Emory vs. American University: Which offers stronger undergraduate opportunities for international relations?

For a student who wants international relations to be the center of their undergraduate experience and expects to pursue policy internships during the academic year, American University offers the more direct path. Its School of International Service is a dedicated undergraduate and graduate hub for fields such as foreign policy, international development, global security, and regional studies. Its Washington, D.C., location makes regular internships with federal agencies, embassies, think tanks, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations far more accessible than they would be from Atlanta.

American tends to fit students who want a professionally oriented IR environment: classmates heavily focused on global affairs, courses taught by practitioners as well as scholars, policy events throughout the city, and the ability to combine classwork with part-time internship experience. Students should still be prepared to seek opportunities actively; D.C. provides access, but internships are not automatic.

Emory can be an excellent choice for a student who wants a broader liberal-arts education alongside international studies. Its International Studies program is interdisciplinary, allowing students to connect politics with history, economics, languages, public health, religion, or area studies. Atlanta also offers meaningful globally focused opportunities, including connections to public health and humanitarian work through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The Carter Center, though the internship ecosystem is less concentrated around day-to-day federal policy work.

For careers specifically centered on U.S. foreign policy, diplomacy, congressional affairs, or think tanks, American’s location and School of International Service give it a clear practical advantage. Emory may be more compelling for someone whose international interests overlap strongly with public health, development, global history, or a wider academic exploration before specializing.