Kosmosis707

Poli92 - Great advice. I think I will be seeking out opportunities and networks to keep that option alive while at the program. There are not a TON of opportunites for electives, but it looks like I may be able to work in some comparative politics courses and some methodology. Karoku - That is great news to hear. I'm feeling pretty excited about IR/PS right now. I would love to pick your brain in the near future about the program.

I think that, as previously mentioned, the GRE can be very important when it comes to funding. However, I'm another example of a terrible quant GRE that is receiving offers. I took the GRE twice and was in the 18th percentile on quant the first try, and then the 28th percentile on the 2nd try. I relegated myself to applying to mostly non-US schools, but took a shot on 4 U.S. programs. I'm still waiting on decisions from American, GWU, and an Asian Studies program at Cornell, but I just received word that I have been offered admission to UCSD, which is a very "quant based" program from what I hear. Some programs offer you the chance to write an addendum statement for the admissions committee...take that opportunity. I explained my reasons that I struggled with the GRE quant and redirected them to my high grades in stats and quantitative methods at my undergrad program in Berkeley. I think that may have helped me. Part of me now wonders if I should have reached higher and applied to Georgetown or SAIS, but my low GRE quant made it seem like too much of a reach. However, I am VERY excited about UCSD and I'm glad my GRE did not discourage me from applying there. I say, do not let the low GRE quant alone discourage you from applying you to programs you love. I think some programs see that the GRE quant does not necessarily measure your quantitative potential or abilities, but rather your ability to recall your geometry, algebra 2, and trig courses from high school or college. If you have several other competitive factors (experience overseas, language, GPA, etc), just go for it. Just my two cents.

Hello all, I received an email yesterday that I am being offered admission into UC San Diego's IR/PS program for this coming Fall. In many ways, I am VERY excited because I am in-state (low tuition costs) and the program has a very solid reputation, especially in my area of interest (Asia). I think the practicial skills they teach will be a more than adequate preparation for a solid international career. However, I have one concern. I went into the application process wanting to keep EVERY option on the table for potential careers, including academia. I have read some other forums stating that a lot of these professional programs are not good programs to attend if you may want to pursue research in the future. But then, after reviewing faculty at some programs that I like, I'll see an MPIA from UCSD pop up here and there. Does anyone know if it truly does hurt your chances at PhD programs if you attend one of these professional IR programs? I do have applicaitons out to the LSE in London and an MA at Cornell that are probably more geared towards academic careers. BUT...I am feeling like UCSD is still my top choice. Thanks everyone.

Yes, indeed. For the entirety of my life I have dreaded working with math, with the exception of digging into statistics for personal amusement. The fact that it is challenging for me isn’t so much the issue (though it is, admittedly, part of it), as that I find it completely boring to work with. My question to you is: will my hatred of mathematics turn into a hatred of research? From my experiences in economics courses, the GRE quant, and reading about the seemingly dominant position of quantitative research in political science, I’m getting the feeling I’ll walk into research and be completely inundated with work that I will dread in the end. Anyone who is currently involved in Political Science research, what say you? I would especially like to hear from those who are conducting research in Comparative Politics. Thanks!

rwillh11 - Thank you for the information on LSE. I submitted my application to the MSc in Comparative Politics yesterday. The focus on Nationalism and Ethnic Politics seems to fit my Poli Sci interest areas perfectly. I feel that the lack of regional focus won't be too detrimental compared to the level of education I would receive at LSE. Burmaphile - This is great information for me to have and great timing! This morning, I received an offer from the SOAS for an MRes in Politics with Burmese. I will have to see how my other applications pan out before making any commitments. Qeta - Thank you also for the information on U of Washington. I had heard that they do have a very solid reputation for Southeast Asian Studies. I have also received an offer from Australian National University for a Master in Asia Pacific Studies. If anyone has any information on the ANU program, that would be great. Thanks again everyone.

I'm also applying to some "IR-typish" programs. To be honest, I'm not absolutely certain on which schools have the best South Asia emphasis. I do know that there is no regional focus at UC San Diego for South Asia. Their specializations are Japan, Korea, China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. I completed my undergrad degree at Berkeley and I can tell you that they have a very solid department of South Asian studies. There are several avaialble language courses as well. Perhaps an MA in Asian Studies would work? You may be able to focus on IR course for South Asia in that program, but it's best to check the schedule of classes online first. Good luck!

