Masters at Undergrad Institution or Good School?

[brownpride]

I'm currently finishing up my BA in International Relations and Political Science at the University of Calgary, a public university in Canada. It's a great institution for some subjects, like engineering and commerce, but definitely not in the arts or social sciences. Following graduation I'm planning on studying law in the US, but I'd like to spend a year prior to law school completing a Masters program in International Relations. I chose this institution because I wanted to stay at home for cheap, but after realizing the severe dearth of choice in the area I wanted to study in, I promised myself I would go to the best school I could get into for my next degree. However, law school is going to put an immense financial burden on me (200k+), as I am certainly planning on going to the best institution I can get into for that. Thus I'm confused about where to go for the Masters program. I want the law degree to be my primary degree, but I also want to earn a Masters to give me a stronger academic grounding in international relations as well as to give me more credibility in the world of law and policymaking. As well, I want to earn a PhD down the road (after 10+ years), so the Masters program is a serious consideration for me as well. Here are my options (assuming I'll get into all of them, but I'm operating on the assumption that I will after extensive research and consideration of my qualifications):

1. Stay at my undergrad institution to do an MA in Political Science, where the resources are limited but the cheaper tuition, drastically lower living expenses for staying at home, and ability to earn more funding as the students are mediocre will likely leave me with $25k+ in surplus funding.

2. Go to the program I want to at either the University of Cambridge or the London School of Economics in the UK to do a Masters degree in International Relations, where the resources, professors, opportunities, and reputations of the universities are all outstanding, but pay through my nose (somewhere in the neighborhood of $45-55k).

I really, really want to attend one of the latter schools in the UK, as I'm extremely passionate about what I'm studying (international relations, human rights, the Middle East) and these schools are renowned for the opportunities they present in these fields. The courses I could take there would be amazing and I can work with some excellent professors as well. I also want to work internationally, which is a big reason I want to have some more recognized credentials as well.

Any thoughts, tips, or important considerations?

[psyched for psych]

Ultimately, the decision is yours. I had a situation similar to yours and I decided to attend graduate school a the same place I did my undergraduate. For me ,it was about saving money since it seems to be so scarce these days.

[ogopo]

What about a middle-ground? You could go to another Canadian public university that has a better reputation than Calgary. That way, you still save money but have a better education.

[balderdash]

I went to Cambridge last year, and a friend of mine went to LSE. Just to address your figures, Cambridge is much cheaper than LSE because you're not living in London. The total cost for my year was about $40k US, while hers was $70k (difference between a 9 month and a 12 month course, partly). Also keep in mind that tuition prices have gone up substantially at both institutions - my degree went from 11,850 pounds to over 15,000 in one year. So I'd say your $45k figure is about accurate, adjusted to the CAD, for Cambs. But you'll probably reach $75-80k for LSE.

But that said, I wouldn't trade my year in Cambs for anything...

[runonsentence]

Standard advice for those going into academia (especially the humanities) is not to pay for a degree if you have a funding opportunity. You're not really doing any of those things, BUT, choosing the school with funding, even if it's not as good, would give you more career flexibility (what if you hate law school?). $0.02

Edited August 20, 2011 by runonsentence

[Zahar Berkut]

It may be worth investigating schools that have a dual IR/Law program, usually something that will let you complete your course of study in an extra year.

But are you planning to go to law school in Canada? And is the goal of the MA to make you more competitive for a top law program? Competitiveness can also be won if your work experience is impressive, and you'd also earn some money in the process by taking that route. And if the tuition of law school in Canada is manageable, that should weigh on how much you're willing to drop on an MA at LSE, Oxbridge, etc.

[tweeter]

I went to the same school for my bachelor's and master's for the same reason (cost). I don't regret my decision. There wasn't, however, a big difference between my other options. Your decision is more difficult.

[HeatherD]

Law School is going to be expensive... I say go to the cheaper school and rock it there and, like one of the other commenters said, get some good internships/ work experience under your belt. I'm no admissions counselor but I would say getting really good grades (especially if they are way better than your undergrad gpa) will make you competitive for law school (which REALLY DOES MATTER WHERE YOU GO). That way you're not spending a ton of money on a degree you may not even use

[brownpride]

Thanks for the responses guys. I want to go to law school in the states, and a top one at that. Tuition plus living costs there will run me over 200k, which is precisely why I don't know about the extra money for the masters. So a masters from a good school in international relations wont really offer much benefit relative to the cost i guess, right?

[Sigaba]

What about option 3? Go to law school, develop your practice, and then go back to school and get your MA in IR.

• What is the median income of first year associates who graduated from law schools on your list? (I was recently told that for Duke University, it is $200,000)
  
• Can a practicing attorney in the U.S. deduct any part of the fees to get a M.A. in IR as a business expense?
  
• Are their law firms that will subsidize all or part of an associate's educational fees if those fees will enhance the firm's marketability?
  

Edited September 5, 2011 by Sigaba