How should I compare Duke and Boston University for studying international relations?

For a student focused specifically on diplomacy and global security, Boston University offers the more directly tailored academic fit because its Pardee School of Global Studies is built around international affairs as a distinct undergraduate field. Pardee offers an International Relations major with focused study in areas such as foreign policy, security studies, and regional specialization, rather than requiring students to assemble that path primarily through a broader political science major. Its faculty and programming are closely tied to policy practice, international organizations, and contemporary global issues.

BU’s Boston location also creates unusually practical access to the field. The city has foreign consulates, internationally oriented nonprofits, policy organizations, and a substantial higher-education network, which can make semester internships and speaker events more accessible while you are enrolled. For someone envisioning work in diplomacy, multilateral institutions, or security analysis, that ecosystem can help connect coursework to professional experience early.

Duke is an excellent choice for international relations, particularly if you want a broader liberal-arts education with strong connections to political science, history, economics, languages, area studies, and public policy. Its political science department, International Comparative Studies Program, and Sanford School of Public Policy can support serious study of conflict, institutions, development, and foreign policy. Duke may be especially appealing if you value a smaller undergraduate environment and want to combine IR with another academic direction, such as economics, data science, or global health.