lindsey_elizabeth

@lindsey_elizabeth at the university I work at, the I-20 Coordinator issues all of the I-20s for F-1 students (degree-seeking students coming from countries around the world to study at a US institution). The I-20 document is basically their ticket to get an interview at a US Consulate in their home country. By issuing them an I-20, it means that our office has determined that they have been accepted to the university and that they have sufficient funds to study in the United States. However, even after we have issued this document for them, the Consular Officer could still deny their visa based on whether or not they believe the student has plans to return to their home country or other inklings, but mostly a student will get denied if it seems like they have ulterior motives besides schooling for coming to the US. It's a really fun job because I get to talk with and meet people from countries around the world! NYU has SO many international students, I would love to work in their office! *crossing my fingers that there may be an opening this summer!
Btw...if you get an MPP and if you are interested in international stuff, you would be a great candidate for a position as a Foreign Service Officer thru the US State Department! That was my dream for like a year, but in the end, I decided it would be best for my SO and I, and our future kids to not have to move to a new country every two years! If you are into traveling and don't have kids yet, it is a really amazing opportunity!

Haha you and me both. During an information session here a while ago, they mentioned that Edinburgh is on the same latitude as Moscow and my boyfriend will not stop talking about it. You'll just have to go somewhere warm during your second year so that you can escape some of the winter months. There's something about being in such a cold place that's nice though too. It kind of unites everyone since you're all in it together. We were in Lund for Walpurgis Night at the end of April and the whole town celebrates the start of spring with music, drinks in the park, and a bonfire. It's definitely a lively town and small enough that you should be able to meet people really easily. Everyone we met was incredibly nice and friendly. My favorite coffee ever comes from a town about 45 minutes away so you'll get to take lots of good fika breaks too. It's called Koppi and I'm sure it's all over Malmo and Lund. You're going to have such a great experience!

I'll definitely be voting for him in June, don't worry! I went to his rally here last August, when 27,000 people showed up, and his supporters are the best. I've been spreading the word over here too. Mainly cornering people at parties (not literally) and asking them if they're feeling the bern. Ha. I actually know a ton of people here who are Bernie supporters. Granted it's LA so pretty liberal but still good news.
What does an I-20 Program Coordinator do? I was considering international education for a while, which can lead to a job in study abroad or work with international students at a university. I think being a recruiter or international student advisor would be great! Every field within international development sounds interesting so I'm still figuring out exactly what I want to do with my degree. I'm leaning towards a second master's degree in public policy but international education has crossed my mind again too.

Thank you! Bernie supporters are so awesome and nice! Please make sure to get out and vote for him in California, a win in that state would be YUGE (as Bernie would say)!
Also, on a side note, your program of study sounds really interesting...International Development. I haven't met anyone in that particular field before! In my current job, I work at a university with international students as the I-20 Program Coordinator. I would like to eventually become a recruiter or an International Student Advisor because I really love the work I do now! International development sounds really cool though! Keep feeling and spreading the bern!

Hey!
I was recently admitted to Brandeis University (M.A. in Sustainable International Development), University of Edinburgh (MSc in International Development), and Uppsala University (M.S. in Sustainable Development). The programs are pretty different and I'm having a difficult time deciding between the three. I think I'd eventually like to work with an intergovernmental or nonprofit organization in fair trade or corporate social responsibility. I'm particularly interested in human rights (and sustainability, but mainly human rights) within the garment industry but am keeping an open mind as I start my graduate studies. 
I'm curious how each of the programs is viewed by potential employers and those in the development world. For those who graduated from one of the programs, was it easy to find a job after graduation?
I'm also interested in hearing thoughts on one-year vs two-year programs. I'm leaning towards the University of Edinburgh but am a little concerned that one year might not be enough time to prepare me for a career in international development. There are quite a few extracurriculars, and I have some time to figure out what exactly I'd like to do before the program starts, but I'd still only be able to take two core courses and four electives. I'm not sure it's enough considering I have no background in development. The other programs are both two years.
For anyone who graduated from one of these programs, what were the pros and cons?
I have to make a decision within the next few days and I'm completely torn. Any input from other applicants or graduates of the programs would be amazing  

I'm not going to NYU or moving to NYC but just want to say I love your photo and username! #feelingthebernonthewestcoast
 

Sounds like you came to a solid conclusion. Congrats! You're gonna get a great education there.
I haven't been to Lund or Malmo before! I've spent a little bit of time in Copenhagen and Stockholm, so I have a vague idea about what to expect. Just got to get myself ready for 2pm sunsets for the winter.

