The New School Reviews of Master's in Political Science

"The New School offers a progressive learning environment based in the heart of New York City. The school is a hub of myriad learning opportunities, always buzzing with activity and inspiration from such subjects as fashion to psychology. Students are encouraged to engage in a wide breadth of knowledge and are not restricted to their departmental course offerings, making the experience rich with exposure."

"If you want to go to a school that encourages ideas and highlights being the change in the world, The New School is for you. In every masters degree offered, there is a component of humanitarianism and advocacy. The New School's international affairs masters program is not only theoretical but practical in the classes offered as well as the coursework."

"My time at The New School has been wonderfully eye-opening. I am most grateful for the diversified faculty members, subject matter, and presentation of materials and ideas. The campus is beautiful, the mission is progressive, and the energy is exciting. I am assured every day that the campus is buzzing with innovative ideas in any number of schools of thought. I am eternally grateful to be in the presence of such accomplished faculty, guest faculty, alumnus, and present classmates. It has truly been a worthwhile experience."

"I think that the graduate program at the New School will serve as a catalyst in terms of fulfilling my dream of furthering my knowledge in the international field as well as set me on the right track of achieving my dream as a human rights advocate and policy maker. My purpose in this life is to wake everyday knowing that I made a positive I apart in someone's life. I strongly believe that the master's program in international affairs will open doors and opportunities in fulfilling my dreams and a step further in my future career path. Having a strong and vibrant administrative school such as the New school is an integral part of the development of personal and professional growth for all graduate students"

"I attended NSSR from 2008-2010 as a student of Political Science with an intention to work toward a doctorate in Political Theory. The school did not offer much financial support to its MA students, offering only a 33% scholarship with no negotiable extension of that aid. As a result, I took on over $50k in additional student loans for two years there, on top of my previous undergraduate loans to attend this school. While there, few professors took the time to try to get to know me and I was not able to make any meaningful connections there. They came across as very in touch with their research and expertise but largely out of touch with their students and the act of meaningful teaching. As a working commuter, I felt the department privileged NYC-based students and culture and was not appreciative of the full diversity of its international and commuter students. Further, given the limited methodological approaches of their faculty, the program did not prepare me well to enter into a world in which quantitative political science and policy analysis were the dominant paradigm, and while my interest was in theory, I was not prepared at all to engage in conversations with large swaths of the field who practiced other methods and had different epistemological standpoints. We were very much trained to join the ivory tower of disgruntled theoreticians and engage in discourse, critical theory, and ethnography but little else. I was not prepared for the job market with a M.A. from this school. I was not admitted to any doctoral programs with a degree from NSSR, and there was little (zero) demand in the job field for M.A.'s in PoliSci that paid any better than for someone with a B.A., or no degree at all. As a result, due to my oppressive levels of debt, I had to switch fields and embark on another career with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and yet they still hit me up every year for an alumni donation. No, thank you."