SAIS International Law and Organizations concentration

[Colocho]

Hi all,

I've searched around but there seems to be a dearth of information here regarding the International Law and Organizations concentration at SAIS. It seems to be an interesting alternative to an expensive JD/LLM for those of us interested in some sort of international human rights/international rule of law type of career trajectory. I'm applying from abroad and unfortunately haven't been able to find much info online, and haven't had luck contacting professors to set up informational interviews.

Is anyone else interested in this degree? What are your thoughts as opposed to a JD/LLM? Furthermore, does anyone else know of any similar MA programs? From my research this seems to be unique to SAIS. Thanks!

[went_away]

Concentrations matter little - interesting classes and content matter? Yes. Significant impact on career prospects? Very unlikely. What truly matters is your previous professional experience, the relative level of prestigiousness of your institution of study, and luck/persistence in applying to jobs and internships (roughly in that order, at least at the outset). A JD is a recognized professional qualification (and even more insanely expensive than a top MA) and an MA in International Affairs really can't be compared to that or necessarily even compete at that level for at least the first several years. If you want to go into law, become a lawyer (actually don't, because going to law school is a terrible proposition these days). If you are a true savant/nerd/heir to multimillion dollar fortune, check out what's likely the top program in the world or, alternatively, this one. 

You'll find similar programs and classes in International Law and Organizations at Georgetown's MSFS degree, Fletcher MALD, Columbia SIPA, and GWU Elliot School - nothing particularly about those course offerings at SAIS. 

For the kind of granular information you're interested in at SAIS, I'd highly recommend you contact admissions and arrange a social and class visit. They were extremely helpful when I did this back in my admissions days. 

Edited October 12, 2015 by went_away

[Mia222]

Don't go to SAIS. ILaw offers nothing amazing for someone that also considered a JD. SAIS is extremely disorganized as an institution and very pricey. 

[sp108]

6 hours ago, Mia222 said:

Don't go to SAIS. ILaw offers nothing amazing for someone that also considered a JD. SAIS is extremely disorganized as an institution and very pricey. 

It seems like you go to SAIS.  Can you elaborate more on why you think it's not worth it?

 

[ridofme]

I think concentrations within a school can matter in terms of the resources you're given access to once you're there, especially in a larger program. For example, different programs might have different levels of funding for study or career trips, professional advising, speakers, scholarships, summer internships, etc. They also might have professors/staff who are more or less helpful, friendly, open to student interaction, connected to potential employers...All of this can affect your experience at the school, and can help or hinder you when job-hunting. 

[ridofme]

Also, no idea what Mia's background or perspective is, but I would be careful to take the opinion of someone who is either majorly complaining about or majorly advocating for any specific school. Of course if 10 people say "this school is a waste of time/money" or "this school helped me achieve my dreams!!!" then that's something to consider, but I can think of a few big complainers from my program and I think some of their grievances where more based on their negative attitudes/senses of entitlement than the program itself.