Where’s the best place to
study international relations? The answer depends in
part on the career you have in mind. Aspiring academics
typically need a Ph.D. from a top-notch political
science department. For scholarly pursuits, Harvard
easily leads the field; it was the only institution
named by a majority of respondents. For those who want
to walk the corridors of power—not study them—Johns
Hopkins and Georgetown University win the most praise.
Armed with a masters degree in international relations
from a top policy school, students are likely to head
off for jobs in government, nongovernmental
organizations (ngos), or international business.
Proximity to political circles keeps the East Coast
dominant for policy schools, but the West Coast and the
Midwest do well for those who want to don academic
robes.
