International Relations is a popular major chosen by students who want to study how different nations are connected on a global level. International Relations is often shortened to “IR,” and is usually grouped in with the Political Science, Government, and Policy resources. Before we move on to our list, a tip. Not every school uses the term “international relations.” If you’re curious about what a school of interest has to offer, and it isn’t on the list below, be sure to look through their list of programs. It’s often called global studies.
As always, we don’t rely on rankings to create our “best of” lists. We look into the programs at a wide variety of schools (Ivy League, liberal arts, state schools) and aim to diversify your options to showing you a little bit of everything. This list is not exhaustive, and by all means, please do research. But read our blog post first:
Georgetown:
If you’re broadly interested in international relations, you should spend some time looking at Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. The school offers a variety of programs ranging from Global Business, International Economics, International Political Economy, Justice and Peace Studies, and more. Be sure to select “major” if you’re looking for a primary path of study, then expand your search to include minors and certificates.
Stanford:
Stanford is one of the best schools in the country, and the IR program is top-notch. The overseas requirement is currently in flux due to Covid-19, but if you have what it takes to get into Stanford, the program is definitely worth considering. Like many International Relations programs, students can choose from several specializations that you can read about here and there is a foreign language requirement.
Tufts:
The IR major at Tufts starts off by diving into introductory courses in the fields of International Relations, Economics, International Economics, The Historical Dimension, and Theories of Society and Culture. From there, students move on to the thematic concentration requirements which range from International Security to Globalization.
Yale:
At Yale, you’ll choose from a wide variety of classes that speak to the school’s focus on interdisciplinary studies. In addition to diving into Game Theory, you can take classes such as “Origins of U.S. Global Power,” “Globalization and Domestic Politics,” and “Populism.” In the past, students have relied on the flexibility of the program to create their own concentrations on subcategories such as global climate policy and global health.
University of Michigan:
The International Studies program at Michigan offers fellowship support for students and takes it one step further by saying that developing an international perspective is an important aspect of personal growth. Slightly similar to their PPE major, students cross disciplines in an effort to solve modern and global problems.
Williams:
The global studies concentration at Williams is one of many solid programs at liberal arts schools, but it stands out because of the area and thematic tracks. The breadth of the curriculum is impressive, especially for a small school. Students also take comparative courses, which encourage reasoning and comparative studies between another track that is related to your primary area of study.
George Washington University:
At the Elliot School of International Affairs, you’ll find multiple programs that might pique your interest. To name a few, there are Asian Studies, International Affairs, Latin American and Hemispheric Studies, and Middle East Studies. Graduates of the program say that it’s good for those students who want to filter their interest based on area, but still get a comprehensive view of global affairs.
Claremont McKenna:
At CMC, IR majors build on the government and economic background of the program by choosing electives based on a theme or geographic location. Claremont McKenna is a small school, and students compete for research opportunities, but you’ll have access to resources offered by the rest of the 5C’s.
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