Masters programs

[I am not a gradstudent]

I try not to pay attention to 'rankings' as if they are holy scripture, but FP in collaboration with william & mary called GT the #1 school for IR. Except GT doesn't have a program called "IR". The closest is one in foreign service, where 50% of their grads go into state. They have one for security studies, which is also pretty specialized, but that's pretty much for pentagon work.

 

So wth? I don't understand. I was interested in a more general IR degree, I guess. But GT being the best for IR feels very awkward and unfitting.

[JPYSD]

The FP ranking is largely US-biased and practice-oriented. It (and Georgetown) is not made for students aspiring to stay in academia, but, indeed, for mostly American students that plan to go the foreign service / government route. Even for think tanks and independent expert careers in DC, I would argue, there are better IR schools. Georgetown just kind of has a legacy status in DC government circles (and among a small number of foreign governments), which is why it attracts and reproduces good students and rankings every year.

Again, keep in mind that those are all "professional schools" and geared towards a practical career in politics and diplomacy (among Johns Hopkins, Fletcher, American, GW, Columbia SIPA, Harvard Kennedy and a few others).

The "true" study or IR is largely academic and scholarly. This is something you might "find" at these schools too, but you will be better off at the best general Political Science departments. For academic masters in IR, you should go abroad to really have a benefit from it (LSE, Oxbridge etc.). Only Chicago seems to make sense if you don't want to go the professional route and stay in the US. Most other programs in the US are simply cash cows. Go to Europe instead or apply for PhDs directly.

Feel free to PN if you have any more or specific questions. I worked in the DC circles quite a bit but now took the PoliSci route into academia 🙂 

Edited October 16 by JPYSD

[I am not a gradstudent]

Oh! Thank you that was like the most ideal answer imaginable.