Oxford vs. Cambridge for U.S. PhD?

[JPYSD]

Hello everyone,

I am currently very unsure how to decide between two master options I have to then further continue with PhD applications:

Background:

• Bachelor in IR (top 10-15 European school) with decent, but not crazy good grades (maybe top 20-30%)
• Currently enrolled in US master in a PoliSci related, but interdisciplinary field (top 10 school), with currently a top grade standing
• Decent (international) research experience, a few well known scholarships, a few publications (nothing too extraordinary), 6 fluent languages, lack of quant knowledge, no GRE done yet, good letters of recommendations in sight

Goal:

• Top PhD program, ideally in the US
• Topic Area: IR or Comparative Politics, potentially on the more theory heavy side and with a focus on South Asia as a region

Options:

• I have two second master programs lined up for the fall (both one year), both are quite research heavy and fall into the area of regional studies:
• MSc in Modern South Asian Studies (Oxford)
• MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies (Cambridge)
• Both would be fully funded (including living costs) through scholarships

Question:

• I am really unsure which program to choose. Both are quite similarly structured and have a strong research component.
• Cambridge is more established in South Asian Studies, seems more academic (also is named "MPhil"), and somehow the department seems more up to date and "healthy"
• Oxford, however, seems more flexible and would allow me to focus a little more on the political science side of things, which might be important considering my wish to do a PhD in PoliSci
• Oxford might be more prestigious and relevant from a US perspective?

 

Does anyone have experience with with South Asia within PoliSci or can give me any information about the standing of Cambridge and Oxford in the US PhD market or just generally evaluate my profile?

Any comments are greatly appreciated!

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by SJPY

[MrsPhD]

Look at professors that will teach the classes you are teaching at both programs and also those you could work with on a thesis. Those are the ones who will write letters of recommendation for you. That's what matters. Do they publish? Do they have any connections to US Institutions? 

Also, do they offer any methods classes? You have no quant knowledge at all (from bachelor) so at least you need an intro class to quantitative methods. 

[JPYSD]

Thank you so much, @MrsPhD, that is very kind and helpful!

However, these are also questions, where some of the problems lie:

1 hour ago, MrsPhD said:

Look at professors that will teach the classes you are teaching at both programs and also those you could work with on a thesis. Those are the ones who will write letters of recommendation for you. That's what matters. Do they publish? Do they have any connections to US Institutions? 

• In both programs I would work quite close with my thesis supervisors
• However, in one program it will likely be a professor in a discipline very close to my interest, but with no real US ties
• While in the other program I would be supervised by two professors, of which especially one seems very established with a high international research output, but who is more connected to a neighboring discipline (not PoliSci, but related to my topics of research)

1 hour ago, MrsPhD said:

Also, do they offer any methods classes? You have no quant knowledge at all (from bachelor) so at least you need an intro class to quantitative methods.

Regarding quant I was not very clear. I did have two introductory classes in PoliSci research methods in my undergrad, especially in R. However, never did anything in depth/on grad level.

Both programs have qual. and quant. methods components, but in a veeeery light manner.

 

I know that all of those are very broad and vague questions that I have to figure out myself in the end. I still appreciate any help and feedback ?

Edited February 16, 2022 by SJPY

[Theory007]

You could also apply to both. The restriction on applying to both universities only applies to undergraduate admissions.

[JPYSD]

9 hours ago, Theory007 said:

You could also apply to both. The restriction on applying to both universities only applies to undergraduate admissions.

Thank you @Theory007! And I am sorry if I was not clear, but I already applied and was accepted into both programs, so I am literally just choosing between those two now ?

[Theory007]

4 hours ago, SJPY said:

Thank you @Theory007! And I am sorry if I was not clear, but I already applied and was accepted into both programs, so I am literally just choosing between those two now ?

I see! It is clear - I just overlooked it when I first read your post.

[MrsPhD]

On 2/16/2022 at 3:33 AM, SJPY said:

 

• In both programs I would work quite close with my thesis supervisors
• However, in one program it will likely be a professor in a discipline very close to my interest, but with no real US ties
• While in the other program I would be supervised by two professors, of which especially one seems very established with a high international research output, but who is more connected to a neighboring discipline (not PoliSci, but related to my topics of research)

Regarding quant I was not very clear. I did have two introductory classes in PoliSci research methods in my undergrad, especially in R. However, never did anything in depth/on grad level.

Both programs have qual. and quant. methods components, but in a veeeery light manner.

Having two supervisors can potentially give you 2 good letters of recommendation here, while having one will give you just one letter. However, the personality and interest of the professors also plays a part there, so it depends on who they are and you can try to schedule a short conversation with them or write them an email or talk to their former/current students about their experience.

Talk to current students and try to figure out where the graduates of each program ended up.

Also, even though you have scholarships, really check how much it costs to live in both cities and what's included. Both are really expensive. 

 

[Theory007]

On 2/15/2022 at 7:52 AM, SJPY said:

Hello everyone,

I am currently very unsure how to decide between two master options I have to then further continue with PhD applications:

Background:

• Bachelor in IR (top 10-15 European school) with decent, but not crazy good grades (maybe top 20-30%)
• Currently enrolled in US master in a PoliSci related, but interdisciplinary field (top 10 school), with currently a top grade standing
• Decent (international) research experience, a few well known scholarships, a few publications (nothing too extraordinary), 6 fluent languages, lack of quant knowledge, no GRE done yet, good letters of recommendations in sight

Goal:

• Top PhD program, ideally in the US
• Topic Area: IR or Comparative Politics, potentially on the more theory heavy side and with a focus on South Asia as a region

Options:

• I have two second master programs lined up for the fall (both one year), both are quite research heavy and fall into the area of regional studies:
• MSc in Modern South Asian Studies (Oxford)
• MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies (Cambridge)
• Both would be fully funded (including living costs) through scholarships

Question:

• I am really unsure which program to choose. Both are quite similarly structured and have a strong research component.
• Cambridge is more established in South Asian Studies, seems more academic (also is named "MPhil"), and somehow the department seems more up to date and "healthy"
• Oxford, however, seems more flexible and would allow me to focus a little more on the political science side of things, which might be important considering my wish to do a PhD in PoliSci
• Oxford might be more prestigious and relevant from a US perspective?

 

Does anyone have experience with with South Asia within PoliSci or can give me any information about the standing of Cambridge and Oxford in the US PhD market or just generally evaluate my profile?

Any comments are greatly appreciated!

 

What did you decide?