UNC vs UGA - which is stronger in methods

[sidpret]

I'm trying to decide between full funding at both of these schools. Both have strong advisors for me in my area of interest. I realize UNC is much more highly thought of generally, but I am not planning on going into academia so I am not quite as worried about reputation and placement record. What I am most concerned about is getting a strong foundation in game theory and statistical methods.

My potential advisor at UGA is very strong on game theory, but I don't know much about UNC. Could anyone comment about the relative strength of these programs' for methods training?

Thanks in advance.

[flyingwalrus]

UNC is ranked 17th in methods while UGA is unranked. At UNC you'll also be able to take classes taught by Duke faculty members, so keep that in mind.

[sidpret]

UNC is ranked 17th in methods while UGA is unranked. At UNC you'll also be able to take classes taught by Duke faculty members, so keep that in mind.

Could you link me to the rankings you are looking at - if they are publicly available on the web.

[MissingVandyCandy]

I think you'll find the girls at both schools amenable to a variety of methodological approaches to intercourse... doggy, scissors, missionary. The coed committment to pluralism should be strong at either institution, though there is something about those girls in Athens. I'd method myself down to UGA.

[flyingwalrus]

Could you link me to the rankings you are looking at - if they are publicly available on the web.

I referenced the US News and World Reports rankings. You'd have to pay for them to see the full list.

[VaclavHavel]

Copied from a post on another forum:

1. Harvard University (MA)

2. Stanford University (CA)

University of Michigan

[UndraftedFreeAgent]

It's my impression that UNC would be the better program no matter what your eventual aim. I don't know how good the US News ranking system is for the subfields, but methodology, more than any of the other subfields, would give you the most marketable skill sets, so the top marks in methodology are key. UNC also gives you the option of changing your mind and refocusing on academia with decent placement possibilities if you decide that the "real world" isn't for you.

[vjsanch]

I am an undergrad at UGA right now, and I just got accepted to the grad program for next fall. (I will be accepting.) I talked to a current PhD student today for a while about the program, and in particular methods (which I am nervous about and not really looking forward to). She said that within the past two years the department has completely changed the way that they teach their methods. She said that instead of taking them all at once and not really understanding what is going on (she had methods under the old system and said it was quite painful), they are now offered in a spread-out sequence that allows you to get into more depth. She also had only the highest praise for the professors that teach methods, and stressed that the system of teaching methods gets stronger and stronger each year. In general (I can say this with my experience as an undergrad), the professors at UGA have been nothing short of exceptional, and you will be in for a stellar academic experience if you decide to come here. Do you know who you advisor would be if you came here?

[slickj07]

as a current MPA student here, I think the political science department of UGA probably is underrated, and has been bulking up in methods and institutions. I suspect the department's ranking will go up in the next rankings, but no idea how much. Part of the problem with rankings is the extent to which they're just based on reputation, rather than actual program. UGA's also getting rid of their silly requirement that you have to start in the master's program. They've lost many a good student cause of that.

You're going to be able to work in government with a degree from either place. I'd probably lean toward UNC though, just cause of how well known it is and the fact its a pretty large leap ahead in a number of ways. UGA may get close to them in 10 or 20 yrs, but I think UNC is just solidly ahead. Even if UGA is an underrated program.

[eve2008]

Off-topic: Isn't Stanford better than Harvard at methods?

[just_me]

When US News polled department chairs last (in 2005), they actually ranked Harvard #1 and Stanford #2 in that field. Methods people are certainly free to differ though.

It is kind of a pointless mental exercise (liking trying to decide the best college football player ever). For practical purposes (such as which graduate program to attend), they are so close in quality we are arguing about spurious differences when we argue between the two of them for overall ranking in that field. Your feel for individual faculty that you might have to/want to work with, award package, geographic preferences, etc... probably trump any paper-thin difference. It isn't like we are talking about the difference between Stanford and Ohio State (which still has a very, very good program in methods).