Masters in International Relations...
I want to do a Masters in International Relations and was wondering what people's opinions were in terms of respected departments in the UK. I'm finding it quite hard to get a sense of which departments are particularly well respected and would appreciate anything you guys could share- particularly from those who have done or are doing courses in international relations. I also wouldn't rule out studying in the USA, although expensive, so any information anyone might have on good universities over there would be appreciated....
In so far as an academic track record goes I'm studying History and Politics at Oxford, so I'm really looking to track down the top programmes (and unfortunately they all look pretty good!). Thanks very much!
In so far as an academic track record goes I'm studying History and Politics at Oxford, so I'm really looking to track down the top programmes (and unfortunately they all look pretty good!). Thanks very much!
hi ray,
the tsr resident expert in IR was somebody going by the name of "shady lane". search for her name and browse through the postgrad section. i think she went from princeton to lse and did a stint at oxford and now works at world bank (?!) or something along those lines. she posted a lot about the best courses. i remember references to kings, soas and lse and something about oxbridge/warwick but i could be wrong. i think important IR folk moved to southampton from lse too. like i say, search for her name and select the postgrad links from the list that is generated.
hope this helps...
the tsr resident expert in IR was somebody going by the name of "shady lane". search for her name and browse through the postgrad section. i think she went from princeton to lse and did a stint at oxford and now works at world bank (?!) or something along those lines. she posted a lot about the best courses. i remember references to kings, soas and lse and something about oxbridge/warwick but i could be wrong. i think important IR folk moved to southampton from lse too. like i say, search for her name and select the postgrad links from the list that is generated.
hope this helps...
It depends quite a lot on what your interests are, if you have specific areas that you want to get in to, then some departments become better than others, regardless of their general reputation. For straightforward, all round 'bestness' then Oxford and LSE have some of the best reputations, followed swiftly by KCL, Aberystwyth, Cambridge, Bradford (Peace Studies Dept), SOAS (for that specialisation), St Andrews. However, as I say, you can argue with that list if you narrow it down by preferred specialisations. So perhaps Sussex should appear on that list, or Coventry if you want a Peace and Reconciliation focus etc
I just started posting some comments on American IR programs here:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=11722350
Threeportdrift has a good list of the UK programs, although I would definitely put LSE, Oxford, SOAS, and King's as topping the list in international reputation (especially the first two). And it does depend - as she mentioned - on what you're interested in. For example, SOAS is obviously good at area studies, but is punches above its weight in development as well.
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=11722350
Threeportdrift has a good list of the UK programs, although I would definitely put LSE, Oxford, SOAS, and King's as topping the list in international reputation (especially the first two). And it does depend - as she mentioned - on what you're interested in. For example, SOAS is obviously good at area studies, but is punches above its weight in development as well.
Thanks for the help guys...
As far as interest goes I'm definitely interested in third world specialisation and possibly even development (although ordinary IR would be just fine as well really...)- the kicker is that I largely want my Masters/Phd to be funded.... Ultimately I'm looking to work for an International Organisation/Foreign Office....
I've been told American universities offer more scholarship etc. than British ones- the ESRC only seems to offer for Phds- and I'm not certain about that level of commitment. I think once i've done my undergrad thesis I'll have a better idea of whether I can hack proper research or not... One question I do have is whether they provide funding which actually pays for all your tuition expenses- i.e. if you're lucky enough to get funding how much can you receive?
The list of American universities is very helpful- although a lot of them seem to offer good programs they have a real variety of names for them... Also they seem to require a masters before beginning a Phd?
@ Boosh- I looked up shady lane but I think she has left- I found a post by her complaining about being criticised and saying how she was going to leave- but some of her posts were very useful to me...
As far as interest goes I'm definitely interested in third world specialisation and possibly even development (although ordinary IR would be just fine as well really...)- the kicker is that I largely want my Masters/Phd to be funded.... Ultimately I'm looking to work for an International Organisation/Foreign Office....
I've been told American universities offer more scholarship etc. than British ones- the ESRC only seems to offer for Phds- and I'm not certain about that level of commitment. I think once i've done my undergrad thesis I'll have a better idea of whether I can hack proper research or not... One question I do have is whether they provide funding which actually pays for all your tuition expenses- i.e. if you're lucky enough to get funding how much can you receive?
