HKS and SIPA

[Rugger]

In the theme of the current string of threads, I am trying to decide between HKS and SIPA. I want to focus on international security and SIPA has an international security policy concentration for their MPA. HKS has the international and global affairs concentration which is fairly regimented but would allow me to take several classes in security. They also have opportunities at the belfer center, even for people not chosen as student fellows.

I like NYC more than Cambridge/Boston and have closer friends from a previous life now located in NYC. While I also have friends in Boston, it's not quite the same.

HKS has a very strong brand and the people I've met all seemed great. Both schools impress me. But am I crazy to not just be jumping at the chance at HKS?

The financial difference between the two is negligible for me.

[Denisse]

Since the financial obligation is negligible to you, I suggest really looking at the courses you can take. I drew up a mock course schedule w/ potential electives when deciding between two schools that I really thought were good fits. As it turned out, SIPA was a better fit after all because of the customization and how it just hit upon everything I wanted to study for my career goals.

 

Ask yourself, is the HKS concentration in international affairs going to prepare you for security studies the way you'd like or will you be taking a bunch of courses you're not that interested in? Or alternatively, which school has better placement for security studies? I don't think you're insane for not jumping at HKS. Grad school isn't about attending the better name (at least not for public policy as much as for law/business, etc.) It's about attending the school that will provide you with the studies you want to undertake and prepare you for the career you want.

[soaps]

I went to SIPA's open house today and the international security policy plenary was one of the sessions I was most impressed with. The director (Richard Betts) was extremely candid about the program, job prospects, etc. (he was also very funny and affable). The course selection is like a candy store, and some of the most prominent IR scholars in the world that are at SIPA teach in this category. SIPA alumni apparently do very well in defense, intelligence, and diplomacy, and the faculty is a mix of academics and practitioners. 

 

I can't speak for HKS, but SIPA's ISP concentration may be the deciding factor for why I'm going there. 

Edited April 10, 2013 by soaps

[onk]

Hey Rugger:

 

I'm in exactly the same situation - trying to decide between HKS and SIPA and intending to do international affairs or international security policy. Funding isn't a differentiating factor for me either.

 

I suppose the difference between the two is that at SIPA we'd get quite a concentrated and exclusive focus on security and strategic studies. The IGA at HKS is broader than that; from what I can see there are only one or two courses that would qualify as security studies, but then there are more offerings on other aspects of what one would call 'international affairs'.

 

So I suppose it comes down to depth (SIPA) vs. breadth (HKS) - there will be a compromise to be made with either program in my view.

 

HKS is of course a great school, but the more I've learnt of SIPA over the last couple of months the more impressed I've been - I think it gets a really bad rap on these forums which is a bit unwarranted.

 

This is going to be a really tough choice!

 

Hey soaps:

 

Thanks for your views on the ISP session at the SIPA open day - could you say a bit more of your impressions please? Did you meet any current or former students? If so, what were their backgrounds (military, think tanks, etc) and how big is the ISP group usually? Also, were you able to tell whether ISP students could take courses with the political science department?

 

Cheers.

[soaps]

I met current students (the departmental research assistants) but I don't remember their backgrounds. I wouldn't be surprised if they had both been military, though (they seemed to stand at attention). There were several military people attending the session and many questions about defense and intelligence career trajectories. Prof. Betts went into an impressive list of people who did ISP and ended up as top brass in the DoD, CIA, NSA, etc. He also indicated the intelligence community recruits out of SIPA.

 

Any SIPA student can cross-register with the poli/sci department, although I think it's the poli/sci students who cross-register with SIPA in order to get international security classes.

The ISP cohort is the third largest, I think. I don't remember exactly how big, but it was mid-range.

Edited April 10, 2013 by soaps

[Kadisha]

Wouldn't be surprised Soaps. ISP seems like a natural track for people with a military background.

 

Rugger,

 

I don't know what kind of financial aid packages each gave you, but if your interest lies in International Security, wouldn't it make more sense for you to pursue a program that is specifically geard towards that, and from what I've gathered seems to be quite good at it?

 

Here's the list of ISP employers given to me by the coordinator of the program. 

 

http://www.scribd.com/doc/135144371/Copy-of-ISP-Employers-2012

[Damis]

One thing to bear in mind (and this comes from my brief work as an intel analyst) is that breadth, in regards to training, is never a bad thing within intel. Everyone will have their interests and niche, but hammering down too much on "training" impedes. If you're going to eventually ascend to the upper levels of the IC, you need to have an indepth knowledge of the world that doesn't necessarily fit within the purview of the IC curriculum.

 

It's a tough choice! Thankfully, you can't go wrong.

Edited April 10, 2013 by Damis

[mlebs]

I am also in the same boat of trying to decide between MPP at HKS and MPA at SIPA. I didn't get any funding from either so I suppose the cost is not the issue except for the fact that it seems very likely to be able to obtain funding at SIPA in one's second year - though this is nor guaranteed. and funding could be as little as 6,500 per semester making the financial difference still negligible (considering the cost of living in NY).

 

Harvard however has the better name and is considered on many different accounts and rankings a top policy school. Is the possibility of obtaining funding in one's second year sway me from opting for Harvard and the Harvard name and education? When it comes to employers, will the Harvard vs. Columbia name make that much of a difference?

 

I intend to focus on social policy while in either programs, particularly on welfare and labor issues. Both programs seem more or less on par with each other from that perspective so it's hard to make the decision based on the best program for me.

 

Your help on this issue would be highly appreciated!

[soaps]

SIPA is traditionally an international affairs school and its MPA has a heavy international focus. I don't think it excels with welfare and labor issues. If you assume you get the average second-year SIPA fellowship, you're basically looking at a 15-20k difference.

If you don't want to study international affairs, HKS (aside from the better brand name) is probably the better bet. 

[CreamTea]

I think soaps makes a good point. I've never looked into how strong SIPA is at labor and welfare but I doubt it is stronger than HKS. If HKS tends to be strong in that field, you should go there.