Stanford Interanational Policy Studies

[pepper12]

Hi,

I have a question about the IPS program at Stanford. How is it like compared to MPP programs such as that in GSPP, UCLA, or the MPA/ID in Harvard?

Would the job placements be similar? I want to work, ultimately, in development research organizations such as World Bank or international organizations such as the UN. Would the CA location hurt if I want DC, NY jobs where most of the international organizations are?

thank you!!

[pepper12]

anyone?

thank you!

[pepper12]

Nobody knows anything?

Please help!! Thank you!!

[thewaitinggame09]

Hi,

I have a question about the IPS program at Stanford. How is it like compared to MPP programs such as that in GSPP, UCLA, or the MPA/ID in Harvard?

Would the job placements be similar? I want to work, ultimately, in development research organizations such as World Bank or international organizations such as the UN. Would the CA location hurt if I want DC, NY jobs where most of the international organizations are?

thank you!!

Hi Pepper12!

I will give you my input and then other folks can give you theirs if they like too. You kinda ask yourself where do you want to be down the road career wise?

I live here in DC right now and have been for the last 5 years. I can tell you networking here is really huge...DC is like a small town. But I am not sure about the NY area since I never lived there.

As far as Stanford comparing to other MPP programs...

As far as UCLA goes, I am not too familiar with the program...maybe someone else can comment.

As far as Harvard goes...the MPA/ID program is good and really well-known but it is only about 7 years old. Good luck in getting into that program. Harvard networking is huge wherever you go since it is recognized easily across the world.

Are you in undergrauduate school now? Or have you applied to Georgetown or George Washington or are you thinking about applying to graduate programs in the DC area?

Final Thoughts: If you want to do international organizations, like you stated above, I can tell you the DC area is the place to be. There are so many international organizations here, I cannot keep track. More and more seem to pop-up every day. If you don't go to school in the DC area, I STRONGLY recommend you intern during your summer breaks.

Best of Luck!

[pepper12]

thank you for your response!!

I want a DC job in the end but Stanford's IPS and Berkeley's MPP seem to be very good programs and I wonder how much the CA location would hurt?

I applied to Georgetown and got in, but I think reputation wise it is inferior to Stanford or Berkeley, but I am not sure.

I also got into a PhD program in University of Maryland, College Park, and I know it is in DC but internationally and as a university on the whole, Stanford and Berkeley seem to be very strong and of a different calibre than Maryland.

What do you think? I am also waiting to hear from SAIS and SIPA.

Thank you so much!

[thewaitinggame09]

thank you for your response!!

I want a DC job in the end but Stanford's IPS and Berkeley's MPP seem to be very good programs and I wonder how much the CA location would hurt?

I applied to Georgetown and got in, but I think reputation wise it is inferior to Stanford or Berkeley, but I am not sure.

I also got into a PhD program in University of Maryland, College Park, and I know it is in DC but internationally and as a university on the whole, Stanford and Berkeley seem to be very strong and of a different calibre than Maryland.

What do you think? I am also waiting to hear from SAIS and SIPA.

Thank you so much!

Well i am not too sure about comparing their programs.

I guess you have to see what concentration area you want to do and of course the school reputation.

Well as I have been narrowing down the schools, I have been talking to folks/professors/students that went to those schools. I would suggest to do it if you have not done so yet?

Have you visted the programs or any of them yet so that you get a feel of the campus setting or area? So you already have a Masters degree now?

As far as Stanford/UCLA goes, true those programs are good and if you go to them. I am not sure how to compare them wise. I have slowly been learning about MPP/MPA programs over the last 4 to 6 months.

I would just try to intern in DC when you can during the summers.

Let me know what you end up deciding.

[pepper12]

Hey,

No I don't have a masters degree that's why I applied to MPPs, MPAs, Stanford's IPS, and some PhDs in Econ.

Ultimately I want to work in research organizations and not academia so I apply to a bunch of master programs. I am on the east coast so I have not been able to visit Stanford or UC Berkeley (or UCLA) but I think I should as you suggested!!

I am visiting DC in a week so I would be able to talk to people in Maryland!!

: ) Yea I plant o intern in DC in the summer, wherever I will end up, but I am just not sure how difficult it would be for me to secure an internship in the DC area if I eventually go to a CA university!

Thank you so much!!!!

