Vivat Academia! or...

Dear Reader!

I am terribly sorry for such a delay in my posts, which was caused by a progressive disorder (international?).

The entry that you will find here is devoted mainly to the issue of getting a graduate degree in international relations (or a similar field). This post is written by Dr. Fox, while he was still a graduate student, so, please, be sceptic. As much as you can.

P.S. I assume, Sir Popper will soon respond to it.

[14.04.2010] [7:82 p.m.]

Fox My honorable reader, I am graduating rather soon and will embark upon a journey of real science in this big, big world. As a tribute to my school and professors I would like to devote this post to the enormous amount of knowledge that I managed to obtain here.

First of all, I cannot help but to express gratitude towards the honorable professors who have shown me the depths of the international relations’ science. Their experience in the field, as well as their attitude to students and myself, contributed to my better understanding of the major political issues.

Curriculum is, of course, above all. Classes in ultratendencies (I will elaborate on the book afterwards), which covered broad topics of globalization, war and peace, international law, ethnical issues and moral dimensions of politics provided a comprehensive view and mainly constituted the way I see the world today. Another good example would be a rather interesting subject of “Inter-Regions and Major Powers”, based on Prof. Bleaks’ unique approach to explaining the global balance of powers and viewing the world order as a compound of inter-regions, intertwined in political, economic and cultural terms. This is really fascinating – you are able to view the whole picture and be aware of all the major tendencies without any need to seek into unnecessary details.

I should especially focus on a great book that was published not a long time a go – the “Ultratendencies” (yes, just like the one that Bittnais wrote, but with a more systematic approach). Almost the whole Department of the World Dynamics’ Analysis participated in the creation of that wonderful textbook that covers core subjects in our program. With its interdisciplinary features and a broad variety of topics, discussed in just 448 pages, it makes the best foundation for our studies, and I am unbelievably lucky that I had the opportunity to work with it.

My gratitude knows no limits, for the University paved me a way towards my job, which I longed for since high school. Such an education prepares one for a work in different fields, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for instance, and is highly valued by theoreticians and practitioners alike. The comprehensive approach I learned here will help me in my future career, even if I change its course in four or five years, due to the knowledge that I acquired here, ranging in topics from international conflicts and global order up to global security and inter-regional relations.

Thank you for your attention! P.S. This is not really a "Do you need a graduate degree?" post, but if you ask me - yes, please, get one, it will help you a lot! If you have any questions about our University,  program, our if you need advice, I will gladly help you!