American University vs Tufts for international relations: which is better?

For international relations, both are respected, but they serve somewhat different students. American is especially compelling for students who want day-to-day access to Washington, D.C. internships, policy organizations, embassies, and government-facing work during the school year.

Tufts fits students who want a more traditional residential campus with a highly academic, internationally minded environment. Its School of Arts and Sciences offers strong undergraduate pathways in international relations, and many students are drawn to the intellectual culture around diplomacy, development, political science, languages, and global research. If you like the idea of classmates who are deeply engaged in world affairs even outside class, Tufts often feels especially rich in that way.

American fits students who want IR to feel practical from the start. The School of International Service is one of the university’s signature strengths, and AU’s location gives it a real edge for internships during the semester. If your ideal college experience includes being off campus frequently for think tanks, nonprofits, advocacy groups, or federal agencies, American makes that unusually accessible.

That means the better choice depends on whether you value academic reputation and campus culture more, or whether you want immediate professional access built into your college experience.

One practical way to think about it: Tufts is often the stronger match for students who want a broad elite liberal arts research university feel with excellent IR training, while American is especially attractive for students who want to live the policy world as undergraduates rather than mostly preparing for it in class first.