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Good school for international relations?

Kingsly

Kingsly

macrumors 68040
Original poster
When (er, 'if') I go to USC for Film I would also like to minor [or major, or whatever] in International Relations or Political Science. Are they a good school for that? My options are really wide open at this point, so alternate suggestions are more than welcome.






ciao

(I would love to study abroad, as well) 🙂
 
Here at the University of Wollongong I've found it fantastic for "International Relations" 😉 😀 wink-wink nudge-nudge...
 
celebrian23 said:
johns hopkins
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Really? I always thought it was a medical school
*cue wikipedia*

I feel stupid... 😱

Really though, I never considered Johns Hopkins, but now its very near the top of my list!
I also found Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza looks quite interesting.


Chundles, you're such a funny guy! I was so consumed by emotions that I didn't even laugh. 😎

😀
 
APSIA schools

Look up schools that are members of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA).

Do this especially if you're serious about an International Relations education. What do you plan to do with it? Work in government, or is it mostly because of a desire to be a more educated citizen? Either goal is entirely respectable, but you should consider your priorities. Many of these programs are very expensive and lead to fairly low paying jobs.

If you're not actually going to work in the field, the poli sci program wherever you are should be sufficient. If you are planning to work in the field, I would highly recommend (in no particular order):

Georgetown (known as the "West Point" of the Foreign Service)
American
George Washington
Michigan
Johns Hopkins (its program has a quantitative focus - hope you like math)
USC (your chosen school just happens to be an APSIA school)

If you're serious about an IR degree, learn a foreign language and spend time overseas. Look into work with the State Department - I've done an internship with them and it was an excellent experience. They take very good care of their employees, even lowly interns 😉
 
I suggest George Washington. Because my RC at camp is majoring in foreign affairs with a focus on Asian studies. 😀
But USC should be sufficent, I'd think.... and gosh, I know so many teens who want to go there for film....
 
Ah, I had to choose between American University and the University of Miami back in the day when I wanted to study IR. Ended up going with UM, just 'cause I could double major in IR and Economics. I don't recommend UM now, since they disbanded the IR department, but ya know.

I mention all this because as a previous poster said, unless you're completely dedicated to doing just IR, you'd be much better served looking for a program that will let you do IR and something else as well.
 
Kingsly said:
Really? I always thought it was a medical school
*cue wikipedia*

I feel stupid... 😱

Really though, I never considered Johns Hopkins, but now its very near the top of my list!
I also found Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza looks quite interesting.


Chundles, you're such a funny guy! I was so consumed by emotions that I didn't even laugh. 😎

😀
Click to expand...

What? I'm serious. My Uni is about 30% international students (asia, USA, Canada, England, Middle East, all over).

Ah well, at least I got a comment, the guy who posted after me made a more subtle and funnier joke (in my opinion) and he didn't even rate a mention.
 
ChePibe said:
Look up schools that are members of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA).

Do this especially if you're serious about an International Relations education. What do you plan to do with it? Work in government, or is it mostly because of a desire to be a more educated citizen? Either goal is entirely respectable, but you should consider your priorities. Many of these programs are very expensive and lead to fairly low paying jobs.
Click to expand...
The question one should ask is: how many government officials are educated citizens?
I want to eventually run for public office, as well as be educated in the goings on in the world I live.
If you're not actually going to work in the field, the poli sci program wherever you are should be sufficient. If you are planning to work in the field, I would highly recommend (in no particular order):

Georgetown (known as the "West Point" of the Foreign Service)
American
George Washington
Michigan
Johns Hopkins (its program has a quantitative focus - hope you like math)[suddenly this school isn't as high on my list]
USC (your chosen school just happens to be an APSIA school)

If you're serious about an IR degree, learn a foreign language and spend time overseas. Look into work with the State Department - I've done an internship with them and it was an excellent experience. They take very good care of their employees, even lowly interns 😉
Click to expand...
Have you SEEN my location? 😀
I've got the foreign language and overseas time covered. As for internships at State: I was looking into that at one time, it still seems like a good idea.

Today my plan is (it changes often!)
USC
Major: IR/History/something to that effect
Minor: Film

OR

USC: Film
Somewhere else: [Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza/ Georgetown/etc.] IR/History/ something to that effect

In case anyone cares, I am graduating CC with AA's in film and history (and possibly english, if it catches my fancy)
 
My girlfriend is starting at UC Davis next year, majoring in International Relations. Apparently they have a good program...but she's considering changing her major to Poly Sci...
 
