Should I avoid a distance learning MA in IR?

[maxzee]

I'm very interested in the IR program at King's College London, however, I'm located in Los Angeles and can't relocate to the UK for a year to complete it for a variety or personal and professional reasons (I could probably leave the U.S. for 6 months at most). I noticed they also have a distance learning option with a slightly different name (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/graduate/ir-war) - my question is, should I avoid it? 

 

I work in an internationally focused private industrial sector, not the government, and my interest in the program is to increase my own marketability - not to work eventually work in academia. That said, while I have no plan to eventually pursue a Ph.D., I would hate to spend the time and money obtaining a MA that could not be used to subsequently apply to a Ph.D. program if - for some reason - I had a sudden and drastic change of circumstance in the future and wanted to go that route. Would a DL MA preclude that as a possibility? 

 

(If they had an option to do a term on-site in London and the rest via DL I would feel a lot less reticent about the perceptual legitimacy of the degee, but it doesn't appear that's an option. As a second choice I'd also been considering the accelerated, 9-month program offered at GWU.)

[destoso]

My advice: Don't do it.

 

My reasoning:

- The MA does not offer any methods training. No methods, no good. 

- The assessment is done with two essays per course (1,500 and 3,000 words). That's not really a lot and seems like the KCL is just using this as a cash cow. Getting a lot of tuition fees but keeping the work for the faculty (or GTAs) as small as possible.

- Distant learning is f&*%$#@ hard. 

 

If you really want to add to your marketability and do a quick, affordable but high quality MA I would recommend you check out one year MAs or even better MScs in Political Economy at the LSE or the University of Essex. Both have a very good reputation, outstanding faculty and are very cheap compared to US MAs. Also: They take their MA students serious and that is not necessarily something you can expect at a US school. 

[maxzee]

Thanks, I'm sure LSE has a fine Political Economy program, however, I'm looking for an IR program. Also, 2 pieces of assessment per course seems pretty typical across all UK schools in postgraduate IR classes (see at LSE, for example: http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/courseGuides/IR/2013_IR436.htm). Never heard of the University of Essex; it is a plate-glass university or something? I'm not sure I'd really want to invest the time in one of those, in all honesty.

Edited March 3, 2014 by maxzee

[IRToni]

Thanks, I'm sure LSE has a fine Political Economy program, however, I'm looking for an IR program. Also, 2 pieces of assessment per course seems pretty typical across all UK schools in postgraduate IR classes (see at LSE, for example: http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/calendar/courseGuides/IR/2013_IR436.htm). Never heard of the University of Essex; it is a plate-glass university or something? I'm not sure I'd really want to invest the time in one of those, in all honesty.

 

Essex actually has one of the only MA/PhD programs in the UK with a strong methods component.

[Molly5000]

I'd want to know what your career goals are. If it's academia, absolutely don't do it. If it's international organization work--it may be a good fit. 

[destoso]

My reasoning behind suggesting a methods-focused MA/MSc in Political Economy and not in IR was based on your wish to increase your marketability. 

 

Political Science nowadays is a quantitative discipline and this has effects on companies, NGOs, organizations that are working with political science research. An ability to understand modern political science research would imho increase your chances on the job market. When it comes to applying for jobs it's all about signalling and a PE degree signals: I know and am literate in the modern theories and methods of political science. A good PE program would offer you macro- and microeconomics, advanced quantitative methods, and most importantly for you international political economy coursework. You'd most likely learn RTC and formal modelling better than at any IR program... 

 

The switch would not be too far from IR. At Essex the MSc Political Economy has the following modules:

Core: Advanced Research Methods

Core: Ma Dissertation

Core: Political Economy

And you could pick two of the following as your fourth and fifth course: Theories Of International Relations, International Security Studies, International Negotiation, Economics Of Transition

 

I am not suggesting that you should do that. I just wanted to point out that there is this opportunity. 

Edited March 4, 2014 by destoso

[Molly5000]

I'd argue though that US programs are quant heavy, and European ones are not. I agree that micro and macro economics courses are a must, but you certainly don't need a graduate program to take those. Also, as someone who has worked internationally, depending on the NGO, IGO--quant just isn't going to matter too much. They just want to know you can do the job and see an advanced degree by your name. Seriously. 

[maxzee]

I'd want to know what your career goals are. If it's academia, absolutely don't do it. If it's international organization work--it may be a good fit. 

 

Thanks for the input, Molly, and good question. I have no desire to work in academia, but - at the same time - don't want to spend the time or money on a degree that would be so poorly regarded that the possibility of continuing to the Ph.D. level wouldn't even be a possibility (even if I don't necessarily have any plans right now to do that, nor could I imagine ever having such plans). I currently work in a niche of public relations that might be equivocated to public diplomacy, though we don't use that term and are in the private sector. I've looked at PD-specific programs at the few schools that offer them, like USC, but it's become very clear after talking to a number of people that PD graduate degrees are about as useful as master's degrees in journalism are to working journalists. I've been strongly encouraged to look at IR programs and am generally interested in the topic anyway.

[maxzee]

My reasoning behind suggesting a methods-focused MA/MSc in Political Economy and not in IR was based on your wish to increase your marketability. 

 

Political Science nowadays is a quantitative discipline and this has effects on companies, NGOs, organizations that are working with political science research. An ability to understand modern political science research would imho increase your chances on the job market. When it comes to applying for jobs it's all about signalling and a PE degree signals: I know and am literate in the modern theories and methods of political science. A good PE program would offer you macro- and microeconomics, advanced quantitative methods, and most importantly for you international political economy coursework. You'd most likely learn RTC and formal modelling better than at any IR program... 

