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Wanting to study posrgraduate course in IR, in US
I was looking at Harvard, but they don't offer a masters course.
Would it be possible to apply for a PhD (where apprently it's a lot easier to get funding) and then drop it after one year to a masters conversion course?
Where else is good in the US for International Relations.
Which scholarships are available? I'm looking at the Frank Knox and Fullbright scholarships.
Cheers in advance
Tom
Would it be possible to apply for a PhD (where apprently it's a lot easier to get funding) and then drop it after one year to a masters conversion course?
Where else is good in the US for International Relations.
Which scholarships are available? I'm looking at the Frank Knox and Fullbright scholarships.
Cheers in advance
Tom
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Tom Holder
I was looking at Harvard, but they don't offer a masters course.
Would it be possible to apply for a PhD (where apprently it's a lot easier to get funding) and then drop it after one year to a masters conversion course?
Where else is good in the US for International Relations.
Which scholarships are available? I'm looking at the Frank Knox and Fullbright scholarships.
Cheers in advance
Tom
Would it be possible to apply for a PhD (where apprently it's a lot easier to get funding) and then drop it after one year to a masters conversion course?
Where else is good in the US for International Relations.
Which scholarships are available? I'm looking at the Frank Knox and Fullbright scholarships.
Cheers in advance
Tom
I did some research into IR Masters in the US and my conclusions:
*Applying for a PHd and dropping to a Masters, while sometimes possible in theory is less so in reality.
*Very hard to get scholarships / funding for a Masters.
*Very few terminal Masters in IR. Those that exist are often at not so great schools and/or often require significant work experience.
Yale was one of the few appealing ones I found but again the typical accepted student being 26+ and having a few years serious work experience in the field. John Hopkins might also be worth checking.
What have you found?
I would recommend Columbia SIPA, Stanford IPS, or Johns Hopkins SAIS.
As an American doing an International Politics degree in the UK, I'd tell you that there are a lot of us here because of the same problem you face--most top universities do not offer a terminal degree, and it's cheaper and faster to do it in the UK.
It's so tough to get into a PHD program that you should definitely NOT use that as a way to get a master's degree by dropping out. It's also unfair to the university who will be funding you through the degree with the expectation that you'll actually finish.
As an American doing an International Politics degree in the UK, I'd tell you that there are a lot of us here because of the same problem you face--most top universities do not offer a terminal degree, and it's cheaper and faster to do it in the UK.
It's so tough to get into a PHD program that you should definitely NOT use that as a way to get a master's degree by dropping out. It's also unfair to the university who will be funding you through the degree with the expectation that you'll actually finish.
The top 10 Master IR programs (according to all IR scholars in the US, as reported in Foreign Policy) are: Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Harvard, Tufts, Columbia, Princeton, George Washington, American University, Syracuse, UC San Diego (in that order). There's a huge drop-off after Georgetown and American University.
Standford is 16th.
Standford is 16th.
Thanks Bismarck. Doesn't mean I can't recommend it as I have personal experience with that program!
shady lane
Thanks Bismarck. Doesn't mean I can't recommend it as I have personal experience with that program!
I don't know. I'm thinking about Ph.D. programs to apply to, and after doing quite a bit of research, Stanford doesn't seem that good. There are very few IR professors there, and the ones there are mostly not that good (reputation-wise).
Bismarck
I don't know. I'm thinking about Ph.D. programs to apply to, and after doing quite a bit of research, Stanford doesn't seem that good. There are very few IR professors there, and the ones there are mostly not that good (reputation-wise).
Aren't both Steve Krasner and James Fearon at Stanford? I was under the impression that they're quite big names in the field.
Yes Krasner, Fearon, Sagan, Diamond, Condi Rice (on sabbatical obviously hehe)...I think you're confused.
There is no PhD in IR at Stanford. You do a PhD in Political Science with a focus in IR. It's a top 5 program in the US.
There is no PhD in IR at Stanford. You do a PhD in Political Science with a focus in IR. It's a top 5 program in the US.
Craigy_Boy
Aren't both Steve Krasner and James Fearon at Stanford? I was under the impression that they're quite big names in the field.
Krasner is working under Rice now. Fearon is good if you're obsessed with stats...
Lane, I know there are no Ph.Ds. in IR in Stanford (or most other colleges in the US). I was referring to the amount and quality of IR professors. There are only 6 IR professors in the poli sci department (and Krasner is obviously not teaching now):
http://politicalscience.stanford.edu/research.html
Even mediocre colleges have more professors who specialize in IR than that. I could probably name a dozen colleges that have at least two top-notch IR professors, and Stanford is not of them. And I don't know why you mentioned Rice. She wasn't anywhere close to being a top IR scholar.
Most of the people listed under Comparative Politics also teach IR or IR related classes. Diaz-Cayeros does Political Economy of Development, Karl teaches Politics of Human Rights, McFaul also works at the Carnegie Institute...shall I go on?
shady lane
Most of the people listed under Comparative Politics also teach IR or IR related classes. Diaz-Cayeros does Political Economy of Development, Karl teaches Politics of Human Rights, McFaul also works at the Carnegie Institute...shall I go on?
The same can be said about comparative politics professors from most colleges...
Yes so having top professors in a PhD Political Science makes for a good degree...?
Anyway if you don't want to go to Stanford I don't care. It's really tough to get into the PhD program anyway.
Anyway if you don't want to go to Stanford I don't care. It's really tough to get into the PhD program anyway.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/phdhum/brief/polsp3_brief.php
US News and World Report
Political Science Specialties: International Politics
Ranked in 2005*
1. Harvard University (MA)
2. Stanford University (CA)
3. Columbia University (NY)
Princeton University (NJ)
US News and World Report
Political Science Specialties: International Politics
Ranked in 2005*
1. Harvard University (MA)
2. Stanford University (CA)
3. Columbia University (NY)
Princeton University (NJ)
shady lane
Yes so having top professors in a PhD Political Science makes for a good degree...?
Anyway if you don't want to go to Stanford I don't care. It's really tough to get into the PhD program anyway.
Anyway if you don't want to go to Stanford I don't care. It's really tough to get into the PhD program anyway.
Why are you so aggressive about people not wanting to go to your alma mater? It is their choice remember.
But Bismarck is misleading people into thinking it's a bad department. It's kind of hard to rank #2 if the department is bad. Also Stanford has a very high student life ranking and many people enjoy their time there, so I suggested it, but he was making me feel as though I'm giving people bad advice. I'm not aggressive, but to be honest I think Bismarck has some issues about where he did his undergrad versus where I did mine...
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