AJK

Theres been a lot of questions/debate about this, so I thought we should start this post. I haven't seen any rankings out on the internet, so this will be mostly out of our own heads. My rankings

1. Columbia
2. JHU
3. Tufts
4. Georgetown
5. American
6. Yale
Harvard
8. USC
9. George Washington
10. Syracuse

Thats my <b> opinion </b>: based on perceived education, admission requirements, job placement, networking-ability.

dacoffeebean

What can a person with a degree in intl relations do

PEALS-05

I'll be starting school at #8 on the original poster's ranking (?) this fall.

I'll major in IR and minor in either East Asian languages or poli sci or English. Then I plan to head to law school. After that I'll be getting into international law. If I don't get into law school or lose interest in the next four years in law school, I'll go to grad school for intl. business instead.

There are a bunch of things you can do with an IR major. Most involve business or government jobs.

Which aren't bad jobs, when you think about it money-wise.

I've gotten "But what can you DO with that major" type questions whenever I talk about IR, basically on the presumption that EVERYONE wants to make a crap load of money after graduating, and IR majors would be rather hapless in finding a job. Well, in my case it might actually be true that I'll make a fair deal of money, even with an IR major, because in the very end I'll be into business or law. (It also helps incredibly that I'm genuinely into IR and law school.)

dacoffeebean

That sounds really cool. Oh good luck at school. but your reply brings up another question, could business and law be a good combo

Hippodrome123

2 schools that you listed don't have IR as a major.

PEALS-05

Oh, I don't mean business AND law. I don't want to drown myself in school work by attempting both.

Currently I want to get into international law, BUT if I lose interest in the law aspect, I'll get into international business instead. But I am VERY sure that I'll stick with an IR major throughout college. I am pretty set against doing the switch-majors-five-times-end-up-staying-in-college-for-six-years thing. Although I am not knocking it, I am sure that that course of action helps a lot of people find themselves and what they are truly interested in, and that is probably the most important thing.

However, being a typical undergrad/grad or law school/real job-focused person (as a high school senior, I know, I'm psycho) and starting to become a money-hound, I think I'll go for what'll get me places (law or business) as successfully and QUICKLY as I can.

Mostly so I can pay off the massive debt I'll have for going through school in the first place.

Have a good night coffebean!

berenelen

Hippodrome: Are you talking about Columbia?? Columbia has a five year program in international relations that gets you a B.S. and an M.S. However it is not listed as a major.

AJK

They all have some form of degree in International Relations/Affairs. Sometimes its called IR, IA, Global Policy, International Public Policy, etc. Thats because some programs are more specific than others.

Also, I ranked the schools by their GRADUATE programs... not undergraduate. Undergraduate programs are harder to rank because the overall education/prestige of the school gets in the way. Most everyone would say Harvard is a better school than Tufts in an undergraduate setting, just because of the foundation you get at Harvard, and the avenues that are open to you after you graduate.

However, when it comes to a graduate progam - that shows the real strength of the major. How much education (teachers, funding, research etc) is devoted to that major. Also the prestige (job-placement / networking) can change when you talk about specific graduate programs at a university verses an total undergrad education.

AJK

i see no one is attempting to rank the programs...

take a stab at it... theres no rankings out there, as of yet, lets make our own.

UCLAri

I think that any ranking of IR programs really ought to consider IR/PS at UCSD. Although the general public may not know it (they don't usually know their head from...nevermind) it's a great program and easily a top contender in East Asian studies.

AJK

its definitely a good program - if you want to work with company/org that deals with Pacific-rim countries. But its somewhat limited to that region. And from what i hear (i could be wrong), its more focused on the economics-commerce side of IR. That seems limiting. But its hands down the best program if thats what your specialization is going to be.

I mean the degre is called "Master of Pacific International Affairs"
not so great if you're trying to work in Africa

UCLAri

Agreed. However, to be fair, it is probably the program in Asian policy. I think that China, Japan, and Korean policy ought to count for something in any ranking.

Maybe a special category for IR/PS just by itself?

AJK

I agree... thats why i said... "But its hands down the best program if thats what your specialization is going to be [pacific-rim studies]."

UCLAri

Now we're just being redundantly redundant.

Here's my rankings:

1. Harvard
2. Georgetown (Proximity to DC matters)
3. Columbia
4. JHU
5. George Washington (Again...DC)
6 through 10 is a crapshoot. And as proclaimed, IR/PS is in its own category as #1 in East Asia. It wins by default.

Hoo

Harvard doesn't have IR as a major. The closest to it is The Kennedy School. Yale doesn't either.