[globalsun]

Hi I was accepted to the Stanford IPS program and wait listed at Berkeley's MPP. I also got into SIPA, Tufts Fletcher, U Chicago CIR, and UCSD IRPS. I'm still waiting on Harvard KSG, SAIS, Georgetown MSFS, along with several UK schools.

The Stanford program is very young as it will graduate its inaugural class this spring. Its a internationally focused policy degree unlike most MPP programs. Its also very small in size, with at most 30 students coming in each year. Since I live near the area, I was able to drop in on their "Practicum", where they given a presentation by the co-founder of Kiva. My general impression of the program is that it offer opportunities I have not found at many larger IR/Public Policy programs like study trips, internship stipends, and student led conferences. The small class size can be considered a benefit or hindrance to future opportunities though. It also shares many of required classes with the Stanford Public Policy program, and electives with the poli sci, law, and econ departments.

GSPP and UCLA are both more domestically oriented policy programs. I have to say that the Berkeley faculty is amazing and by far the best domestic public policy program in the Western United States.

As for the MPA/ID in Harvard, its definitely the most quantitatively challenging program in the field and designed for people with significant international development experience. I decided to only apply for the more traditional MPP because of those reasons.

Personally I am divided over all the programs I have been accepted into. If you desire a broader range of careers than I think a Stanford degree will allow you to go farther than a more established program at a less prestigious university. If you want to find work and network with the policy crowd, then something studying in DC is optimal. I have been hearing from a friend at SAIS about intense competition for great positions in the DC bubble.

[can-bra]

globalsun, what's your take on UCSD IR/PS in comparison to these other programs?

[pepper12]

Hey globalsun,

Thank you so much for your info! I agree with you on many aspects of the programs, and I think ultimately the difference between GSPP and Stanford comes down to what you concentrate on...I think GSPP has more flexibility in terms of elective classes and through those you can branch out to more subjects and issues that are not necessarily domestically-oriented...Berkeley has great econ and Agricultural and Resource Economics departments and Stanford seems to be slightly weaker in development economics, which is what I want to study...

but I dunno!! I haven't decided either!! and I am also waiting to hear from SAIS, SIPA, and KSG!

best of luck to all of us!

[globalsun]

globalsun, what's your take on UCSD IR/PS in comparison to these other programs?

One of my close friends goes to IRPS. My general impression of the program based off his observations and from alumni are:

1. Very lax admissions requirements for admissions. 55% accepted vs the 20-30% range of most top IR programs. People with almost no work experience and average stats can get in. While there are a lot of smart people in the program, IRPS cannot really compare with the Big 6 IR schools in terms of average students quality.

2. The school has a large amount of students from East Asia, which makes sense given the Pacific focus. This can be a regarded as a positive or negative. Even though my area of experience and interests revolve around the region, I personally would prefer a more diverse student body.

3. While at the alumni dinner, I was not so impressed with the overall placement of graduates. Even the most successful of the alumni are doing nothing related with the IR field, while the many recent grads are doing more domestic policy work.

4. One thing I don't doubt is that you can get a solid education there. In its a very professionally oriented program that heavily emphasizes economics and other business skills (accounting).

Overall, IRPS is a good and growing program with a strong focus on East Asia. The only other school that can compare in East Asia regional strength is SAIS. The major strike against is its less than stellar brand and student body when compared to the top schools. I would still go there in a heartbeat over more established 2nd tier programs in American, GW, and Denver though. But if you have gotten into GSPP or Harvard MPA/ID already, you have it made my friend! I would also not recommend UCLA MPP btw.

[understatement700]

Hi Globalsun,

It seems that for the Stanford IPS program the minimum requirements go beyond just macro and micro econ, which is typical for most professional masters program, but also require international econ and calc based stats. I was just wondering, did you complete all these courses before your submitted your application? I'm just wondering if it's possible to take the international econ and calc based stats at a community college or something. Also, since the IPS program seems to be a little less known, at least amongst the people on this board, do you know how much they value work experience vs. academic? Thanks.

[globalsun]

Hi Globalsun,

It seems that for the Stanford IPS program the minimum requirements go beyond just macro and micro econ, which is typical for most professional masters program, but also require international econ and calc based stats. I was just wondering, did you complete all these courses before your submitted your application? I'm just wondering if it's possible to take the international econ and calc based stats at a community college or something. Also, since the IPS program seems to be a little less known, at least amongst the people on this board, do you know how much they value work experience vs. academic? Thanks.

