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London School of Economics

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Master in International Relations LSE vs. Fletcher

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Reply 20

csj7

Thanks for the insight Daroto. Good luck in the IR program. The more I think about it, the more interested I am in the combo degree with either LSE or Sipa and Sciences Po.

Carl

DAROTO

Well I finally made up my mind and decided to go for IR at LSE. I am thinking in the future I might like to go for the PhD. Is it posible to do a part time PhD in IR at LSE. I know Cambridge has a part time PhD in international Studies, does anybody know about this program?

As far as the questions I definetly believe you have a good chance to get into LSE. Hopefully they will not pay that much attention to your rades in biology and focus more on related classes.

As far as Science Po I beleieve it has a great reputation. I am not sure what the french system is like however I know it is considered one of the best universities in France. Actually if you want the whole experience LSE has a joint degree with Science Po called the practice of international affairs and it is more focused on negotiation and international political economy for what I see (I think that is your main interest isn't it). You do a year in each school and I think you actaually get a degree form both institutions.

London School of Economics

London

Reply 21

treff

DAROTO

I have a dilema. I have been accepted to the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, which for what I've heard is one of the best in the field, however I also applied to LSE and I am having a hard time deciding which school to go to.

Which school has a better reputation on IR? Is a degree in international relations from LSE as well regarded as one from a top school in the US? Overall LSE has a better reputation than Tufts, however for IR I am not quite sure. It seems like IR at LSE is just one more program among many while at Fletcher it is the start program.

If there is anybody who can tell me the stong point and weaknesses of both programs and how do they compare I would appreciate it.

I don't know about Fletcher in great detail, but based on what I do know, I'd personally go for LSE if I were you. :smile:

LSE has a pretty good politics/IR dept, with several of the lecturers being quite well-known in the field.

Reply 22

Bismarck

csj7

Thanks for the insight. I'm really thinking most about the MSc in Global Market Economics or the MSc in the Politics of the World Economy. What's your impression about those programs? How hard are they to get into?

According to this, 1/8 of those who apply get in. For the IR program, the odds of getting in are 1/16. Luckily for you, the IR program is now closed by the Politics of the World Economy one is still open. They both seem like good programs, but I'm not in LSE yet so I don't know much about them (other than the stuff you can find at the LSE website).

As for the Ph.D. program, according to LSE:

During the first year of the MPhil/PhD, all students (full-time or part-time) are required to attend at least two one and a half hour long research training workshops which may be held on the same day or on two different days. Applications for part-time study are therefore discouraged. After the first year, consideration can be given to transferring from full-time to part-time status for those students whose circumstances require it.

Reply 23

Chengora

csj7

PWE is a very good program. I had several friends there, and they were all very intelligent. If you're interested, google "Global Economic Network." That's their student-made alumni page. Most of my friends are now working in trade organizations or consulting firms, although some have gone on to law school.

I noticed some people talking about joint programs. I always wanted to do one to get an extra year of schooling, but it has to be remembered that a second master's degree in the same subject won't necessarily help your chances of getting a job in the US. Employers just don't really care. If it's a personal fulfillment thing, great, but it has to be balanced against the cost. If it's to advance a career in Europe, however, there is something definitely to be said for it.

Reply 24

wblur02

Like most people asking questions here, i too am having a hard time figuring out where I can get in for graduate school. I am interested in pursuing an msc in IR or global politics. With a 3.83 GPA (at the University of Texas at Austin) and alot of extracurricular and work experience, do I have any legitimate chance of getting in?

Reply 25

wblur02

to the LSE that is... hahaha

Reply 26

DAROTO

Now that I have decided to do the Msc in International Relations at LSE this year I have been thinking about going for the PhD once I am done. However I'd like to do it on part time bases. Can anybody give me any insight about part time PhDs. I know Cambridge has that option for International Studies. Is it possible to do it if you don't live in the Cambridge area. They say they don't have residence requirements but attendance requirements.Any body knows what these are? Can I do my research on my own and meet my supervisor and attend seminars once a month or so, or is it requiered to be there eery week?

Does anybody know how part time PhDs work in LSE. The web page says that for the first year it is not recommended to do it part time since you need to attend to weekly seminars, but I'd like to know the experience of somebody who is actually in the program. Is it impossible to do it if you are not in the London area.

Finally I was wondering if Oxford has the option of part tme PhDs.

Reply 27

DAROTO

wblur02

You have a very good chance. In fact I'd be surprised if you don't get in. Of course it depends on the whole application package, specially your reference letter sand personal statement, but as far as your GPA you are in great shape.

Reply 28

Earlham

I'm going to concur with DAROTO. I got into the MSc Human Rights with a very similar GPA.

Reply 29

Chengora

DAROTO

Now that I have decided to do the Msc in International Relations at LSE this year I have been thinking about going for the PhD once I am done. However I'd like to do it on part time bases. Can anybody give me any insight about part time PhDs.

