If the events of recent years have taught us anything, it is that an international perspective and a more global vision are critical for a better understanding of the conflicts and challenges that beset us. International Relations introduces you to the world of politics as well as the social and historical consequences of globalisation. You will study various political systems and governing policies from across the globe and how they relate to a wide range of international concerns such as human rights, global poverty, climate change, global ethics, and so on.
IR has been in demand for as long as differing human cultures have sought ways to communicate, control or conquer one another, trade, and collaborate. However, it was only in the last century that the area was fully recognised as part of the higher education portfolio. International relations is a broad and interdisciplinary area that is studied through a variety of programs. Diplomacy, government, politics, business, law, conflict resolution, and development are common fields or specialisations in international relations.
Here in this article, you will find the best international relations programs in the US that cater to a variety of students looking to study this area. You may want to specialize in a particular branch of study or explore IR as a fresher; the schools below have programs designed for your needs.
1. Department’s Graduate Program in International Relations from Georgetown University
The graduate program in international relations at the Department of Government prepares students for successful careers by exposing them to cutting-edge research in the field and teaching them to be productive and professional researchers. Every faculty member in the department is well-versed in international relations theory, and the department has developed a variety of more specialized core competencies. The track record of their students is the best indicator of their success as a graduate school. After graduating from Georgetown University, students have been hired as tenure-track faculty at leading institutions in recent years. Doctoral students benefit from teachers from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS), the Graduate Public Policy Institute (GPPI), and the McDonough School of Business (MSB), who teach and research international relations concerns in addition to the core Government department faculty. Georgetown University has a number of institutional tools that support PhD students’ research and teaching interests, which adds more reasons to pursue your higher education from here.
Founded In: 1789 Tuition: $29,892 for 2021 ACT/SAT: Test optional for 2021 Acceptance Rate: 15.4% GPA: 4.0 Average Rank: 1 Contact: 202-687-6130 Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Georgetown University for students:
- Georgetown athletics Grants-in-aid: Educational Fund
- John Carroll Scholarships: Educational Fund
- The Baker Trust Scholarship Program: Educational Fund
- The President’s D.C. Scholarship Fund: Educational Fund
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2. Department of Political Science and International Relations from University of Southern California School of International Relations
In the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, IR is part of the Political Science and International Relations Department. They presently serve over 800 undergraduate majors, making it one of the most popular majors at the College. The School of International Relations arose from the Pan-American Conference on Education in 1922, which brought together chancellors and university presidents from 22 countries to explore the value of education and encourage international understanding. The USC International Relations program is optimistic, making it easier for students to get through their college years. Students meet with an academic adviser each semester, beginning with Freshman Orientation in the summer, to establish a study plan for the next one to four years. Naturally, when interests expand and change, these plans may be revised.
Founded In: 1924 Tuition: $81,659 for 2021 ACT/SAT: Test Optional for 2021 Acceptance Rate: 16% GPA: 3.88 Average Rank: 2 Contact: 213-740-2136 Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at USC for students
- Trustee Scholarship: Full tuition
- Presidential Scholarship: Half Tuition
- Deans Scholarship: One-quarter Tuition
- Norman Topping Student Aid Fund: Amount Varies
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3. Program in International Relations from Stanford University
International Relations at Stanford University is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major that examines the interactions of state and non-state actors in international politics, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, Amnesty International, and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The enormous scope of international relations necessitates an interdisciplinary approach that includes political science, economics, history, sociology, data science, law, foreign languages, and other disciplines. The program looks at how global, regional, and domestic issues influence how actors on the global stage interact. Students get the underlying abilities as well as the particular knowledge needed to understand the options and challenges that arise in this field.
Founded In: 1885 Tuition: $18,491 for 2021 ACT/SAT: Test Optional Acceptance Rate: 3.67% GPA: 3.96 average Rank: 3 Contact: 650-498-2931 Financial Aid: Available
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4. International Relations from Brown University
The International Relations (IR) concentration is a cross-disciplinary undergraduate program that relies on courses from several departments to provide a strong international and comparative perspective on today’s global system. Its purpose is to encourage students to think creatively about complex global issues and provide them with the analytical tools, linguistic knowledge, and cross-cultural knowledge they need. The International Relations focus is divided into two “tracks”: “Political Economy and Society” and “Security and Society.” Students select one of these tracks to concentrate on. The specialization necessitates a senior capstone project that incorporates research in a second language. It also provides a demanding senior honors program in which students conduct two-semester thesis research on an international issue under the supervision of two faculty advisers while simultaneously taking part in a specialised honors thesis seminar. Students must apply to the honors program and be accepted.