Fortunately I was an international economics major and was able to complete the equivalent of these courses. For econ majors, econometrics should count as calc based stats. I think you have to ask the university personally about these courses, but most community colleges would not offer international economics or an econometric type class. I've only seen full 4 year undergraduate universities offer these course. And if the CC did offer them, I wonder how Stanford would take it seriously.

Given the curriculum seems to be a heavy mix of international relations and public policy like most IR and MPP programs, they require at least a few years of real world experience. Academically Stanford wants students who score in the 90% of the GRE and display a talent for analytic writing by requiring a 10-15 page writing sample.

[yuhoolio]

hey global sun, did you apply to Yale's MA International Relations program? you have some really great choices, by the way. you applied to both MPP and IR programs it seems - which one do you want go to more, and why?

[policywonkette]

Hi globalsun (and everyone else trying to figure out tough admissions decisions),

I wrestled with the same question last year, and ultimately chose Stanford over SIPA, UChicago, and KSG. Stanford's program is both analytically rigorous and comprehensive (there are many required courses covering not just economics but also social psychology, justice, and other interdisciplinary topics), and has a definite international focus. There are also research opportunities for 2nd year students at Stanford's research centers, which will boost your attractiveness to research institutions. Compared to Harvard's MPA/ID, IPS allows more flexibility (because there are multiple concentrations) but the downside is that it is newer, and so less well-known. However, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the IPS degree, you can utilize the faculty and alumni resources of other, more established Stanford departments and schools. While the process for finding jobs is definitely not as streamlined as it is at KSG or the more established programs, there doesn't seem to be much of a problem getting jobs in D.C.; the Stanford name goes far and faculty have D.C. connections. There are a couple of students in the current graduating class headed to D.C. There isn't as much interest in working in D.C. as there is at other schools, since the class size is small and many students work internationally after graduation (half of each class are non-U.S. citizens), but as long as you are willing to be proactive and apply for spots, I'd say being on the West Coast is not a hindrance to landing a job in D.C.

I think your best bet is to visit the places where you're accepted to and see what you think, because sitting in on classes and talking with students will be the best way to gauge which is the best program for your interests.

Good luck!

[globalsun]

hey global sun, did you apply to Yale's MA International Relations program? you have some really great choices, by the way. you applied to both MPP and IR programs it seems - which one do you want go to more, and why?

Hey Yuhoolio,

I unfortunately didn't get into Yale's MA IR program. I only applied to three MPP/MPA programs because they either had either a significant IR component like WWS, a name brand like KSG, or just amazing faculty/instate tuition like GSPP.

Given that I was either wait-listed or rejected from those programs, I am very keen on going to the dedicate IR programs like SAIS, SIPA's and IPS. They are probably a better fit given my previous international experience and interest in both the public and private sectors abroad. How about you?

[globalsun]

Hi globalsun (and everyone else trying to figure out tough admissions decisions),

I wrestled with the same question last year, and ultimately chose Stanford over SIPA, UChicago, and KSG. Stanford's program is both analytically rigorous and comprehensive (there are many required courses covering not just economics but also social psychology, justice, and other interdisciplinary topics), and has a definite international focus. There are also research opportunities for 2nd year students at Stanford's research centers, which will boost your attractiveness to research institutions. Compared to Harvard's MPA/ID, IPS allows more flexibility (because there are multiple concentrations) but the downside is that it is newer, and so less well-known. However, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the IPS degree, you can utilize the faculty and alumni resources of other, more established Stanford departments and schools. While the process for finding jobs is definitely not as streamlined as it is at KSG or the more established programs, there doesn't seem to be much of a problem getting jobs in D.C.; the Stanford name goes far and faculty have D.C. connections. There are a couple of students in the current graduating class headed to D.C. There isn't as much interest in working in D.C. as there is at other schools, since the class size is small and many students work internationally after graduation (half of each class are non-U.S. citizens), but as long as you are willing to be proactive and apply for spots, I'd say being on the West Coast is not a hindrance to landing a job in D.C.

