Top PhD Programs in International Relations

Top Graduate and Undergraduate Programs in International Relations and Affairs

Here is the study of top programs in international relations entitled “Ivory Tower 2007” (version 2). It was published originally in Foreign Affairs. You can download the PDF here (remember version 2).

Top PhD Programs in International Relations (Foreign Affairs Reputation and Ranking Study)

1) Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) [Kennedy]
2) Princeton University (Princeton, NJ) [Woodrow Wilson]
3) Columbia University (NYC) [Columbia School of International & Public Affairs]
4) Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA) [Freeman Spogli Institute @ Stanford]
5) University of Chicago (Chicago, IL) [note: link is to their masters program: Committee on International Relations & the U of C]
6) Yale University (New Haven, CN) [Jackson Institute of Global Affairs]
7) University of California, Berkeley [International and Area Studies]
8] University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI) [see also: international policy center at michigan]
9) University of California, San Diego [School of International Relations and Pacific Studies] (course of study in IR)
10) Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) [see also: Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies]
11) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) [Center for International Studies]
12) John Hopkins University (SAIS/ Washington DC) [School of Advanced International Studies]
13) Georgetown University (Washington DC)
14) Duke University (Durham, NC) [Duke Grad. Political Science]
15) Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
16) New York University (New York, NY)
17) University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)
18] University of California, Los Angeles [Burkle Center for International Relations]
19) Tufts University (Medford, MA) [Fletcher School of International Affairs]
20) University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)

Top 20 Masters Programs in International Relations (Foreign Affairs Ranking and Reputation Study)

1) Georgetown University (Washington DC)
2) John Hopkins University (Washington DC)
3) Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
4) Tufts University (Medford, MA)
5) Columbia University (New York, NY)
6) Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
7) George Washington University (Washington DC)
8] American University (Washington DC)
9) University of Denver (Denver, CO)
10) Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
11) University of California, San Diego
12) University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
12) Yale University (New Haven, CN)
14) Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA)
15) University of Pittsburg (Pittsburg, PA)
16) University of California, Berkeley
16) University of Maryland (DC/MD ?)
18] Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
18] Monterey Institute of International Studies
20) University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

Top 20 Undergraduate Programs in International Relations (Foreign Affairs Ranking and Reputation Study)

1) Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
2) Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
3) Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA)
4) Georgetown University (Washington DC)
5) Columbia University (New York, NY)
6) Yale University (New Haven, CN)
7) University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
8] University of California, Berkeley
9) Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH)
10) George Washington University (Washington DC)
11) America University (Washington DC)
12) University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
13) Tufts University (Medford, MA)
14) Swathmore College (Swathmore, PA)
14) University of California, San Diego
16) Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
17) Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island)
18) Williams College (Willamstown, MA)
19) Duke University (Durham, NC)
19) John Hopkins University (SAIS/Washington DC)

In addition, you may want to check out PhDs.org as well as talk to practitioners in the field to determine which program might be the best fit for you. In the mean time, you may like this description of several programs from the Foreign Policy Association (although personally, I question its relevance and recency of publication–ie no date is published and it doesn’t seem to be updated).

Given that, this is more academically focused, the US News and World Report rankings for public affairs and political science schools **may** be more helpful.

Feel free to add your comments about the top PhD programs in international relations (IR) and related graduate program rankings