<p>i dont really understand the difference between poly sci and public and international affairs. isnt woody woo a poli sci major with an international outlook? why does it say that woody woo prepares you for leadership positions (isn't that similar to government?). and why is the school named after a politician? on the college majors board, lot of ppl say that princeton has an awesome political science program. are they refering to wws or poli sci itself?</p>
<p>I think you are essentially correct in calling woody woo poli sci with an international outlook. If you are looking at a career in the state department or diplomacy, you would be better off at woody woo. However, if you are interested in being a press secretary, communications director, or pollster for a politician, or if you see yourself working for a political think tank, the traditional poli sci major would better suit your needs. If you personally want to be a politiician, either major would be equally valuable.</p>
<p>However, that is just my understanding of it as a pre-frosh. Any of the helpful current students care to provide some insight?</p>
<p>I don't know much, but WWS makes a big noise about the way their classes are run as policy groups (or whatever they call it).</p>
<p>task forces.</p>
<p>Right, task forces. That's supposed to be like how it gets done in the real world.</p>
<p>ok thanks for the help. I also noticed that many WWS courses are related to economics. would that be economic policy? Are economics partially "included" in WWS?</p>
<p>Hi,
the Woodrow Wilson School undergraduate major is an interdisciplinary major in public policy. It can thus draw on methods and knowledge from the fields of politics, economics, sociology, statistics and others, depending on the students' focus. Many students find it attractive because, apart from its rather grandiose name ("The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs" instead of the simple, yet more accurate, "public policy"), also because it is the only selective major on campus. Each year, only around 100 sophomores are admitted. I have heard mixed reviews about the WWS: Some students like that they have relatively great freedom in choosing their courses and can take courses from many different, yet related, fields. Critics, however, would point out that the interdisciplinary program does not give them a fim foundation in any one discipline. Instead, they feel they are learning a little about many topics but never get to explore the issues in depth. They would also argue that one cannot really study public policy unless he already has significant knowledge of some other discipline, say economics. About a year ago, a student online publication called The SoapBox published an article written by a WWS acceptee who dropped this major after he realized how it lacks a specific focus. The article dissuased me from even considering majoring in the Woodrow Wilson School and I am now determined to join the Department of Economics instead. You should, however, read the article and draw conclusions for yourselves. Here's the link:</p>
<p>Hope this helps,
Marek'08</p>
<p>thank sfor the really interesting post and the link to that great article marek. I really like the idea of policy-making, but after reading the article, im not so sure that joining woody woo is such a good idea. maybe i should first specialize in a field such as economics or politics and then move on to policy at a graduate level... On the other hand, you could also choose to do it the other way around. College is all about getting a general education, and that's just what WWS seems to offer. You could always specialize in a specific field later on, when you're in a graduate or professional school. if you're determined to pursue your studies after college, then why would a WWS education harm you?
any thoughts?</p>
<p>Actually, I can't think of any other major that gives you that kind of "general education."</p>
<p>true... so what kind of jobs do WWS concentrators get after graduation? do they all move on to grad school and specialize in something else?
WWS cant be completely useless...</p>
<p>Become politicians? Work for politicians? Go into administration/management? I-banking? (I'm just guessing here.) A nice bricklaying/basketweaving seminar?</p>
<p>To my knowledge, some WWS graduates go to law schools or go on to study political science or international affairs. Others find jobs upon graduation, often in investment banking or in various non-governmental organizations. I don't know what the exact numbers are but this is the general impression I get.</p>
<p>I would also argue that you can take the same courses (with the only exception of task forces) even if you major in some other, perhaps more systematic, discipline. The requirements for the WWS major are very broad and you can surely 'fulfill' them while concentrating in something else.</p>
<p>As for specializing in some specific field after finishing the undergraduate public policy major, I think you have it backwards. The whole point of the article is that it is difficult to seriously study public policy unless you already have some foundation in another discipline. Not having this background would preclude you from understanding well what you are doing and why.</p>
<p>Furthermore, it is not easy too gain admission to a graduate Economics program, for example, unless you have a very good undergraduate foundation. In most fields, you are expected to have an excellent mastery of the undergraduate material by the time you enter grad school. This may be different for disciplines which do not have an agreed-upon methodology (unlike Economics), such as International Affairs or Political Science.</p>
<p>From my experience, the people who are happiest in the WWS are those who knew what they were interested in upon entering the school. They have a great deal of resources at their disposal and know exactly what they have to do to really understand their area of interest. Those, who don't have a clear idea of what area of public policy they are interested in (and, by that, I mean really, really interest in) may find the broad curriculum a little frustrating (potentially easy, though).</p>
<p>Take my comments with a pinch of salt, as the British say, however, as I don't have any first-hand experience in the WWS school. You may find it more worthwhile to ask current WWS students when you guys come to Princeton. Does that sound fair game?</p>
<p>Note: The graduate program of the WWS school, on the other hand, has one of the best reputations in the country.</p>
<p>so basically, public policy isn't really meant for undergrads...
what if you major in WWS, but take lots of courses in econ? that would give you a good knowledge of econ. which would enable you to deal with public policy matters more efficiently or move on to econ grad school if that's what you want. at the same time you'd benefit from WWS' task forces</p>