Does anybody know how part time PhDs work in LSE. The web page says that for the first year it is not recommended to do it part time since you need to attend to weekly seminars, but I'd like to know the experience of somebody who is actually in the program. Is it impossible to do it if you are not in the London area.

First off, congratulations on your decision. I'm sure it took a lot of thinking and perhaps worrying, but you've come to a good conclusion in any event. :smile:

As for part-time Ph.Ds, I definitely can't speak for Oxford or Cambridge. For LSE, I only know what my friends tell me, and they are all doing full-time Ph.Ds. Can I ask, why do you want to do it part-time? Job?

Reply 30

DAROTO

Chengora

First off, congratulations on your decision. I'm sure it took a lot of thinking and perhaps worrying, but you've come to a good conclusion in any event. :smile:

Yes. I am taking a year off from my current job to do my master full time. The idea is either come back to my current place of work or go somewhere else. Either way, in the case I decide to go for the PhD I'd definetly have to combine it with work

Reply 31

MD05

I'm also trying to decide between Fletcher and LSE (International Health Policy). When I went to Fletcher open house, the calibre of students didn't seem that high- people seemed to think that having one international experience in a lifetime was sufficient to study IR, and that any further experience was superfluous, and they seemed really overwhelmed by a Master's curriculum during a recruitment weekend. Also, a lot of the sessions focused on a lot of nitpicky requirements in the programme, and that everybody seems to mention cross-registering at Harvard or another school, though Fletcher seems to make these opportunities exceedingly difficult. I had difficulty assessing the school's reputation, but the school seemed to have few resources, especially financial, so that worries me.
Any other takes on Fletcher's reputation, particularly in Europe, vs LSE or Sciences-Po? I'm graduating from medical school and want to do IR/Health Policy and Development, and want a good programme, but don't want to move down in reputation after the MD since the career is already a hard-sell (ie don't want to constantly have to describe Fletcher, etc.). LSE has little aid to give foreign students, but is the reputation in Health Policy worth it over a more general programme at Fletcher?
Any information would really help me, thanks!

Reply 32

LSE_PostGradQT

Well Daroto, I guess you already made up your mind...

When I was applying for my Masters, I applied to Fletcher, Kennedy School, Columbia and LSE. I chose the LSE. and I think academically it was the best decision, because talking to friends at the other schools there isn't the same level of rigor/sophistication there. and I'd say the best thing about the LSE is the interdisciplinariness of everything- there's everything under the sun taught in the Social sciences so you can cross specialise...

now that i'm about to graduate and return to the US job market, I'm not so sure... Talking to past grads they tell me that it took them a few months but they landed kick ass jobs back in the US with a LSE degree. But you just don't have US based organisations coming to recruit, and I think career offices in the US are much more helpful (I did UG in the US)... But if you're thinking of pursuing a phD this doesn't matter anyhow...

Reply 33

basbasics

Sciences Po is one of the Grandes Ecoles in france, which is...hmz, well like the OxBridge and Ivyleagueof France. Other Grandes Ecoles are HEC (business), ENA (national policy studies) and a whole bunch of others of lesser stature. Expect competition for these school to be extremely tough...hehe, not only are the entry requirements extremely high, you would also suffer from the plain fact that you're not French....sorry, that's the way it is. Being absolutely (not a little, ABSOLUTELY) fluent in French would help you. Newayz, the reputation of Sciences Po is well, enormous in Europe I think. Perhaps you're interested to know that LSE runs a program together with Sciences Po in International Affairs? It offers the 'academia' of LSE and the more vocational excellence of Sciences Po....in quality I would regard that program as the very best in the world. And you enjoy the reputation of both institutions. Dunno how it would help you to get into an US institution. Ow yeah...it's extremly tough to get into, since you have to be accepted by both uni's seperately :smile:

Reply 34

Bear2005

Hi There,

I'm still deciding between Oxford or the LSE in international relations; actually I don't know if I got into the LSE IR program (I got into the history of IR program and IR reopened admissions so I"m seeing if I can transfer. So this may be a bit premature). Can anyone give me some insight as to which school/degree (MPhil at Ox and MSc at LSE) might give me an edge in the US job market? Does anyone have any stories of American friends who did either degree and what jobs they got afterward (and where also... I'm from California and am not opposed to living on the east coast if thats where the jobs are)

Thanks,

Anna

Reply 35

basbasics

Well, if you would actually get into the msc in IR, than I think I would opt for LSE...If not, I would always go for Oxford....The Msc in International History is a course at the LSE where people who are not able to get into the IR program apply to (a lot of the options you can take are actually the same, and the program is easier to get into). But to be honest, (hehe...I hope not too many peeple in the IH program read this... :wink:

) The IH peeple are really a bit IR rejects, which reflects in yr opportunities on the jobmarket. Oxford has a very solid status, and is always a good option. LSE Msc IR is worldclass. Unless you really want to be in London (it's a great place after all :smile:

), than I would never opt for the IH program given the options you have.

Master in International Relations LSE vs. Fletcher

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