[Scharre]

..

[limetang]

First point. St Andrews has one of the best international relations departments in the world. (I'll admit theres some bias here, but seeing as IR isn't a subject I study I think we should let it slide =P).

Also to consider. St Andrews is a very unique place, and is somewhere I'd strongly suggest visiting before accepting. (You'll either love it or hate it in many ways). Oh, and also consider the fact that your degree will be a year longer in st andrews.

[warlock]

Not exactly the perfect sub-forum to post your question, that is if you seek unbiased opinion, but;

I also hold an offer (PG) from LSE and will probably opt for Saint A. The reasons are primarily economical, but I don't feel like I'm compromising with quality or prestige.

As far as pursing Oxbridge, it's full of SA graduates in Oxbridge and vice-versa. As long as you do your work and graduate with a decent result, Oxbridge will not blink in extending you an offer, you can be sure of that.

It boils down whether or not you'll like the place (SA) and if it's your fit. In all fairness, it's up to you make it comfortable wherever you go, so in the end, SA is like any other place on this planet.

[Scharre]

Thank you for your replies!

Does anyone know how many applications per place there are for the IR programme?

[henriksebastian]

Hi! St. Andrews is becoming more and more popular. International applications went up 30% this year, and EU applications by 25%! Maybe (or probably) William and Kate have something to do with it haha!

[Oxy]

(Original post by Scharre)
Thank you for your replies!

Does anyone know how many applications per place there are for the IR programme?

Something ridiculous. It definitely has the most applicants per place as courses go. St. Andrews IR is also arguably better than IR at LSE.

[AviG123]

I have heard many say that the University of St Andrews has the best IR course in the country. LSE is probably more well known, but St Andrews is getting increasingly popular.

[frilini]

lse is very well known and in London. St andrews has an awesome IR dept and professors but its near the north pole :P
grads from both IR departments find great jobs and quite easily. now, it depends if you wanna live in London or not.

[DynamicSyngery]

St Andrews seems to be pirouetting on some royal connections, and the royals frankly aren't that smart. LSE has more of an international reputation and is in the centre of things.

Neither will hold you back from post-grad though; that will depend on your grade and references.

[Connhk]

(Original post by DynamicSyngery)
St Andrews seems to be pirouetting on some royal connections, and the royals frankly aren't that smart. LSE has more of an international reputation and is in the centre of things.

Neither will hold you back from post-grad though; that will depend on your grade and references.

Because Prince William made St Andrews the world leader in Counterterrorism studies?

Whilst nobody can deny the royal connection to the university, the IR department has always been quite unique in that there is no politics department and it is actually a comparatively old center of the study (as it is studied today).

I know of several people who held offers from LSE yet chose to attend St Andrews (these offers being for subjects such as IR and History). I myself would have probably attended the LSE had I been accepted but many were wary of studying in London.

I would say that the LSE might have the edge on prestige but St Andrews is, as others have noted, becoming increasingly recognized in the undergraduate as well as the graduate IR scene.

Your choice might come down to financing, or student life but in terms of academic prestige, a first or a 2.1 from either institution (especially in that subject) would set you up quite nicely for an Oxbridge Masters. Indeed, many St Andreans do go onto masters at Oxbridge or LSE (and vice-versa I might add).

[DynamicSyngery]

(Original post by Connhk)
Because Prince William made St Andrews the world leader in Counterterrorism studies?

It may indeed lead the world in the important field of "counterterrorism studies" at the academic level. However it is not particularly rare for lower ranked universities to have a few departments that are world-leading for their research. This doesn't have much impact on the undergraduates and none outside those specific subjects.

[Connhk]

(Original post by DynamicSyngery)
It may indeed lead the world in the important field of "counterterrorism studies" at the academic level. However it is not particularly rare for lower ranked universities to have a few departments that are world-leading for their research. This doesn't have much impact on the undergraduates and none outside those specific subjects.

Ah but it does have an impact on the undergraduates because at St Andrews for at least your first two years your weekly tutorials are conducted by PhD students. Given that many of them have come from highly prestigious universities (to do the CT program) and are far beyond competent at their subject (as a whole) does reap benefits for undergraduates. Bear in mind, I do agree with your assessment; the university has several world leading departments, apparently theology, but its size limits its research and so on. Thus, other departments are, in terms of graduate work, extremely weak.