The list of American universities is very helpful- although a lot of them seem to offer good programs they have a real variety of names for them... Also they seem to require a masters before beginning a Phd?
@ Boosh- I looked up shady lane but I think she has left- I found a post by her complaining about being criticised and saying how she was going to leave- but some of her posts were very useful to me...
If you're looking at the master's as a stepping stone to the Ph.D., then don't do the U.S. ones. Or do them, but realize that they are very much professional degrees - training for practitioners in politics, not the study of politics. And no, Ph.D.s in poli sci in the U.S. usually don't require a Master's, although Fletcher is the exception to this (and a UK degree doesn't count as Master's for them).
And the U.S. does generally have more money, but that's usually reserved for Ph.D.s. A couple of my friends did get scholarships for their degrees in the U.S., but they did not cover everything. Given that UK degrees are only one year long (with the exception of Oxford), you'll likely pay somewhere near the same amount with a significant scholarship, but more than double if you don't get one.
Anyway, you asked about amounts. Talking about the professional schools, if you're coming straight out of uni with no work experience, don't expect any financial support. You'll have an easier time getting in since you're international, but let me put it this way. I've just applied for Ph.D.s, although for the reasons outlined above Tufts admitted me to their master's program. If I attend (and I won't), I'll have the LSE master's plus 6-7 years of work experience by the time I enroll. They gave me $22,000, excluding fellowship support. I have some savings which probably lowered the amount they gave me, but still, it's a measure of what they look for and how much they give. Other schools will naturally be different, though.
Now, if you are looking at Ph.D.s, you might be better served by applying directly. Again, support varies, but the school that I'm going to gave me $60,000 to cover both tuition expenses and a generous stipend. Plus, Ph.D.s in poli sci/IR look for different things: work experience isn't necessarily prized, and if you have good quantitative methodology skills, that's very valuable.
And the U.S. does generally have more money, but that's usually reserved for Ph.D.s. A couple of my friends did get scholarships for their degrees in the U.S., but they did not cover everything. Given that UK degrees are only one year long (with the exception of Oxford), you'll likely pay somewhere near the same amount with a significant scholarship, but more than double if you don't get one.
Anyway, you asked about amounts. Talking about the professional schools, if you're coming straight out of uni with no work experience, don't expect any financial support. You'll have an easier time getting in since you're international, but let me put it this way. I've just applied for Ph.D.s, although for the reasons outlined above Tufts admitted me to their master's program. If I attend (and I won't), I'll have the LSE master's plus 6-7 years of work experience by the time I enroll. They gave me $22,000, excluding fellowship support. I have some savings which probably lowered the amount they gave me, but still, it's a measure of what they look for and how much they give. Other schools will naturally be different, though.
Now, if you are looking at Ph.D.s, you might be better served by applying directly. Again, support varies, but the school that I'm going to gave me $60,000 to cover both tuition expenses and a generous stipend. Plus, Ph.D.s in poli sci/IR look for different things: work experience isn't necessarily prized, and if you have good quantitative methodology skills, that's very valuable.
ray564k
@ Boosh- I looked up shady lane but I think she has left- I found a post by her complaining about being criticised and saying how she was going to leave- but some of her posts were very useful to me...
@ Boosh- I looked up shady lane but I think she has left- I found a post by her complaining about being criticised and saying how she was going to leave- but some of her posts were very useful to me...
i think she probably left because she got a good job in the city and works long hours.
popepius
Would u say lse and oxford are on par for what they offer?
Would u say lse and oxford are on par for what they offer?
I would say the question is nonsensical. Both are right at the top in general terms and you are going to have to offer an excellent application to get a place. Deciding between them comes down to personal preferences in the course structure, the departmental personalities, the location, the cost, the additional attractions etc.
on graduation, someone with poor interpersonal skills, poor presentational skills, no teamwork, no leadership etc and a degree from Oxford/LSE is not going to do as well as someone who has all those skills and a degree from a less 'prestigious' organisation.
Very few employers employ people purely on the basis of academic qualifications, most consider how the candidate is going to fit within a pre-existing team. Once your qualifications are in the bracket they are looking for (and I don't know any IR employer that would split Oxford and LSE) , then it's the person that counts.
threeportdrift
I would say the question is nonsensical. Both are right at the top in general terms and you are going to have to offer an excellent application to get a place. Deciding between them comes down to personal preferences in the course structure, the departmental personalities, the location, the cost, the additional attractions etc.
on graduation, someone with poor interpersonal skills, poor presentational skills, no teamwork, no leadership etc and a degree from Oxford/LSE is not going to do as well as someone who has all those skills and a degree from a less 'prestigious' organisation.