Georgetown.

I'm there, and let me tell you, the School of Foreign Service is pretty darn good (although I'm not in it; I'm not into that sort of thing). There's a great program and we get great speakers i.e. Colin Powell, Tony Blair, etc., etc. Plus people like George Tenet and Madeline Albright are professors. Can't get much better than that.
 
Not that I'd have a clue how you'd manage to make it work, but back-in-the-day™ I considered the University of Toronto for IR and vaguely film/video-related studies.

I haven't a clue how they rate these days in either dept, and I admit back then I was interested in just going to Toronto - but thought I'd suggest nonetheless...
 
Syracuse has one of the top rated Public Affairs programs in the US. The Maxwell school is very highly rated, although I am not sure if this is in your area per se. Syracuse also has the Newhouse School, which is probably one of the best communications programs in the Northeast for Film, TV, etc.
 
Ed H said:
Pfft USC.. booo Go bruins!!

If you are going to pay to go to film school at least go to the best one http://www.tft.ucla.edu/

Ed
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yeah, ONLY $6000/yr is looking mighty inviting right now.

But, my grandfather is alumni of the USC film school and I have friends that go there. And by the way, as good as UCLA is (and don't get me wrong, its reallly great) I think USC is better.
 
Glad you've got foreign experience and language knowledge under your belt! They're a BIG help.

The people I worked with in the State Department were great - hardcore Americans with excellent educations, all very bright. And there's nothing like going into your office and seeing a big, burly Marine there buzzing you in... it fills you with all sorts of confidence 😉

That said, like I cautioned earlier, add up the price and consider the student debt you'll be getting yourself into here. If your parents are helping or you have other sources of funding, go for it. Otherwise... well... I was all gung-ho about getting an MA and heading off to save the world with State, but it would've left me strapped with a ton o' debt and a low-paying job in the DC housing market, where a decent sized home runs at least $300,000 and is far from wherever I'd be working. Given I'm a married man who'd like to have kids and a wife that can stay at home with them, making around $45,000 for starters in the DC area just doesn't cut it, even though I realize I'd spend a great deal of my career overseas. I'd like my kids to have a REAL house, not a tiny townhouse or condo.

Your priorities may vary, but just keep in mind the matter of money. Going to Georgetown is probably your best bet - its long list of distinguished alumni and faculty should prove that - but with an annual tuition of $33,000, you would leave school with over $130,000 in debt, not including any interest, and step into a job in a housing market where you can barely afford to live, let alone make student loan payments.

Just something to keep in mind....
 
You know what, complain as I do about our method of tertiary education payments we have it pretty good compared with you guys.

4.5 years my total debt is about AUD$23,000 (US$17,200) and that's a lot because I repeated a bunch of subjects.

The government foots the rest of the bill. Still not nearly as good as when University was free but better than when all the new legislation kicks in and Uni will be strictly for the rich as the number of full-fee paying places goes up to 50% of the course enrolment.
 
Take it from someone who just finnished up senior year. Financial stuff should be talked about often with your parents. You will regret not doing it. Trust me, you will be like every other idealistic 17 year old who applies to college. You think you'll get the dream job that starts at 100k. I thought that. Then reality hit. Always dream big, but be realistic too. USC financial aid sucks. It's not known as the university of spoild children for nothing. Talking about finances sucks, but you'll be glad you did.
 
nbs2 said:
Try BYU....
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Actually, I'm at BYU at the moment and it's a great school - but certainly not one of the greats. There's no MA program here, which is a bit of a let down, unless you want an MPA or MPP, neither of which interests me (how's that for a run-on sentence?).

BYU's a good option given the international experience of the student body - over 50% have served overseas missions and at least 70% speak a foreign language. Their Arabic program is top notch (the Department of Education made BYU its Middle Eastern Language Resource Center), and other language programs are excellent as well.

Obviously, however, there's the religious factor to consider... if you're not a Mormon, odds of you getting in are fairly slim it seems, but this could also be due to the fact that only a few non-Mormons actually apply.
 
Well I hope (...) that my film career will cover some of the cost. Some films I made in high school apparently (according to people who went to/are in the USC film program and accomplished directors, film-people) kick a grad student film's a**. So yeah. I have no solid evidence other than theirs and other's opinions. 😱

*fingers crossed!*
 
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