Dear everyone,
I would be very grateful for your advice and hope this is the right place to ask - if not, I would really appreciate being redirected.
[Posting from a relatively new and anonymous account for privacy reasons]
I have been fortunate to receive two offers and am now struggling to decide between them:
MSc Political Science (Conflict Studies & Comparative Politics) at LSE &
Double Degree MA International Affairs (Security Studies) at Sciences Po (PSIA) and the University of St. Gallen
While I am aware that this is a privileged position to be in, I find the decision genuinely difficult and would really value perspectives from those with experience in academia or policy.
My situation / dilemma
LSE:
I am strongly drawn to LSE as an academic environment. I have always wanted to live in London, and I find the intellectual setting, faculty, and student societies extremely appealing. If I chose LSE, I would seriously consider pursuing a PhD afterwards.
However, I have recently realised that, in hindsight, I might have been an even better fit for an International Relations degree rather than Political Science (Comparative Politics track). While I am very interested in conflict studies, my core interests lean more towards:
international security
foreign policy
interstate conflict and diplomacy
My understanding is that Comparative Politics focuses more on domestic political systems, whereas International Relations is more aligned with interstate dynamics and security policy. This raises the question for me whether the LSE programme is somewhat misaligned with my long-term academic interests, even though there is clear overlap and I could still tailor my studies through my dissertation, and extracurricular engagement in fitting LSE Societies. I am also trying to understand how flexible course selection at LSE is. It seems that it may be possible to take courses from other departments if a strong academic case can be made for their relevance to the programme. However, I am unsure to what extent this would be feasible in practice - particularly given that the question of disciplinary fit is at the core of my concerns.
Another consideration is that the programme is only one year long, which limits opportunities for internships during the degree.
Sciences Po (PSIA) & St. Gallen:
Academically, I find the Security Studies track at PSIA highly aligned with my interests, particularly in international security and EU foreign policy. The double degree would also provide a strong, practice-oriented profile and offers more time (two years), including opportunities for internships. I would also have more opportunities to improve my french.
From a career perspective, I feel this path could position me very well for roles in German or European institutions (e.g. the Foreign Office or EU bodies), particularly given the strong practitioner networks of both institutions and their respective reputations in Germany, Sciences Po in political science and diplomacy, and St. Gallen in economics.
However, I feel less personally drawn to the locations, having already lived/studied in similar contexts (Germany/Brussels/France). I also perceive the academic environment as somewhat less theoretically rigorous or “intellectually intense” compared to LSE, which is an important consideration for me, especially in light of my potential interest in pursuing a PhD and my broader academic curiosity and ambition.
Core question
I am essentially trying to decide between:
a more academically oriented, theoretically rigorous environment (LSE), which may be slightly less directly aligned with my specific IR/security focus but potentially stronger for a future PhD
vs
a more practice-oriented, IR-focused and career-aligned programme (Sciences Po / St. Gallen), which may offer clearer pathways into policy roles but perhaps less academic depth
My long-term considerations
I am currently interested in:
working in European or German foreign and security policy
but I am also seriously considering pursuing a PhD afterwards
I realise these are not identical career paths, which is part of my uncertainty.
What I would particularly appreciate input on
How relevant is the distinction between Comparative Politics and IR in this context for future PhD or policy careers?
Would LSE still be a strong foundation for an IR/security-focused trajectory despite the programme label?
How are these degrees perceived in practice (academia vs policy)?
For someone genuinely torn between academia and policy, which path would you consider more flexible/strategically sound?
I apologise for the length of this post and sincerely appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it and offer their perspective.
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All the best,
xx