Syracuse Maxwell Joint MPA and IR program

[Minerva473]

I've been accepted to the joint MPA and IR program at Syracuse's Maxwell School and am quite curious about anyone's thoughts on the benefits of this joint degree, and on the Maxwell School in general. I've heard lots of good things which is exciting.

Mainly though, surprisingly now that I've been accepted I'm now even more anxious given that I have to wait another month to hear about funding. Total cost of the whole program is $94k (including living expenses) and the thought of paying all of that is scary. I've been accepted at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute as well for their MPP, and the advantage of that is that I can live with my parents... so assuming no funding (still not heard yet) this brings the bill down to about $80k. Okay... I guess not that big a difference. Part of my wonders if it's worth enrolling in these programs at all if I don't get funding.

[tammy-san]

Hello there,

I've been accepted in the joint program as well, and funding will definitely be a factor as to whether I will end up going there or not. I know that Syracuse is highly regarded in terms of the MPA, but I am less familiar with the IR program.

Anybody out there who can share some thoughts?

[Minerva473]

Have you seen the Foreign Policy rankings for IR programs? Syracuse is #10.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_the_Ivory_Tower

On the other hand, if you look at the Wikipedia articles for the Maxwell School versus places like the Harvard Kennedy School, the Fletcher School, and the Woodrow Wilson School, there is a huge difference in terms of "notable alumni". I did find a former ambassador to Pakistan that studied at Maxwell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Lewis_Raphel), but in terms of producing tons and tons of really high level leaders in IR (or public administration actually) it's not on the same level as the Ivies or Fletcher. This can obviously mean many things that are not related to the quality of the program itself (perhaps the people who attend schools like Harvard are wealthier, therefore already have a top notch network and, for example, the ability to run political campaigns), but I think it is another factor to take into consideration when deciding whether to go into debt, etc.

[Affirmed]

I have also been accepted to Syracuse Maxwell IR/ECON dual degree program. But have no idea about the program's reputation and future Phd options.

[Minerva473]

I've been thinking about the dual MPA/MAIR a lot and from what I can see the IR program at the Maxwell School is not bad at all. They have global programs in all parts of the world, including developing countries, and the school itself seems to have a very supportive environment. Really looking to see if they offer me any funding because that is a major factor for me, but I think I'd be quite happy to go there, especially given the reputation of the MPA program. Also I don't think I'd mind living in a city like Syracuse -- I'm not obsessed with being in a big city.

[BonAppetit]

I have to say I'm quite envious of the several of you who have already been admitted. Syracuse is my #1 choice. I'm having trouble articulating - even in my own head- exactly why. I just really get a good feeling from everything about it. I've applied to the public diplomacy program, which is joint between IR and the Newhouse communication school. I'm not sure how the admissions timeline rolls for the PD program, as my application emails are all coming from Newhouse -- and they say they'll let us know by March 15. But, once again, I'm not sure if that is just the comm. school, and if Maxwell makes its decisions first about me or what... the wait is killing me!

What have you been told about funding, by the way? Did they give you time frame for finding out?

[tammy-san]

For some reason, I'm quite drawn to Syracuse as well, even though I have never visited! As another person here has mentioned, the fact that you can do two semesters abroad in a developing country is really, really attractive. Also, in terms of prestige, ranking, and notable alumni -- honestly, as someone who went to a "brand name", elitist, private university for undergrad, the thought of going to a place like Syracuse seems really appealing. I feel like I could be really comfortable with the program there, and learn what I need to learn for my future career.

I can't speak to your program specifically (So, I don't know how relevant this information will be), but they said in their admissions e-mail that funding notifications will be made no later than April 1 for the dual MPA/IR program--which seems quite like a long ways away. For some reason, waiting for funding information is more agonizing than waiting to hear if I got in!!!!

[Jah Dizzle]

I have also been accepted to Syracuse Maxwell IR/ECON dual degree program. But have no idea about the program's reputation and future Phd options.

I applied to this program and have not received a response but I am a domestic student. How recently did you receive your decision?

Edited March 10, 2010 by Jah Dizzle

[Affirmed]

I applied to this program and have not received a response but I am a domestic student. How recently did you receive your decision?

They sent me an unofficial acceptance e-mail at 25 Feb. The e-mail indicated that they will send me the official letter in one or two weeks.