Very few employers employ people purely on the basis of academic qualifications, most consider how the candidate is going to fit within a pre-existing team. Once your qualifications are in the bracket they are looking for (and I don't know any IR employer that would split Oxford and LSE) , then it's the person that counts.
on graduation, someone with poor interpersonal skills, poor presentational skills, no teamwork, no leadership etc and a degree from Oxford/LSE is not going to do as well as someone who has all those skills and a degree from a less 'prestigious' organisation.
Very few employers employ people purely on the basis of academic qualifications, most consider how the candidate is going to fit within a pre-existing team. Once your qualifications are in the bracket they are looking for (and I don't know any IR employer that would split Oxford and LSE) , then it's the person that counts.
Well i wouldnt call what i said non-sensical, bit of an overstatement. Its a perfect valid question for someone who wouldnt know what the difference is. So they are very similar and one would need to look at the finer details then?
popepius
Well i wouldnt call what i said non-sensical, bit of an overstatement. Its a perfect valid question for someone who wouldnt know what the difference is. So they are very similar and one would need to look at the finer details then?
I don't wish to be rude, but you really ought already to be in a position to look at the finer details. What are the facilities like? The course? The libraries? The optional modules? Which staff members are you desperate to work with? Where would you prefer to live? &c, &c. They're both very good departments, but very very different in focus, organisation and teaching methods. Making an objective decision is going to be impossible, and as a final year you should already have the tools at your disposal to make a subjective one.
I have a question sort of related to this topic...I actually want to get my masters in either diplomacy or international law...the only schools ive found that even have diplomacy are reading, nottingham, leicester, and westminster...can anyone give me any information on those schools if they are reputable etc?? i'm american and having a hard time figuring out which schools are internationally recognized and which aren't etc etc...i know that SOAS has diplomacy, but I want to focus on European politics/relations so the areas offered at SOAS do not interest me....
ok thanks so much!!
ok thanks so much!!
andreaweso
I have a question sort of related to this topic...I actually want to get my masters in either diplomacy or international law...the only schools ive found that even have diplomacy are reading, nottingham, leicester, and westminster...can anyone give me any information on those schools if they are reputable etc?? i'm american and having a hard time figuring out which schools are internationally recognized and which aren't etc etc...i know that SOAS has diplomacy, but I want to focus on European politics/relations so the areas offered at SOAS do not interest me....
ok thanks so much!!
ok thanks so much!!
They all have decent departments in the field, except westminster, which specialises in political theory. Any of the other three should be good for you. Leicester's law department is stronger than politics, mind - the politics department isn't that strong.
Have you had a look at what Cambridge offers? There is either the LLM in the Law Faculty, where you can choose courses that are focussed on international and European law, or the Centre of International Studies (changing its name at some point soon to POLIS I think) where the MPhil can be tweaked to offer a strong International Law and European integration/foreign policy focus.
Edit: Merging with the Politics Department to become POLIS in Jan 09
Edit: Merging with the Politics Department to become POLIS in Jan 09
IlexAquifolium
They all have decent departments in the field, except westminster, which specialises in political theory. Any of the other three should be good for you. Leicester's law department is stronger than politics, mind - the politics department isn't that strong.
Yeah, personally I don't rate our politics department that highly, it seems to be far outshone by the history, law and english depts - Leicester is a really nice place to study though.
Original post by Aalya
Hello!
Currently I'm doing BSc in chemistry, botany and zoology from an Indian University. I want to know if I can do MA in International Relations having this degree.
I'm a new member so please don't mind my mistakes. I'm not yet used to working on this.
Currently I'm doing BSc in chemistry, botany and zoology from an Indian University. I want to know if I can do MA in International Relations having this degree.
I'm a new member so please don't mind my mistakes. I'm not yet used to working on this.
It depends on whether you have a clear career goal and can explain why you've chosen the path you have to reach it. I would email the departments you're interested in applying to to ask if they would consider you with the background that you have. I'm sure they'd be happy to consider someone with an unconventional background if you can convince them that the course is right for you and your career plans.
Our of curiosity, why did you go the science route and then decide to do international relations?
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