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LSE vs US Universities?

What are everyone's thoughts on LSE vs top US programs (Georgetown MSFS, Columbia SIPA, Princeton SPIA, etc) for IR-adjacent masters? I'm particularly interested in opinions on education quality, transferable skills, and career prospects. I have an offer from LSE for their MSc Conflict Studies, and am debating whether to accept it or to return to the US and apply for grad programs there.

A little bit about me: I recently graduated from Oxford with a first in PPE (BA). I'm an American, have done multiple internships (public sector + multilaterals), and am interested in a career in humanitarian policy/conflict analysis and resolution. The American nationality is my major concern, since it would preclude me from working in any UK government contexts, but my dream would be to work internationally (UN, INGO, foreign service, etc). Doing a masters in the US seems to make more sense for the connections I'd get, but I'm wondering whether LSE might offer more international prospects (and it's difficult to deny the fact that it'd be faster and cheaper).

Thanks for your help!

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

boogiestreet

Original post by fyrebirds

If you'd want to work internationally (ie not in the US) then LSE would be a great choice - it has the second highest percentage of international students anywhere and has an international career network. It is also respected by people in the know in the US, so your degree would transfer there if you go back to work there. But do work backwards: put the work in to contact the programme and find out where people have gone after their degree, my hypothesis is that the US programmes help people work in more US-adjacent IR positions and LSE would be more international, but that may be incorrect. LinkedIn can be useful here, if none of the alumni are working jobs you'd want to work then it's probably more beneficial to go back to the US.

Good luck with your decision!