Located in Washington, D.C., American University’s SIS is the largest school of international relations in the United States. The school’s interdisciplinary approach to world affairs allows it to offer a wider range of graduate degrees than other programs in international relations. SIS boasts more than a dozen graduate degree tracks, allowing students to specialize in regional studies, global environmental politics, international development, economic relations, conflict resolution, and American foreign policy, among other areas. In addition, the school offers dual master’s degrees that combine international relations with business, teaching, law, and theological studies. SIS’s location in the nation’s capital provides ready access to internships and other opportunities in the federal government’s foreign policy establishment.
For the aspiring professional in international development and relief of global poverty, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government is the place to be. The school’s newest degree program is a two-year course of study leading to a Master of Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID). Harvard describes the degree as economics-centered, with rigorous training in policy and quantitative methods. The program is designed for men and women interested in careers in international development rather than for aspiring academics.
NYU’s Center for Global Affairs offers a Master of Science in Global Affairs. The school’s faculty includes international lawyers, journalists specializing in world affairs, and senior professionals from non-governmental organizations. In addition to the master’s degree, NYU offers a rigorous certificate program in global affairs for working professionals who wish to expand their knowledge of international issues.
With campuses in Washington, D.C.; Bologna, Italy; and Nanjing, China, SAIS allows students to study international relations in an international setting. The school’s Master of Arts in international relations requires two years of study, including study of a foreign language. SAIS also has a Master of International Public Policy degree geared toward professionals in business, government and journalism who wish to undertake intensive study in world affairs.
Other top international relations programs cited by the Foreign Policy Association include the following: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University; Stanford University; Tufts University; the University of California, San Diego; and the University of Colorado, Boulder.