IRFuture

I was recently admitted into both UGA's Masters in International Policy Program and King's College London Masters in International Political Economy Program and am having a hard time deciding between the two. Although I have really fallen for UGA's program I always think about ranking and location. When I talk to friends and family they make the idea of picking Athens over London sounds ridiculous which leaves me even more confused. Here is a break down of the two programs. UGA: - About $21,000 a year with low cost of living (2 year program, but could be finished in a year and a half [will be using loans to pay for tuition]) -The department is ranked 4th according to US News and from the professors and advisors I have spoken to they are a very flexible and welcoming department King's college: - About $26,000 with a very high cost of living (would have to take out about $60,000 in loans for the one year to support myself) - The program is relatively new so I don't know much about it, but the department and university are well aclaimed My question is should I just go for the 1 year program and live abroad, and how are masters from UK universities perceived in the IR field? Is UGA a strong enough program to get my foot in the door for IR jobs after I'm done? P.S I ultimately want to work for places such as the UN, a policy think tank, or the State Department and my specific interest is "3rd world" economic development. Any advice or opinions are very welcome

Hello, As someone who went to Berkeley I think I have a little bit of insight on living accommodations. UJS- you can also look into North Oakland. I lived on the Berkeley/Oakland border (telegraph and Alcatraz) and found it very convenient and safe. Since Telegraph is a direct link to campus and has many bus routes you can take if you don't feel like biking it was always a favorite for me. It is only about 5 miles away and you can easily find a place within your budget (you'd be surprised how little difference there is between oakland and Berkeley as far as lifestyles, but how big a difference the price is). Carlisle- don't waste your money on cal rental. Scouring Craigslist will get you similar results. I don't know much about grad dorms, but like I said to UJS North Oakland has always been a favorite of mine. You aren't too far from the Temescal Area, Jack London Square, or downtown Berkeley which will def satisfy your social needs without being too loud. I was never a fan of co-ops since they never seemed clean enough to me, but that's just an opinion. If you live in Berkeley you will be flooded with undergrads, especially during football season, but that isn't always a bad thing. Berkeley isn't the safest of campuses since its so open, but being smart and aware of your surroundings you should be fine ( many of times I spent late nights getting home by myself and rarely felt threatened) Hope this helps a little

Hello reporterinvietnam, I went to UC Berkeley as an undergrad therefore I am slightly biased. Although I would say go to Berkeley off top, I think you need to consider where would better fit your research interests and which professors you would have access to. I have several friends that TA at the PhD level and have heard no complaints as far as work load, but I guess it depends on the person. You are going to be there for several years so you need to ultimately be happy with your department and the location. If you are thinking in terms of cities I would say Berkeley is a winner hands down with a lot to do in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Hello All, This is my first time posting and I'm hoping to get some advice. I have been recently accepted to NYU, University of Georgia, University of Miami, and waitlisted for GW Elliott school with a Masters in International Relations and am having quite a hard time making up my mind. So far I am leaning towards NYU (until I hear back from GW which is my first choice) but have been offered no funding, and after making a budget my overall cost of living seems like it would be over $60,000 a year. On the other hand University of Georgia has not yet offered me funding, but is significantly cheaper, with an annual budget of about $40,000.* all of this will primarily be paid for via loans* Now my question is; should I suck it up, take out the loans needed, and go to NYU which is ranked pretty well and has name recognition, or go to University of Georgia where I wouldn't be too stressed about the cost and isn't as highly ranked in IR, but slowly moving up in the ranks? OR should I defer for a year, look for work in a related field, and apply to other schools and fellowships in hopes of being offered funding this next time around? Again... any input or advice would be greatly appreciated