<p>I'm applying to JHU to study international relations. I thought Hopkins had one of the top IR programs in the country. Someone told me that some IR magazine surveyed IR professors from around the country asking them to rank the top 20 undergraduate IR programs. Hopkins ranked dead last. Wow! Is that survey bogus? Or does Hopkins' reputation in IR relate only to the master's program, which ranked No. 2 (behind Georgetown) in the same survey?</p>
<p>For the Terminal Master's programs, JHU ranks 2nd in the US. For the undergraduate level, Hopkins ranks in the top 20 programs across the US. JHU also has the combined BA/MA program so that is a big draw at the u/g level:</p>
<p>2006 US
Rank University Name Percent
1 Harvard University 48%
2 Princeton University 46%
3 Stanford University 30%
4 Georgetown University 28%
5 Columbia University 28%
6 Yale University 23%
7 University of Chicago 21%
8 University of California, Berkeley 12%
9 Dartmouth College 11%
10 George Washington University 10%
11 American University 10%
12 University of Michigan 9%
13 Tufts University 8%
14 Swarthmore College 8%
14 University of California,
San Diego 8%
16 Cornell University 6%
17 Brown University 6%
18 Williams College 5%
19 Duke University 5%
19 Johns Hopkins University 5%
21 University of California, - Los Angeles 4%
22... etc... </p>
<p>you should note that this list was compiled by professors' opinions. note that many of those schools -- harvard, princeton, and others -- don't even offer an IR major. it seems rather odd to me... don't worry.. jhu has on eof hte best ir progarms out there (undergrad AND grad)</p>
<p>Just to add to what lolabelle said, columbia also doesn't have a specific ir program for undergrads.</p>
<p>As a current hopkins ugrad, I can tell you that JHU's ugrad and grad IR programs are probably the two most respected IR programs in the country. If you have a good enough record to do the BA/MA with SAIS, you will have no problem getting a job anywhere. Also, any employer or grad school know Hopkins has the best ugrad IR program. Basically, those rankings, like most, mean nothing.</p>
<p>There is no IR program at Hopkins. Maybe that is why it is "falling" in the ratings and these "ranking professors" don't know much about it.</p>
<p>Please read that with a ton of sarcasm.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins has an INTERNATIONAL STUDIES program, and in many "ranking" sources it is considered one of the top in the nation. I though can't stand rankings as they can be very, very, very arbitrary -- as others have already stated. It seems this so-called study is very much like the "peer assessment" category in the dreaded US News rankings - which is considerably one of the most controversial parts of the rankings.</p>
<p>As far as Johns Hopkins IS program it is very strong. It is the most popular undergraduate major, and if you speak with students studying the program they will rave about their courses, their professors, their intern opportunities, their research opportunities, and their future job prospects. A program does not become as popular if the strength of it is not present. Yes the undergraduate program is bolstered by the relationship with the graduate SAIS program, but it does stand on its own as well.</p>
<p>Please don't make decisions on rankings - speak with students in the program, visit the department, sit-in on a class, check course guides - make your decision about an academic program that way.</p>
<p>I'm currently a sophomore at JHU studying IR and these rankings surprise me. As people have mentioned before, there are serious flaws with the survey's methodology, especially for undergrad, which many graduate-level professors have little or no knowledge about. It does seem strange that several of the top programs listed, such as Columbia for undergrad, don't even have IR/International Studies majors, doesn't it?</p>
<p>Correct -- they don't.</p>
<p>I think everyone knows, in any case, that three best schools for IR are Gtown, Tufts, and JHU.</p>
<p>So - I'm in a real dilemma. I currently work for a US firm under a temporary work visa. When I first started working, I thought that I would quit as soon as I got my employer sponsored "green card". However, 7 years on, I am still waiting with no end in sight and no way to know where in the line I stand...?? To shake the feeling that I was wasting my life, I went ahead and applied to graduate IR programs. I have been accepted into JHU, Tufts, and GT. Now begins the dilemma. I am now at the point where I need to decide whether I want to quit my job (and therefore lose my place in the endless "green card" line). My question is for international students currently in a graduate IR program. What are job prospects (in US) like for international students coming out of these programs. Are employers in this field willing to sponsor you with work visas? And - maybe even - green cards? Even though I am not from here originally, there are far more opportunities here and I WOULD like to stay in US. Do most of your international peers go back to their home country after graduating?</p>
<p>Sabby ' You should probably post yoru question in the IR threads in the grad school forum ... this is the undergrad forum and probably lessp eople read this that are qualified to answer your questions</p>
<p>Duh - good point. Thanks!!</p>