, DON’T FORGET THAT) that make your education worth while.