This insight has been incredibly helpful. I actually had to make a decision by today and I chose Edinburgh. I did take a look at the faculty members at each university that teach the required courses and the electives I'm particularly interested in. I found that the research interests of the faculty members at Edinburgh best align with my own and I feel like it's going to be a very good fit for me academically. Edinburgh seems to offer many of the experiences and opportunities that the other universities do, the school just relies on students to take the initiative rather than requiring them as part of the curriculum (which, at the graduate level, I don't think is a bad thing). Between the required coursework, electives, and extracurricular activities, it's possible to get a well-rounded education in development studies and I think it will serve as a solid foundation for a career in development or further studies. Plus, I'll be done in a year, which as you mentioned has some nice financial benefits. 
It's pretty impressive that your friend from McGill managed to get her foot in the door by moving to the middle east and getting in touch with development organizations. With the exception of some highly specialized fields that require an advanced degree, work experience seems to be the best way to break into any career. If it were eight years ago and I had just graduated from college, I might do the same thing. I think I'm too old for that now though!
Have you been to Lund? I went to Copenhagen with my boyfriend last spring and we took a day trip to Malmo and Lund. It's a really pretty town and there's a lot of great stuff nearby (like Copenhagen). Two years there (or I guess one and a half with the field placement) is going to pretty amazing.

Yeah I can't speak to Uppsala's course structure but Lund is very rigid, there are no electives so if you need some flexibility to explore your interests, that has to be taken into consideration. Luckily Lund offers a foundation in public health, economic development, natural resource management, and rural v urban poverty, so I felt that it covered all my bases.
I have some international work and project experience in Haiti and the Philippines, but not a substantial amount, so getting more through my program was a priority. The thesis option then allows me to develop some specialized knowledge as well. The people I talked to: 
M.A. at London School of Economics -> UNDP
McGill -> UNEP
Lund U. -> Human rights watch group in Honduras.
What I took away from those conversations is that brand value offsets deficits in international experience because the employer, while not necessarily knowing how you might perform in the field, knows at least that you have the steel to get admitted and succeed in a rigorous and competitive academic setting. The girl I talked to who went to LSE actually mentioned that the most valuable part of her experience was connecting with a organization she interned with via her academic network, and that provided her with the real skills she needed to be in demand; the reputation of her school was more helpful in securing that first internship then it was in securing her future employment.
Of course you have to evaluate these decisions in terms of cost-benefit, because school ain't free. My friend from McGill doesn't have a masters, she just went to the middle east and started asking for work from organizations. Some people agree, especially if you're not sure what you want to do in the first place, that your best bet is to get the international experience and explore your interests just by going out there and volunteering/working. She compressed 10 years of career development into 2 and is managing medium sized projects now.
Check Brandeis' statistics on the percentage of people working in their field after graduation and within the first year, and check Linkedin to see what people have graduated from those programs are doing now. It often gives you a decent idea of what kind of preparation the program can provide for you, and how much the reputation is working for or against them.
 
 

Hey there.
I'm going to Lund U. for Int. Development and Management.
Before making my decision I talked to people with Masters level education in development who were working for INGOs, and the consensus was to choose whatever program will give you the most opportunities for international fieldwork during the program, and that offers the greatest amount of skill development. If your not a doctor or an engineer you need some hard skills to get a decent job in the field. Lund's program is founded on both knowledge and statistical analysis, research design, GIS, and program management in combination with a 20 week field placement and a thesis, which allows me to get all of the above plus the opportunity to deepen my knowledge in a particular specialization. In order to check all those boxes I needed a two year program. If you have no background in development a one year program may not be good enough just because you won't be able to get summer or semester internships in the field.
However sometimes the only difference between you getting a particular job is a masters degree listed on your CV. And if you've had conversations with people at the UN or consulting groups etc. and you fundamentally have the skills but just need that credential, go for the one year program.
It sounds like your indecision mostly comes from not knowing what you want to focus on yourself. Note that Corporate Social Responsibility, Fair trade, Sustainability Sciences, and Human rights are literally different fields, even though all may overlap with sustainable development topically. You'll do CSR if you join a private sector consultation regardless, so I would exclude that from the decision making process. You're not going to get much human rights advocacy skills out of any of those options; you'd need a M.P.P. or a M. International Relations degree. So I would exclude that possibility too from your decision. Now you're down to deciding on programs that either have an emphasis on fair trade or sustainability sciences. Check the faculty and which schools have the strongest Econ and Geography or Env/Ag Science professors that actually teach in your program. If they have examples of either or both, and offer the skill development you need, go for that one.