Cberry88

I was wondering which liberal arts schools offer the better international relations programs.

Obviously, since liberal arts schools are more to my liking, I am not as interested in the name recognition aspect but rather the quality of education. I want to attend a school that thrives for its students to actually learn and understand the material, not just memorize what will be on the test.

I am looking for more personal answers, lists and rankings are too general and debatable. I would rather hear from people or have direct knowledge or have talked with those who have.

I'm currently attending community college in Pittsburgh after spending a little time in the Marine Corps. I have looked at several schools but have not made any concrete decisions. Some of the schools I am interested in are: CMC, Bennington, Sarah Lawerence and Amherst.

I'm typing this on my iPod Touch and my wrists and thumbs are numb so I'm gonna stop now.

Thanks in advance

zapfino

Just apply to the best LACs to which you can get admitted, and which is a good fit for you. International relations is going to be an interdisciplinary major drawing primarily on courses in political science and economics with supporting coursework in other social sciences (e.g., history) and languages. So, beyond looking at the overall quality of a particular LAC, look at the course offerings on international topics in both economics and political science. Also, are there good supporting courses in other fields? Are there good language programs, especially in less commonly taught languages if you're interested in certain areas of the world, e.g., China, Middle East? This would include the number of language profs and majors, language houses, and other resources. If you are interested in a particular geographic area, are there sufficient course offerings in that area (both in social science and humanities areas)? Are there good study abroad programs? Do many students study abroad? Are there many international students? Are there internships (e.g., in D.C, the UN)? Do any profs in political science or economics have hands-on experience in government? Have they published anything in this area? Are other areas of possible interest available, e.g., international business, communications? If a specific international relations major is offered, what is the structure of the major requirements? Does it offer you the flexibility you want? If a specific IR major is not available, can you design your own major? Will your cc courses transfer, and do they meet the prerequisites for the courses required in a school's IR major? Does a school have some international focus outside specific courses, e.g., cultural events? What kind of jobs have graduates gotten in the international area? Are graduates admitted to any of the top IR grad programs, e.g., Johns Hopkins, Tufts? So, these are all things that you might consider, but I would focus on picking the best overall LAC in terms of quality and "fit" for you.

In your part of the country, one school to consider might be Dickinson College.

Cberry88

Thanks, I'll give those a look and let you know what I come up with