Program Suggestions

[msn]

Dear all,

Currently I'm beginning the process of applying to IR programs. I've been thinking about it for a long time and collected a lot of program names, but now that I'm actually applying, I'm questioning some of my choices.

My top two so far are Fletchers, Boston University

I'm also looking at: Goldman, SIPA, AU, and GW

I graduated in 2010 from a small, public liberal arts college. My backgrounds is quant. deficient and I'm not as interested in the quantitative aspect of International Relations. After graduating I spent a year in Taiwan studying Mandarin.

I'm interested in: Asia, Religions and Politics, Human Rights, Conflict Resolution

In the future I hope to be involved in some capacity with East-West relations but I haven't been able to narrow it down further.

Does anyone know of or have ideas of how I can focus my vision? Any ideas about career options with an Asia focus?

I think that if I can really get an idea of what kind of career options I have, I can decide which programs would serve me the best. Any programs suggestions that I haven't listed?

Any input would be much appreciated!

[disintegrate]

why boston?

[msn]

I like Boston University mostly because they're one of the few schools to have an IR and Religion program. A lot of other schools seem to have centers for Religion and Politics, but not actual MA programs. That being said, BU tuition is so high, and they don't seem to advertise a rate of employment.

[MYRNIST]

I'm interested in: Asia, Religions and Politics, Human Rights, Conflict Resolution

In the future I hope to be involved in some capacity with East-West relations but I haven't been able to narrow it down further.

Does anyone know of or have ideas of how I can focus my vision? Any ideas about career options with an Asia focus?

Most public policy schools are professional-oriented schools. They are great for people who have a definite career goal in mind and can clearly map how a M.A. would help them get there. They are not the right place to go if you have very broad interests and are not really sure which one is "the one", especially considering the time and financial burdens of graduate school, and especially especially since there is not necessarily a huge financial payoff the same way there is for a MBA or other professional degree. You don't want to rely on grad school to clarify your dreams and plans, since you then run the (very common) risk of it not doing so and having the same or worse career prospects while having wasted a couple years.

So, I think you are very correct in trying to figure out what you want professionally to do before taking on grad school. That said, I can't really offer much good input into career options when your interests are similarly broad and unspecified. There are precisely eleventy billion different jobs that fall under the heading of "vaguely Asia-related, not math heavy." You could work for a human rights NGO in Asia. You could do something with the "religious economy" of American churches pouring tons of money into missionary and charity work in Asia. You could work for the cultural wings of the UN. A lobbyist. What few interests are really close to your heart? If you can articulate that people can offer much better advice.

Basically, you need to narrow down your interests and find which are the ones you really are passionate about - the one(s) you are willing to make a career of, endure years of students loans for, etc.

I'm not trying to be abrasive, just a gentle reminder that while the well-rounded person is an admirable ideal, specialty is the name of the career game.

[msn]

Basically, you need to narrow down your interests and find which are the ones you really are passionate about - the one(s) you are willing to make a career of, endure years of students loans for, etc.

I'm not trying to be abrasive, just a gentle reminder that while the well-rounded person is an admirable ideal, specialty is the name of the career game.

Yes, I realize that my main problem is that my interests are sort of far reaching, and my ambitions great, but my specific ideal career path is vague mostly because I don't know what are the choices.

I don't want to pursue academia because I want to be an acting agent in the world. My mind works in a way that is suited for PhD research, but I don't want lock myself up in an ivory tower. But I need some help in terms of what are the real-life options out there.

If I come down to it, the most specific I can get is that I am deeply interested in the interaction between religion and government, even in secular governments, and then the rights and roles of religious minorities in societies. I'm also interested in minorities and immigrants, how they interact and are acted upon by the majority.

I really would appreciate any clue in terms of what sorts of paths I should look into for a career so that I can better judge which programs to apply to.

Edited September 26, 2011 by msn

[beefmaster]

You sound like you need to get some work experience. I am not trying to sound like a dick. But I did exactly the same thing you out of undergrad, albeit a different language,and still after that I had no focussed career goals. After I have now taken a couple of years to get some decent work experience I have more of an idea of what I want to do.

It is a huge investment and maybe you will even find out that an IR degree is not what you need to do to reach your career goals after working for a couple of years.

[msn]

A job would be great, I've applied to nearly 20 jobs so far. I could try another 20 but I'm a little exhausted writing cover letter after cover letter, trying to convince people that despite my lack of working experience, my BA qualifies me to answer phones and write emails and manage a calendar of meetings for their company/organization.

I don't know anyone else interested in an IR or MPP or any field like that. I studied humanities in college and so did all my friends. My profs, though they gave me good general grad school advice, don't have much specific advice for this sort of career path.

[MYRNIST]

A job would be great, I've applied to nearly 20 jobs so far. I could try another 20 but I'm a little exhausted writing cover letter after cover letter, trying to convince people that despite my lack of working experience, my BA qualifies me to answer phones and write emails and manage a calendar of meetings for their company/organization.

I don't know anyone else interested in an IR or MPP or any field like that. I studied humanities in college and so did all my friends. My profs, though they gave me good general grad school advice, don't have much specific advice for this sort of career path.

Maybe get a "normal" job to pay the bills and work an IR related internship in your free time? I worked a corporate position I hated for over a year to fund several different unpaid IR internships (which are what 99% of them are. And you're not competitive for the paid ones, nor am I - graduate students suck them all up.)

I empathize with your situation, it's a rough economy and a tough field to break in to, but don't give up. You can always find ways to stay involved.

[gzdzcca]

msn

I actually have a very close goal as you do. I want to promote religious freedom in China, and of course also the human rights of those religious minorities. I am also an undergraduate without work experience.

But my situation is worse than you. My undergraduate major is religious studies, I could not even get an unpaid internship, which I have only a year to find one since I am an international student that only allowed to work in the US for a year after graduation.

If I wanna work in this field, I have to get into a grad school next fall, which provides me with professional networks. Thank you for the comments above, I think the only thing I can do is to narrow down and specify my career goal.