Accepted to Masters programme at LSE. Will this be relevant for me as a Canadian?

Question

I've heard mixed reviews...

I know LSE is an excellent school but wonder if the debt will be worth it if I end up back in Canada.

I was accepted to MSc in International Employment Relations & Human Resources. There are similar programs in Canada, but nothing identical.

Anyone with similar experience? What do you think?

Answer 1

I had to make a very similar decision.  When I was looking at public policy/international relations masters programs I looked at schools in the states and in England (LSE was one).  I ended up staying in the states, not because LSE isn't a good school (it's clearly one of the best in the world), or because I didn't want to go to England (I studied in London in college--it's my favorite city in the world and I'm dying to go back and live there).  My decision came down to my job prospects after I got my masters.  I asked for opinions of a number of professionals with similar degrees and they all said similar things: they got their career started through connections (internships, etc)  that they had while in college.  So if you're planning to come back to Canada and work you won't have any of those connections to fall back on.  You'll have an impressive degree, but it might be a bit more difficult to get a job.  I'm witnessing that exact phenomenon through a co-worker right now.  I work part time (in an M.A. program full time) at a foreign policy think tank.  My co-worker graduated this past year from LSE but has been working unpaid as an intern in this think tank because he's having a difficult time finding a job.  I am planning on interning/working every semester while I'm in school; with every new experience I have I believe I am raising my likelihood of landing a job at one of these places once I'm done (I sure hope this is the case).  

This is only one person's opinion, and I'm sure the thought process is different for everyone, but these are the kinds of things I thought about.

If you do go to LSE, I envy the great time in London you will have.

Hope this helps