Foreign Service/International Development Forum

[azizi]

I recently graduated with a major in Business Administration and I'm considering which graduate school route to take.

I'm currently applying to Peace Corps and hope to volunteer for 2 years in a business development project abroad. After graduate school, I would like to work in either a foreign service field (e.g. Foreign Service Officer) or in international development (World Bank, UN, NGOs, etc). My primarily reason for wanting to go graduate school is future career advancement.

After two years in Peace Corps and/or work experience- here are two routes that I am considering:

1) JD - International Law (I think that a law degree would be helpful in the diplomatic field and the course work itself is useful, but I have no interest in practicing law. Considering its expense and rather intense coursework.. is it worth it to go for the degree but not practice?)

2) MBA + MIA - Master in Business Administration and a Master in International Affairs/International Relations--- this program will take 3 years to complete (is MBA worth getting if my undergraduate degree is also in business? MIA degree by itself looks like an entry degree to me and not necessarily an advancement degree once you are in the field).

I appreciate any of your tips, suggestions, and ideas!

Thanks in advance!

[tittsburghfeelers]

I think you need to slow down and take life one step at a time. Assuming you get accepted into the PC, you're at least two years away from making a decision concerning your graduate studies. I would enjoy your time in the PC and weigh your options while in the PC because alot can happen that could alter/disrupt/or completely change your future plans.

[YaSvoboden]

I recently graduated with a major in Business Administration and I'm considering which graduate school route to take.

I'm currently applying to Peace Corps and hope to volunteer for 2 years in a business development project abroad. After graduate school, I would like to work in either a foreign service field (e.g. Foreign Service Officer) or in international development (World Bank, UN, NGOs, etc). My primarily reason for wanting to go graduate school is future career advancement.

After two years in Peace Corps and/or work experience- here are two routes that I am considering:

1) JD - International Law (I think that a law degree would be helpful in the diplomatic field and the course work itself is useful, but I have no interest in practicing law. Considering its expense and rather intense coursework.. is it worth it to go for the degree but not practice?)

2) MBA + MIA - Master in Business Administration and a Master in International Affairs/International Relations--- this program will take 3 years to complete (is MBA worth getting if my undergraduate degree is also in business? MIA degree by itself looks like an entry degree to me and not necessarily an advancement degree once you are in the field).

I appreciate any of your tips, suggestions, and ideas!

Thanks in advance!

1) Don't do law if you have no interest in practicing law. Sure, it can lead to other things sometimes, but it is designed to prepare you to be a lawyer (though I have heard that disputed.)

2) Since I'm responding anyway... I am finishing my UG in a business field and a lot of the course offerings are the same in the MBAs that I have looked at as what I have already done. There are programs that offer a 1 year MBA to those with a business UG degree, but I don't recall any of these being MBAs that are really worth getting. That said, I believe the master's is more about networking properly than the content of the classes.

[fundamentallybroken]

There are masters programs for international development - a lot of PC people pursue them after service.

Sounds like that would be a much better fit for what you want to do.

[kapachino]

You'd be better off looking into programs that let you work on a grad degree in international development while serving in the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps site lists those programs. I'm giving serious thought to going to the Foreign Service at some time after law school, since having a JD would be beneficial to the cone I'm interested in, but that's not even remotely necessary. I could apply now, but a JD is a credential I'd like to have before doing so.