Founded In: 1764 Tuition: $80,670 for 2021 ACT/SAT: Test Optional Acceptance Rate: 8.3% GPA: 4.08 average Rank: 4 Contact: 401-863-3318 Financial Aid: Available
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5. Global Affairs Major from Yale University
The Global Affairs major is meant to equip students with the social science research skills necessary to address today’s most serious global issues. It is a true multidisciplinary curriculum, with courses offered in practically every Yale department. Each class in the major has roughly 60 students who are chosen after a tough admissions process. Global Affairs students complete the Capstone Course in the fall of their senior year, a one-of-a-kind public policy initiative on behalf of a genuine client supervised by a faculty member. The client’s location is frequently visited by students. Summers are spent by many Jackson undergraduates overseas. Fellowships are available from the Jackson Institute for student projects such as internships and independent research projects in international affairs.
Founded In: 1701 Tuition: $77,750 ACT/SAT: Test Optional Acceptance Rate: 4.62% GPA: 3.8 average Rank: 5 Contact: 203-432-6253 Financial Aid: Available
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6. International Relations Major from University Of Pennsylvania
The IR major in the School of Arts and Sciences lays a strong focus on multidisciplinary abilities. Its courses come from a range of Penn departments. Penn’s International Relations Program is consistently ranked among the top five programs in the country, and it is well-known for its selectivity and dedication to excellence. The thesis requirement of the program demonstrates your research and analytical abilities. The busy schedule of visiting lectures, recruiting events, instructional simulations, annual excursions to New York and D.C., and other extracurricular events is an excellent element of the major’s experience. If diligently pursued, this program provides a well-rounded liberal arts education useful in all aspects of life. It is, however, aimed to prepare students for a wide range of jobs.
Founded In: 1740
Tuition: $83,298 living on-campus; $80,558 living off-campus; $68,586 living with family
ACT/SAT: Test Optional for 2021
Acceptance Rate: 9.2%
GPA: 3.9 average
Rank: 6
Contact: 215-898-0452
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at the University of Pennsylvania for students
- Mayor’s Scholarship: Educational fund
- Maguire Scholarship: Educational fund
- Federal Pell Grant: Educational fund
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7. International Relations Program from Tufts University
Tufts University’s International Relations Program offers a path of study for undergraduate students interested in international and regional studies. The International Relations (IR) Program offers one of the most popular undergraduate majors at Tufts and is consistently ranked as one of the best undergraduate international relations programmes in the United States of America, with more than 100 core faculty members stretched from 20 departments and programmes across the School of Arts & Sciences. The IR major aims to equip students with an advanced mastery of a foreign language as well as a strong foundation in history, economics, culture, and politics, from which they can choose from a variety of regional or theme interests.
Founded In: 1852
Tuition: $81,700 resident; $72,400 commuter
ACT/SAT: Test Optional for 2021
Acceptance Rate: 15%
GPA: 3.91 average
Rank: 7
Contact: 617-627-2776
Financial Aid: Available
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8. International Relations Program from Claremont Mckenna College
The International Relations program is an interdisciplinary program designed for students interested in pursuing graduate work or careers with an international focus in government, business, the professions (law, teaching, journalism), or other fields (private foundations, international organisations). All majors take the same set of government and economics courses. Students in the international relations major also take elective courses with a specific thematic or geographic concentration and these core courses. The program focuses on the students’ improvement process and how substitution and transferring courses play a huge role.
Founded In: 1946
Tuition: $78,717 for 2021
ACT/SAT: Test Optional for 2021
Acceptance Rate: 10.30%
GPA: 3.89 average
Rank: 8
Contact: 909-607-3071
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Claremont McKenna College for students
- The Kravis Opportunity Fund: Educational Fund
- The Scholar Community Program: Educational Funds