I think your best bet is to visit the places where you're accepted to and see what you think, because sitting in on classes and talking with students will be the best way to gauge which is the best program for your interests.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info policywonkette! I am not obsessing about DC since I want to work overseas like I have been for most of my career. What would you say the overall atmosphere is like for such a small and new program? And what is your impression of your fellow students and faculty? Thanks

[yuhoolio]

hey global sun,

Have you decided whether you'll go to IPS yet? I know you were still waiting on some schools.

For those of you who know ANYTHING about IPS:

I'm glad to hear that you still are able to go to places such as D.C. with the IPS degree. I agree...the academic program is stellar, even if less well-known right now. Do you know if they're able to send people to international organizations and multilaterals such as UN?

For me:

I am currently considering the predominantly IR schools because I want an IR approach. However, I was also (surprisingly) accepted into HKS's International Global Affairs Concentration (finally an IR approach!!), but haven't heard the greatest things about HKS yet.

I'm totally stumped as to where to go, but I am leaning toward Yale. Like the flexibility, small class size, good employment prospects, and Fletcher and Georgetown MSFS gave me no aid. Obviously, I see some downsides too. If I knew about Stanford IPS sooner, I would have applied for sure.

Global sun: Let us know what you decide about IPS! Are you going there or going to SIPA or SAIS?

[globalsun]

Hi Yuhoolio,

I have not decided yet given that I want to be at each open house presentation. From what I have seen there have been quiet a few IPS alums that have gone to multilateral organizations. If you emphasis your economics, you will be as prepared as any SAIS graduate for World Bank positions. With the UN though, be aware of caps based on nationality. From what I have heard that definitely disfavors US citizens.

You are still in a great position Yuhoolio. Even if the Harvard curriculum might not be as interesting as some other programs, the Harvard name of the school will open many doors. The same of course is true for Yale or Stanford.

As for me, I'm still a little conflicted between IPS and SAIS/SIPA (or even Fletcher for that matter), namely because of my interest to live on the east coast. I love the innovative curriculum at IPS but the chance to spend a year in SAIS Bologna is tantalizing. Also I simply do not know if I would be happier among hundreds of IR students or in a small cohort enclosed in a larger more diverse graduate education system. Hopefully by April 15th, I will know better.

[yuhoolio]

globalsun,

Thanks! I would love to live on the East Coast too.

What is your hopeful job post-graduation? What is your ideal school so far? It sounds like Stanford's got an "up" over SIPA/SAIS.

[globalsun]

I originally wanted to work in the China clean energy sector since I saw my friends success in the field. Plus the fact that I did considerable academic research on the subject matter, it made sense. But I have concerns now that the field is reaching saturation point. This was clearly illustrated to me when SAIS's International Policy track was capped, forcing SAIS to put me either study it in Bologna for a year or change my concentration to China studies. And after realizing the massive student loan bill that is coming, I am becoming more open to jump to the dark side and work in the management consulting.

As for my ideal, it would be a school with Stanford's brand power, interdisciplinary strength, and it innovative curriculum with SAIS's world wide campuses, vast alumni network and its reputation as the best terminal international relations masters program.... As you can see, I'm still undecided. If you are going on the Fletcher, SIPA, and SAIS open house express, it would be great to meet you.

P.S.: I noticed that you live in Fremont. That is where I used to work! I live in San Jose btw. What field are you currently working in?

[yuhoolio]

No way! I live pretty close to San Jose. hehe...where'd you go to undergrad, and where you working now?

I want to work in China too, and maybe Africa. I do EPA/OSHA Environmental Health and Safety consulting right now in Fremont. Thanks for your tidbits about the prospects. I don't necessarily want to work in clean energy in China, since I don't have energy-related experience. I'm more into human health.

It'll be a big move for me to go to East Coast but it looks like that's where I'm headed because I didn't apply to IPS. I want to work in international non-profit, multilaterals someday.

[globalsun]

I went to UC Santa Cruz and studied Global Economics there. I also studied abroad in Fudan and East China Normal University. Interested Africa too? I was actually planning on doing research concerning the resource trade between Africa and China and its effects on each others development.

Right now I am just doing consulting work with a Germany company on web design, and work actively with their offshore Vietnamese offices.

[yuhoolio]

Awesome, awesome. the China-Africa nexus is very, very interesting. you're ready to move out of California...??

[globalsun]

I do have an urge to get out, though I can only be sure next month when I visit the cities and schools. What schools will you be visiting other than Yale?