Is an IR Master's feasible?

[SanJose85]

Hi, I know this may be a strange proposal, but I am a young physician who is considering applying to an IR master's program. I've always been interested in IR and would love to work it into my career somehow. I currently work 4 days a week. I am considering applying to JHU and Georgetown. Are there classes online? Do you have to attend all in person? What's the daily schedule like? Are lectures recorded online for viewing at night instead of in person? Do you think this would even be feasible? Thanks. 

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by SanJose85
grammar,

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 6/17/2020 at 1:04 PM, SanJose85 said:

Hi, I know this may be a strange proposal, but I am a young physician who is considering applying to an IR master's program. I've always been interested in IR and would love to work it into my career somehow. I currently work 4 days a week. I am considering applying to JHU and Georgetown. Are there classes online? Do you have to attend all in person? What's the daily schedule like? Are lectures recorded online for viewing at night instead of in person? Do you think this would even be feasible? Thanks. 

 

If you are willing to give up the other 3 days a week, the only conceivable way I can see you get an IR Master's is do the Georgetown Part-Time Security Studies Program. They are probably the most flexible, but still in person.

If you are young resident physician, you might as well forget about it because of lack of management of your hours. If you are young attending physician, that might make more sense. 

No 100% online classes for any respectable IR graduate program. 

[SanJose85]

10 hours ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

If you are willing to give up the other 3 days a week, the only conceivable way I can see you get an IR Master's is do the Georgetown Part-Time Security Studies Program. They are probably the most flexible, but still in person.

If you are young resident physician, you might as well forget about it because of lack of management of your hours. If you are young attending physician, that might make more sense. 

No 100% online classes for any respectable IR graduate program. 

I noticed the Georgetown's Security Studies Program's site says most classes are at the evening. Is this true? In that case, I would be able to still work 4 days a week and attend classes at night, correct? https://css.georgetown.edu/academics/ssp/

I am young attending physician currently.

Do you think the Georgetown Security Studies Master's is a good degree for one who is interested in working at a think tank?  

[GradSchoolGrad]

3 hours ago, SanJose85 said:

I noticed the Georgetown's Security Studies Program's site says most classes are at the evening. Is this true? In that case, I would be able to still work 4 days a week and attend classes at night, correct? https://css.georgetown.edu/academics/ssp/

I am young attending physician currently.

Do you think the Georgetown Security Studies Master's is a good degree for one who is interested in working at a think tank?  

Think Tanks are normally incredibly next to impossible to get into... and honesty in my opinion they are over hyped roles (slow promotion and bad pay). There are much better opportunities in the policy space.

I think by virtue that you are an MD and attending, you have lots of opportunities that are global health + med + bio hazard + bio terrorism and etc. related that are much easier for you to have entry towards. 

Yes, they are mostly at night, but I recommend you check to see if they have any long periods that require you to be present in the day or anything. Some of these night programs require you to lose your weekends or lose a week to be in attendance in the day. I have known people with full time jobs to graduate from the Georgetown Security Studies Masters'. Keep in mind, you will then be somewhat limiting yourself to Security related issues. That is a huge chunk of IR, but there is more to the world than that of course. 

[SanJose85]

Thanks for the explanation and your help. 

Regarding being limited to security issues, that was one of my concerns if I were to pursue the Georgetown master's program. Someone else had actually suggested going the global health route, but unfortunately I don't have much interest in this field nor do I know how to get involved. I'd say I'm more interested in the Middle East, Russia  democracy, and human rights issues. 

Does the Security Studies program have a history of placing its alumni in think tank careers or that route? 

Would you have any other suggestions? I'd be willing to move as well if graduate program choice were to be an issue in the DMV. 

[went_away]

Check out Fletcher's GMAP program. They've had a few candidates much like yourself, including the current chief public health officer for Snohomish county, WA who is an MD; and would probably be the best option for a higher level professional such as yourself. Just google the program. Definitely would recommend waiting till in-person classes can resume. Georgetown's security studies MA program is another strong option, but your classmates won't so much be your peers as they would be with GMAP (more mid-20s types) though Gtown's Sec Studies degree has better/more flexible curriculum options that go with a longer program.

On a broader note you need to decide if you want to stay in the medical field - it sounds like you need to put a lot more thought into your plan. I would strongly suggest you consider how you can combine both IR and medicine and not throw away your current lucrative career you've worked so hard for in exchange for a $38k research assistant position at CSIS. There are a lot of very cool things you could do combining the two. Think public health security and national and global institutions. You may also find some mid-career opps at State and DoD.

Edited June 22, 2020 by went_away

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 6/19/2020 at 8:40 PM, SanJose85 said:

Thanks for the explanation and your help. 

Regarding being limited to security issues, that was one of my concerns if I were to pursue the Georgetown master's program. Someone else had actually suggested going the global health route, but unfortunately I don't have much interest in this field nor do I know how to get involved. I'd say I'm more interested in the Middle East, Russia  democracy, and human rights issues. 

Does the Security Studies program have a history of placing its alumni in think tank careers or that route? 

Would you have any other suggestions? I'd be willing to move as well if graduate program choice were to be an issue in the DMV. 

I think the sooner you get off the Think Tank train, the better off you'll be. Right now your career path does not align you well to Think Tanks period. Most Think Tank people are PhDs. Master's program don't have a high placement rate of people in Thank Tanks period (I mean people do go there, but they go there generally in junior level roles and find themselves hitting a ceiling whereby PhDs rule over them). It is better for you to go utilize your MD skills and combine them with a policy something and be a policy practioner in government, non-profit, or an NGO and then rebound back to a Think Tank later in life. Very few Think Tank lifers (outside of Think Tank management) really make it that far up the chain. 

 

[went_away]

3 hours ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

I think the sooner you get off the Think Tank train, the better off you'll be. Right now your career path does not align you well to Think Tanks period. Most Think Tank people are PhDs. Master's program don't have a high placement rate of people in Thank Tanks period (I mean people do go there, but they go there generally in junior level roles and find themselves hitting a ceiling whereby PhDs rule over them). It is better for you to go utilize your MD skills and combine them with a policy something and be a policy practioner in government, non-profit, or an NGO and then rebound back to a Think Tank later in life. Very few Think Tank lifers (outside of Think Tank management) really make it that far up the chain. 

 

Yep, think tanks are (1) holding tanks for those waiting for a political appointment with the next presidential administration, (2) sinecures for illustrious folks with a past senior government job or appointment under their belt, (3) sweat shop factories for exploited masters level labor (who do the work for cats 1 and 2), and (4), occassionally you'll also see a position come open for a renowned scholar practitioner type to bring together other like minded folks and produce policy relevant research.

None of the good categories above will apply to OP.

[urtar33]

Recognize and share a number of your frustration. I do ask that you keep in mind that many educational establishments are knowing how dependent they're on revenue generated by way of people being on campus and the revenue generated by means of taxes on a municipal, county,