MPhil in IR (part 2): Where to go?

Hi Rob,

We have chatted on this site before, but to remind you, i have been accepted onto both IR courses at Oxford and Cambridge. I am going with Oxford, despite having been an undergrad at cambridge, for the following reasons;

-Its a new city for me
-I have funding for Oxford, but not for Cambridge
-Better reputation
-another 2 years of being a student :rolleyes:

I think i remember you saying you had an ORC scholarship for Oxford, so if you have funding, i would ignore all issues of what course is shorter and cheaper, and just focus on what you believe to be a better course (sounds like Oxford). However, if you dont have funding for either course, go with Cambridge, as the difference in reputation surely cant be worth another $30k debt..

Hope that helps,

Claire

robmoore

Reply 3

Hey rob (and claire),
Mate you should go for Oxford. I also got into both, but rejected Cambridge the same day.
One major advantage: at Oxford we're going to be less than 20 students, compared to 60-80 at Cambridge.
Another major advantage: the course's structure is much better at Ox. At Cambridge you're expected to do a 30 000 word dissertation to submit in July. How on earth are we meant to do meaningful research between october-july while simultaneously juggling reading for our classes.
moreover, I was NOT IMPRESSED by the department's organisation in dealing with our apps. It took them 6 months to reply to mine.
finally, much of the staff at the department in cambridge aren't academics, rather teaching-only staff from the foreign office and the like. not my cup of tea.
good luck making your decision....
M

Reply 4

Thanks for the advice. To answer Claire's question, I won an ORS award at Oxford and a bursary from the Cambridge Trusts (so funding is taken care of either way).

After conducting some further research, I strongly believe that the program at Oxford is (far) superior. Looks like I'll be seeing you guys in October!

Reply 5

By the way, at which colleges have you been accepted? (You may very well have told me, but I have forgotten.) I will be at New College.

Reply 6

robmoore

By the way, at which colleges have you been accepted? (You may very well have told me, but I have forgotten.) I will be at New College.

I'll be at New College as well...see you in October

Reply 7

Good choice Rob! I too was pretty appalled, despite my Cambridge alligiences, with the general handling of our applications. Also by the fact that there appears to be NO funding whatsoever for UK nationals to study IR, despite a profusion of options for foreign nationals. Where do these 70-80 students get there money?!

I am going to St Cross, a newish but old-looking graduate college just opposite St Johns, so will probably frequent your bar when i feel like a dose of 'traditional' Oxford
:wink:

See you in October!

Claire

robmoore

By the way, at which colleges have you been accepted? (You may very well have told me, but I have forgotten.) I will be at New College.

Reply 8

Bear2005

I'll be at Teddy Hall (St Edmund Hall), also in Oxford. See you in the fall!
-Anna

Reply 9

s_sugar

Hi all,
I'll be at St Antoy's and I'm really looking forward to seeing you all in October.

By the way would you please let me know whether you have received the Student Contract from DPIR (or maybe from your college??).
At least I haven't.....
Sorry if I am diverting too much from the topic.

Regards,
Shohei

Reply 10

shohei,
still no contact from oxford, neither dep't nor college, but no need to get worried just yet, I'm sure it'll all arrive before the end of july, ie. in next three weeks.....
Hope everyone from london is OK after the bombings, claire I know u r in the city, fingers crossed ur safe and well
regards
M

Reply 11

s_sugar

Thanks Madjdy for your always rapid and neat reply.
I remember that you are also livinb in London, and am glad to hear that you are right.
Wish that claire and all others in London are also safe.

regards,
shohei

Reply 12

Hi all,

Thanks for your concern, but i am safe and well. I was actually on the tube when the bombs went off, but the worst i suffered was an evacuation at embankment and a 2 hour journey into work. I have decided to avoid the tube at rush hour for the time being. (Is anyone else making that decision, or is the consensus that we should all try to continue using the tube as normal?)

Hope everyone else is ok,

Claire

s_sugar

Reply 13

Claire,
Good to see you're ok! I'm not getting on the tube for the time being, my local station (russel sq) is going to be closed for the rest of the summer anyways because it's a crime scene. it's been taking a half hour walk to get home anyways the past few days because of all the street closures. REgardless, I think I'm gonna stick to walking for the time being!!! Although that may be a tiny victory for the terrorists I just don't feel safe out and about at the moment! Give it a fortnight, if all stays quiet, and they catch the cowards who did this, then I'm sure all will be back to normal.
hope we all stay safe and well until october!!!! crazy stuff
M

Reply 14

Glad to hear that you all are OK.

Anyway, have any of you received additional information from your respective colleges? I have not heard a word from either dept. or college since April/May and am starting to get a little worried. Interestingly, Trinity Hall @ Cambridge has sent me a very comprehenisve informational packet and the department has already assigned my supervisors. This comes as quite a surprise, since their handling of my applications was so terribly shoddy.

-Robert

Reply 15

One more thing...

Have you all taken a look at the reading lists for the taught courses? They are quite daunting - a typical week in Michaelmas Term seems to involve reading some 25 - 30 ENTIRE books! You can take a look at the syllabi here:

http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/teaching/grad_ir/readinglist/index.asp

Let me know what you think...

Robert

Reply 16

I am pretty sure they dont expect us to read all the books on the list. If its anything like history at Cambridge, there will be an official reading list with loads of books, and each week your supervisor will help you pick out 10-12 titles that will be particularly useful. Of those you have to read some cover to cover in order to fill in the basics, but others you just dip into/read the introductory chapter to fill in some of the debate and more controversial interpretations of the subject matter. It seems very daunting, but you realise quickly that there are ways to get through it. So dont panic.

I should really have a look at the course again though, as havent looked at it since october, and dont have a very clear idea of how many courses we need to take, and when they are examined etc. Can anyone give me a quick run down?

I have not heard from department or college yet, but am expecting things to come through in late July/ August.

I am planning to visit the department either this weekend or next. I will report back on what i find!

Claire

Reply 17

Rob,
I think Claire pretty much covered your question, no need to fret about reading lists, with the vast majority of titles only a few chapters will be highly relevant, and we should be contacted by dep't and college by the end of this month.
But here's a question for you, if you don't mind me asking: have you actually accepted both your oxford and cambridge offers? I inferred from your response that both trinity hall and new college are expecting you to enroll in october. When are you planning to inform one of the two that you're not actually going to attend?
Madjdy

Reply 18

Originally, I accepted both offers b/c I was unsure whether my financial situation would permit me to attend Oxford. Circumstances have changed, and I have since notified Cambridge that I will not be attending.

Reply 19