<p>to Barnard?
How easy is it to transfer to Barnard?
i am interested in pre-law/international studies…for an international studies major, are barnard girls allowed to be part of Columbia’s program?..or does Barnard have their own International Studies major?</p>
<p>I mean, no. It’s not necessarily dumb to transfer from Hopkins to Barnard…it largely depends on what you’re looking to get out of your transfer. According to the Admissions site, the most recent transfer class had an admit rate of 21%, so judge that as you will. Neither Barnard nor Columbia has an International Studies/Relations major. Were you to transfer to Barnard, the closest would be to do either a regional studies major (i.e. Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Culture, French Studies, etc.) or PoliSci. For PS, you can easily take courses at Columbia and at the School of International and Public Affairs (low levels are automatic, higher ones require a bit of bureaucratic work). However, your major requirements would be those of the Barnard PS department, and at least three of those courses are exclusively Barnard: two “colloquiua,” or seminars which culminate in a 25-30 page research paper, and a senior thesis (one-semester).</p>
<p>If you have more specific questions, feel free to ask.</p>
<p>When I say “dumb” (lol), I mean is the Hopkins IR/IS program much stronger than anything Barnard/Columbia could offer me?
How easily does Barnard accept credit from other institutions? (I read on the Barnard website but I’m looking for my personal anecdotes.)</p>
<p>Haha, no, I know. I just feel like they’re such different schools/programs that it’s difficult to compare. Is there something in particular that’s motivating a move away from Hopkins, or toward Barnard/Columbia? Truly, I know very little about Hopkins–I didn’t really look at schools bigger than 3500, or so (not the right fit for me). Okay, so, with general ignorance of Hopkins’ program, my take on BC/CU IR (ish things):</p>
<p>I’m a PoliSci and French double major. You don’t designate official subfields in PoliSci, but I’m basically a CompPol/IP person. My academic focus is on Western Europe (primarily France), and ex-colonial Francophone Africa (West Africa and the Maghreb), looking especially at women’s issues. PoliSci is sort of easygoing and sort of annoying about transfer credits; it’s not that hard to get the credits transferred, but there’s a cap on the number of credits taken outside of Barnard/Columbia PoliSci that count towards the major.</p>
<p>Do you have a specific area within IR that interests you? Between BC and CU, you’ll probably be able to find courses that meet your interests. SIPA is a great resource open to undergrads–I have taken some awesome courses there. The only tricky part concerns those three Barnard-specific courses that I mentioned above. Do you, perchance, have an interest in Russia/post-Soviet states/Eastern Europe? If so, then you will have a fabulous time in the department. Basically, the most senior IP/CP profs all do that (and are really well-respected in the field). Aside from that, we have a professor who does Africa, one for Political Economy (although, there is a separate PE major), a particularly controversial and awesome CP prof who studies Islamic movements, and a theory prof whose knowledge base fits well with a lot of IR stuff. No real Latin America or Western Europe representation to speak of.</p>
<p>That said, the colloquium options (especially those designated as CP or Theory) give you a lot of leeway to apply general theories to the situation of your choosing. Likewise, you have free rein with your senior thesis topic, although they assign you an advisor (who may, as is my case, know absolutely nothing about your topic…so, you just set up meetings with profs who are better equipped to advise you).</p>
<p>It’s a small school, professors are very responsive (even if they have a standoffish demeanor in class), the rigor is there, and you can take advantage of CU’s undergrad and MPA/MIA resources. Plus, there are really, really excellent language programs (French is great, Arabic is good, if anxiety-inducing–heritage speakers don’t have their own courses, and the pacing was significantly faster than that of my friends’ courses at Harvard and Dartmouth). If the language you want isn’t taught here, then chances are good that it is taught at NYU. Plus, Anthro is great here, which can add nice nuance to IR. </p>
<p>And then, there are just the general perks of NYC. Fridays off, and internships abounding; I know a few people who’ve done internships at CFR. Consulates frequently host events. Plus, there’s the CU World Leaders’ Forum, which invites executives visiting the UN to come speak; there are 8-12 every year, and there’s almost always someone interesting or controversial (in addition to the smaller-appeal events, which often are followed by a small cocktail reception with the leader). Aside from that, people just come; CU is the most prestigious school on the island, and it’s a convenient place to host events/fora/fundraisers. Last year, Adm. Mike Mullen and Sarko came, etc.</p>