I don't really agree with this. It depends on what career path you are looking for. If you are looking to parlay your intelligence experience into a federal intelligence job or even a diplomatic job, then the MA degree will likely increase your competitiveness. If you maintain a proficiency in a critical-needs language and currently have a top secret clearance or higher, the M.A. may lock you up in one of those career paths. I guess it does'n tlead to big bucks necessarily, but it might be pretty exciting! As far as the stats, your experience (or possibly language skills?) may overcome the low GPA and GRE quant, but that's just a guess on my part. Right now, I'm in the same position. I had a strong undergrad GPA at a great school, but I do not have the related professional experience (except military time) and have an even lower GRE quant. Good luck to you!

I'm also seeking out IS/IR programs focused in Asia and have done some research. I think it would help to know your career aim and if you have a specific area of Asia you're looking at (i.e. East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, etc). Generally speaking, there are a ton of programs to choose from if you're looking at the "heavy hitters" like China or Japan.

You are not alone. I believe I read that 50% of teachers leave the profession in their first 2 years. Personally, I left during the credential program because of my student teaching experience in public schools. Have you thought about subbing? Perhaps it's less stressful and, depending on where you are, you can sometimes determine what grade levels you want to sub in. The pay is low, but it's something that could hold you over until Fall 2015 rolls around. I think the best scenario is to apply, apply, apply and see if you can stick it out this year in your current contract. However, if you are that miserable you should find an alternative. The bottom line is, if you hate teaching, develop your escape plan and execute.

This is great information. Thanks so much for getting back to me on this!

Hi everyone, I'm in the process of gathering information for postgraduate programs for Fall 2015 and am finding myself with many more questions than I anticipated! I am an American student who received his BA degree in Political Science from Berkeley, focusing my coursework on Chinese and Southeast Asian politics. I have decided I would like to continue my studies at a non-American university, preferable in the UK or Australia, primarily because I find that my region of interest (Southeast Asia, specifically Myanmar) is better represented in the programs in these countries. So far, I have discovered that Australian National University (ANU) and SOAS in London are the best options for studying Myanmar. SOAS has language study through the 2nd year while ANU seems to have only one year of study, but both universities have ongoing research on Myanmar. That being said, I have an overarching fascination with identity and nationalism in general and would hate to completely get lost in only one specific country for the rest of my life. In addition, I have read some very negative things about SOAS' recent academic reputation outside of language and the arts. I guess my question is: should I be so narrow in my program search to find the perfect fit for the region I want to research? Or would it be more advantageous to find a more reputable comparative politics program (like LSE for instance) and not worry so much about my regional or language specialization? Sorry if this is a bit jumbled and confusing. Your help is very appreciated! Oh yes! I forgot to mention that my intent is to get a MSc or MRes first and then apply to research programs.

Hello everyone, I'm an American student with an undergraduate Political Science degree from Berkeley. I plan on applying to Masters degree programs in either Asian Studies or in Political Science and plan on focusing my studies towards comparative politics in Southeast Asia and Myanmar specifically. At this point, I'm strongly considering getting my Masters degree overseas and have looked into both Australian National University and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Does anyone know if one program is much stronger than the other? It seems they both have solid focus on Southeast Asia and both offer language courses in Burmese (ANU with a first year course and SOAS up to the 2nd year). Any experience or knowledge of either of these programs that you can share would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hello all! This is my first post to this fantastic forum. Recently, I have made the big decision to apply to MA programs that begin in the Fall of 2015. My undergrad degree was a BA in Political Science from Berkeley, with coursework heavily focused in Chinese and Southeast Asian politics. I did some undergraduate research at the time focused on identity politics in Myanmar and the feasibility of an "ethnic federalist" system there. I would really love to continue to focus on Southeast Asia as a region, likely remaining with Myanmar as my specialty, and with identity politcs and multicultural institutions as a more detailed focus. One little bump in the road on my decision is whether to go for a Masters in Asian Studies or in Political Science (maybe IR). I have two paths that I want to keep open in making this decision. I have decided against nonprofit administration (or any administration position for that matter). I'm looking at either a) teaching IR, comparative politics, or Asian civilizations at the 2-year college level, or continuing on to a PhD research program focused on Myanmar. Like I mentioned, I want my decision to be able to increase my competitiveness for both of these options. Hopefully I'm posting in the right forum here! I figured I would post in the IS forum since I see several posts on Asian Studies. If I'm posting in the wrong area, please let me know! Thanks for reading everyone and take care.