beejbrigade

Hi Harrisite, I'm an alum of CIR. As you mentioned, it's a very academic-centric program. You have 9 months to take 9 classes and complete a thesis (most students spend their summer writing their thesis and thus graduate in August). If you're interested in exploring a PhD, it's a great program to see if you'd like to go into academia. You will have an opportunity to take graduate seminars with other PhD students and get a *real* experience of what graduate school is all about. Only about a third of CIR alumni usually go into academia (compared to much higher rates in other programs such as MAPSS or MAPH), but those that do get into great Political Science programs.

Hey Abraxas, I considered the same options when applying to graduate school for international affairs, although I looked more at the London School of Economics. I was also there for U Chicago's Campus Day and the overall impression that I got is that it's heavily academic orientation. However, based on the career placements, both in the public and private sector, it's definitely a great school to go to for their resources, academic excellence, and possible connections to make while you're there. -Y

Politicalgeek, Thanks for the comments. They were really helpful! I applied to other schools as I applied to Wagner last year. I got in Harris, was wait listed at the LSE, and denied admission at SIPA. You're definitely right about the Peace Corps. Other than spending my childhood in another country, I don't have much international experience. Interestingly enough, last Friday I went to one of the information sessions at SIPA. The admissions director, whom I had corresponded previously during the application process, told me they require usually 2 to 3 years of experience. Although it's NOT an absolute requirement, they're looking for someone who can "provide them with a narrative of their experience, especially abroad." This almost cemented all my doubts about the Peace Corps, making me realize that it's my best option at the moment, and the best door-opener for the most challenging international policy grad programs. My meeting with the director of the international program at NYU is this Wednesday, so I'm expecting him to try to convince me to stay, though at this point I haven't heard any valid and compelling counter-arguments why I should go ahead with the program with all these doubts. Where did you end up going?

Yeah, I did. I have a meeting with a professor who is the director of the program. The advisor didn't seem that helpful when I asked her about meeting, so my ultimate decision hinges on him first. There's a section in the website where international careers are listed. But that's negligible compared to the domestic career list. There seem to be a lot more alumni doing domestic-based work.

Last March, I was accepted into NYU's Wagner Graduate School for Public Service. I intend to do a Masters of Public Administration with a specialization in international public policy. I have two months before the program begins, yet I'm starting to have serious questions and concerns with their international public/non-profit (PNP) program. I know Wagner itself is recognized primarily for its non-profit management curriculum, its faculty, and its affiliation with an array of institutes (Wagner is the largest school of public policy in the United States). On the other hand, as I keep reading about the program itself, I'm starting to doubt whether their international approach is as developed and structured for a career in international public policy as the regular PNP program in Policy and Management or Public Finance (compared to, say, schools like Goldman at Berkeley, SIPA at Columbia or John Hopkins). So far, I've met a couple of Wagner Alumni outside of campus by coincidence. Everything they're doing, however, is domestically-based, which is great if one wants to focus on pressing social policy issues in the U.S. But so far I haven't met anyone doing international-based work or having opportunities to work overseas. At the bottom-line I'm not sure if it's worth indebting myself for such a large amount if I'm having all these uncertainties. Unlike most people entering the program, I have only been out of college for a year and a half (I'm 23, yet most admitted students, range between 25-32). I can't say I have the experience necessary to take a decision like this yet. The international program doesn't seem to have any institute or network affiliated with it, and the "careers" section in their Global section of the website aren't as extensive as the regular for PNP Alumni. Any advice or whether I should go into such a program? I'm confused whether taking huge loans is even worth it when i'm not fully convinced is the right step for me.

Last March, I was accepted into NYU's Wagner Graduate School for Public Service. I intend to do a Masters of Public Administration with a specialization in international public policy. I have two months before the program begins, yet I'm starting to have serious questions and concerns with their international public/non-profit (PNP) program. I know Wagner itself is recognized primarily for its non-profit management curriculum, its faculty, and its affiliation with an array of institutes (Wagner is the largest school of public policy in the United States). On the other hand, as I keep reading about the program itself, I'm starting to doubt whether their international approach is as developed and structured for a career in international public policy as the regular PNP program in Policy and Management or Public Finance (compared to, say, schools like Goldman at Berkeley, SIPA at Columbia or John Hopkins). So far, I've met a couple of Wagner Alumni outside of campus by coincidence. Everything they're doing, however, is domestically-based, which is great if one wants to focus on pressing social policy issues in the U.S. But so far I haven't met anyone doing international-based work or having opportunities to work overseas. At the bottom-line I'm not sure if it's worth indebting myself for such a large amount if I'm having all these uncertainties. Unlike most people entering the program, I have only been out of college for a year and a half (I'm 23, yet most admitted students, overwhelmingly women, range between 25-32). I can't say I have the experience necessary to take a decision like this yet. The international program doesn't seem to have any institute or network affiliated with it, and the "careers" section in their Global section of the website aren't as extensive as the regular for PNP Alumni. Any advice or whether I should go into such a program? I'm confused whether taking huge loans is even worth it when i'm not fully convinced is the right step for me.