Graduate School
Do IR Majors Need Graduate School?
For most IR majors the answer is No, you do not need graduate school. Because of the strong skills training of the IR degree, most majors enter the work force with a completed Bachelor’s degree.
However, graduate school is useful for some career paths:
- Law: Law school (3 years) is necessary for most legal careers and can provide useful skills for other fields too.
- Business: Companies hire undergraduates directly, but if you want to move into management you may need an MBA (typically 2 years). MBA programs usually encourage students to have at least two years of work experience before applying.
- Other: Some students earn a Master’s degree (MA, MPA, or MPP; about 1-2 years) to enhance their ability to find jobs in government and non-governmental organizations.
Having a Master’s degree can mean higher salary and more potential for future advancement. Master’s programs also provide strong internship and networking opportunities. It is not difficult to find online lists of the best law and business schools, but for a list of the best Master’s programs in international relations, see this survey of academics and policymakers in the field:
PhDs are rarely needed for international relations careers, but they are necessary for university professors. Some PhD graduates work outside academia, doing research for government agencies, think tanks, and other non-government organizations. A PhD requires about 6 years of school; those who find a university job must then earn tenure (another 6 years). Be aware that professorial jobs are very scarce: there are probably 500 legal jobs for every 1 academic job. For a list of the best PhD programs in international relations, see this survey of academics and policymakers in the field: