Three U.S. schools dominate the field for master's degree programs in International Relations: American University, Harvard University and New York University. All of these schools boast renowned professors who hold varying world views, but the schools are known for certain defining characteristics. A degree from American's School of International Service focuses on social justice, human rights, and environmentalism. Harvard's Belfer Center is part of the John F. Kennedy School of Government and attracts those interested in issues of security and technology policy. NYU's center for global affairs is regarded as broad and multidisciplinary, offering students many choices during the course of their studies.
Students most interested in relations between China and the West flock to Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Nanjing, China; the master's degree program there also takes other, global perspectives. The school is regarded as a major proponent of peaceful east-west relations. South Asia is another area of strong interest for many international academics, and Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of International Studies in New Delhi is a 50-year-old institution allowing students to focus on any world region. A master's degree in International Affairs and Public Policy at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey is designed to inspire original, innovative thought in the international student base.
The SAIS campus is in Bologna, Italy is known for preparing students with real-world experience, and students may choose to split the two-year program between this campus and SAIS in Washington, D.C. The London School of Economics runs a top program known for its diversity and emphasis on research. Also in London, the King's College Department of War Studies runs an International Relations master's degree program focusing on the analysis of international conflict. University of St. Andrews, Scotland's oldest college, offers master's degrees in International Relations with varying concentrations, such as Middle East and Central Asian Security Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, and more.