 

The switch would not be too far from IR. At Essex the MSc Political Economy has the following modules:

Core: Advanced Research Methods

Core: Ma Dissertation

Core: Political Economy

And you could pick two of the following as your fourth and fifth course: Theories Of International Relations, International Security Studies, International Negotiation, Economics Of Transition

 

I am not suggesting that you should do that. I just wanted to point out that there is this opportunity. 

 

I appreciate the input. Honestly I think what will be of most use to me is having a degree with the most recognizable school name attached to it. I know that might sound trite, but it's where I'm at. I'm afraid no one in the U.S. has probably ever heard of the University of Essex outside of people in academia, a circle in which I do not move. Anyone looking it up would see it was founded in the 1960s and group it into the same category of institutions as Fresno State University. Maybe it's an unfair or undeserved characterization but it's what will happen.

 

Also, I have absolutely no interest in political economics and it would be an extra struggle for me to successfully complete a program in a field I disliked than in a field in which I actually had interest. Maybe that's an issue with my work ethic, I don't know; but, I'm cognizant of my own intellectual limitations.

[IRToni]

I appreciate the input. Honestly I think what will be of most use to me is having a degree with the most recognizable school name attached to it. I know that might sound trite, but it's where I'm at. I'm afraid no one in the U.S. has probably ever heard of the University of Essex outside of people in academia, a circle in which I do not move. Anyone looking it up would see it was founded in the 1960s and group it into the same category of institutions as Fresno State University. Maybe it's an unfair or undeserved characterization but it's what will happen.

 

Also, I have absolutely no interest in political economics and it would be an extra struggle for me to successfully complete a program in a field I disliked than in a field in which I actually had interest. Maybe that's an issue with my work ethic, I don't know; but, I'm cognizant of my own intellectual limitations.

 

If it's only about name recognition in the US, the only plausible choices for me would be Oxbridge and LSE. Everything else will probably elicit the same response in the US. Kings is highly regarded in the UK, but I highly doubt anyone will ever have heard of it before (again, outside of academia).

 

It honestly sounds like you decided you want this M.A., and now want our validation of your choice. However, probably 90% of the people posting here (in the PoliSci subforum) want an academic career, and will make recommendations based on this. For a PhD in the States, you don't actually need a M.A., and a KCL masters will probably not hinder, but also not help you in getting in or even preparing you for doctoral work. If you're location-bound, though, why not look at programs in the US? I don't actually think a distance-learning MA will bolster your marketability in the non-academic world either, because (1) a lot of what makes you employable are quant skills and networks, both of which you would not gain, and (2) online degrees just aren't worth that much. There are certain federal payscales for which you need an M.A. more out of formality, but that's about it.

 

This is just my opinion, of course!

[hj2012]

Agreed with IRToni. If you're simply looking for name brand recognition, GW will arguably go further. If you're afraid that no one has heard of University of Essex, I'm afraid that same logic will likely apply to KCL, at least in the States. Back in the day, when I was considering I.R. master's programs, I was told point-blank by employers and academic advisers that there were only a few schools that really mattered for industry connections (Harvard Kennedy, SAIS, Georgetown, Princeton WWS, etc). 

 

Regardless, if you do go for a PhD I'd assume it would be a program geared toward working professionals like the one at SAIS or Tufts Fletcher. These programs usually require prospective applicants to already have M.A. degrees. 

[maxzee]

Hj2012 and IRToni - these are excellent points and extremely helpful; thank you very much. I had a great degree of reticence toward this program for two of the reasons you've outlined (the respectability of a DL degree, and the respectability of KCL generally [when I say the name of KCL to other Americans they seem to have a hint of recognition in their eyes, as though it's something that they may have heard somewhere before, but you're right that British universities other than Oxford, Cambridge and LSE aren't all that well regarded]) and I think you've confirmed them for me and I'll be looking elsewhere. I had also looked at the Cambridge IR program that is organized around eight residential sessions, however, their intake is only every two years which may not work with my time schedule.

 

That said, I'm not looking for industry connections or anything like that, I don't need them. But the other reasons you've outlined are more than sufficient to convince me a DL program is a bad idea and the wrong direction. Thank you very, very much for your time and forthrightness.

Edited March 4, 2014 by maxzee

[MarkB]

While trying to research an answer to a question I had, I stumbled across this thread which almost exactly mirrors my issue and am hoping some of those who previously commented might be able to offer some additional insight to my concern. 

 

Like the previous poster, I too am interested in pursuing a master's degree as a "terminal" degree but also would feel really bilked if it were a useless degree to subsequently apply to a PhD program in the (unlikely) event I were to want to move to that level. I work in corporate public affairs and advancement from the point I'm currently at pretty much requires a masters to be really competitive. Unlike the previous poster, my interest is in political science and not IR, and I'm not interested in going to the UK. 

 

Specifically, I had looked at Johns Hopkins MA in Government:

 

http://advanced.jhu.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/government/

 

This is a "blended" program - students can take courses online (with two evening, in-person "symposia" required per semester), in classroom at JHU, or both. I have a lot of apprehension about any "online" program and would only want to complete this on-campus (or is this a ridiculous concern of mine in this day of age?). What has so far overcome my concern about applying to this program is the Johns Hopkins name, the inclusion of a dissertation requirement, and the fact the degree is issued as a MA without qualification (i.e. "Executive Masters," "Online Masters" or similar). But, am I being too optimistic? My major concerns about the legitimacy of the program is that it has rolling start dates, online offerings and - as far as I can tell - no GRE requirement for entry. How would this degree be viewed? Would it be considered as "legit" as any Johns Hopkins degree? Would it ever be useful for application to a PhD program? 

 

Many thanks for any feedback offered - 

Edited March 29, 2014 by MarkB