[druthers]

Did anyone on this thread decide to go to Syracuse for the MAIR/MPA dual degree? I am considering applying for that or just the IR program for the fall of 2011 and wonder what your thoughts are after a half year of study (or less). What do you appreciate about Syracuse? I love their curriculum, but, as someone mentioned in this thread, it is hard to pay for the dual degree without funding and also difficult to pick over schools like Fletcher, SAIS, Jackson, etc... Let me know your thoughts!

[MaxwellAlum]

Did anyone on this thread decide to go to Syracuse for the MAIR/MPA dual degree? I am considering applying for that or just the IR program for the fall of 2011 and wonder what your thoughts are after a half year of study (or less). What do you appreciate about Syracuse? I love their curriculum, but, as someone mentioned in this thread, it is hard to pay for the dual degree without funding and also difficult to pick over schools like Fletcher, SAIS, Jackson, etc... Let me know your thoughts!

I started the dual degree at Maxwell this year and my experience has been great so far. I really like the combination of the practical, management oriented coursework of the MPA with the interdisciplinary coursework and internship opportunities of the IR degree. I also love the atmosphere here -- the students are all very driven people but generally very down to earth and just plain kind. The faculty is very supportive as well and there is also a lot to do outside of classes; for instance, some of my friends are doing volunteer research on terrorism for one of the many institutes here. Others are interning with a locally based international development NGO.

I'm not saying it's perfect -- I've had a couple of lackluster professors, and one main frustrating administrative experience, but overall, I'm happy here and feel excited about career opportunities after I finish.

In terms of the money, it's good to think about that. Maxwell isn't the most expensive school, but it's not cheap either. I chose Maxwell over another more highly ranked IR school in part because they offered me more funding, so don't count out the possibility that you might get an assistantship or a scholarship.

The best advice I can give you though is to contact Maxwell directly to get in touch with students or alumni who are further along the process than I am. In my experience and that of many of my friends, Maxwell students/alumni are pretty honest about how they liked the program (including Syracuse winters... for the record, I really like Syracuse, but it hasn't started snowing yet...).

[UrbanWonk]

I'm finishing my undergrad at Syracuse, so I know the city quite well and have had class with some of the Master's folks (some of the econ courses overlap).

As for the one who pointed out Maxwell doesn't have a huge number of ambassadors--this is true. But you'll often hear reference to the "Maxwell Mafia"--the army of alumni in prestigious positions in DC and NYC, so it all depends on where you want to end up. On the funding note, there are several research centers affiliated with Maxwell (they're even within the building) that offer RAships, so just because you don't end up with explicit funding doesn't mean you can't find some when you get there. Also, check out this page: http://www.maxwell.s.../pa.aspx?id=661 So long as you get your application in early, there are a world of options, some specifically focused on IR.

Any questions on the city, feel free to ask!

[MaxwellAlum]

I'm finishing my undergrad at Syracuse, so I know the city quite well and have had class with some of the Master's folks (some of the econ courses overlap).

As for the one who pointed out Maxwell doesn't have a huge number of ambassadors--this is true. But you'll often hear reference to the "Maxwell Mafia"--the army of alumni in prestigious positions in DC and NYC, so it all depends on where you want to end up. On the funding note, there are several research centers affiliated with Maxwell (they're even within the building) that offer RAships, so just because you don't end up with explicit funding doesn't mean you can't find some when you get there. Also, check out this page: http://www.maxwell.s.../pa.aspx?id=661 So long as you get your application in early, there are a world of options, some specifically focused on IR.

Any questions on the city, feel free to ask!

This is all very true. Since I'm doing the dual degree and am here for two years, I haven't properly taken advantage of the alumni network, but I've heard great things. The "Mafia" are a prominent force in the US bureaucracy and are also present in UN agencies, the World Bank, and there is a presence internationally. I've heard that they're very willing to help, from informational interviews to a place to crash in DC/NYC. I meet with a career counselor every few weeks (she is really great) and the alumni network is really the best way to get your career search started.

Some of the employers that recruit MPA grads in particular like Deloitte, Grant Thornton, and LMI (I list consulting firms because they recruit in the fall, so they're the ones who have come to campus so far) have a group of Maxwell grads working for them and I believe they come to Syracuse to do on-campus recruiting every year.

And, on the funding note several people secured graduate assistantships before or after getting here (these can mean anything from admin work to research for a professor).

Finally, on the IR side, Maxwell really makes use of its connections to help students get internships; the Geneva program in particular places a group of students in UN agencies over the summer every year.

Edited November 4, 2010 by SyracuseStudent