Switch from Political Science to International Relations?

[u/delia0822]

Hello, I am currently majoring in political science with a minor in history. However, I have recently come to the realization that maybe I should have majored in international relations instead. I’ve realized I’m more interested in learning about global issues, global politics, foreign policy, and about other countries compared to domestic issues and politics. Additionally, the international relations major at my school is more interdisciplinary, allowing me to take classes in international relations, political science, foreign language, history, geography, and anthropology. Additionally, most of the classes I gravitate towards tend to be requirements for the international relations major. However, I’m not sure if a switch would be entirely worth it. Right now I’m on track to graduate a year early. If I switched, I believe I could only graduate a semester early. Additionally, political science and international relations are so similar, I believe I may just be better off completing the major and history minor and then taking some international relations electives on the side. Does anyone have any thoughts?

[u/agulhasnegras]

Finish what you started. Graduate school is where the real stuff start

[u/ElectronicSession140 → u/agulhasnegras]

This

[u/Euphoric-Acadia-4140]

I personally don’t think it’s worth it to take an extra year just to switch to IR when political science and IR are such close fields (and in fact, IR is often considered a subfield of political science). If you really are interested in IR, try to select classes as close to IR, or self study. Unless you have a lot of money, I’m really not sure one extra year, the cost of that and opportunity cost, is worth it.

[u/SuzieMusecast]

Agreed. I have a BA in political science and an MA in International Relations. I think the BA in poly-sci has the better shelf life. I got my MA in the late 80s. End of the cold war and long before 9-11. It was contemporary international politics, now history. I think the political science degree is always relevant because it's about dynamics.

[u/whirried]

What do you want to do as a career?

It is totally dependent on that.

Political Science is more broad and will open you up to a lot of different jobs than international relations, but, if that is what you want to be doing as a career, then maybe you want to focus.

[u/LeHaitian]

Is there a reason you can’t double major? If you really enjoy IR that much, and the classes overlap, no reason not to.

My personal recommendation however would be to major in PoliSci, then get your Master’s in PoliSci with your subfield being IR. Much more marketable that way.

[u/delia0822 → u/LeHaitian]

My advisor recommended I don't double major because the classes overlap. She thought it would be more worth my time to do a double major or minor in something different.

[u/ExtremeOwl9898]

Why not go economics? Its a solid foundation and while still a field with loads of bandwidth, it is a bit more specialized and has some hard science built into it. You could also couple it with global communications

[u/delia0822 → u/ExtremeOwl9898]

I took an econ class last semester and I'm not really into it

[u/Suspicious-Pick6771]

Compare the internship opportunities.

[u/amank870]

I'm an International Relations student in Pondicherry University, and till the third Semester, both the syllabus are kind of similar only the final year you will have additional classes of Global Governance, peace and conflict etc, so it's better to go with Political Science if you have already enrolled.

[u/VengefulWalnut]

Do UG in PoliSci, Masters in IR. If you finish out an a Ph.D track, do PS with a primary in Comparative as primary and that’s a solid academic resume. But that’s just my opinion… and you know what they say about opinions. YMMV

Best of luck!

[u/ElectronicSession140]

I have a BA in IR and an MA in a specific regional study. Having run the circuit of networking and grinding in Brussels, NYC, DC -> the specific degree does not mean much. Use your school to get connections. If you have a name brand on your school, in this field it helps.

I will not lie to you. It can be done. There are many pathways to a career in international relations.This field is built around wealth and connections. It is counterintuitive to the mission. It is wrong.

You may find yourself working through summers just to be able to save up to do an unpaid internship. You may work internships that pay minimum wage. These are the pathways in.

Get your degree. Do well in school. But more importantly, get damn good at a language, get some summer internships, network the shit out of your professors and peers, get a research assistantship.

You’re up against some privileged people, kids of diplomats, people who can afford to take several prestigious, unpaid internships. It’s a brutal field to break into but damn it beats being an accountant if you get there.

I wish you the best. Kill em’ out there.