Should I choose Northeastern or Fordham for international relations?

For a student who wants international relations tied closely to professional experience, Northeastern is likely the more compelling choice. Boston also offers a dense network of universities, policy institutions, and internationally oriented employers.

Northeastern fits students who want a flexible, career-integrated undergraduate path and are comfortable taking initiative to find opportunities. Its international affairs coursework can be paired with languages, economics, regional studies, security studies, public policy, data skills, or a business-related field.

Fordham may suit a student looking for a more traditional, discussion-centered liberal arts experience with direct access to New York City’s international community. Its programs in political science, international studies, and international political economy can provide a strong foundation in global politics, economics, ethics, and foreign languages. New York’s proximity to the United Nations, consulates, advocacy groups, media organizations, and international nonprofits creates meaningful internship possibilities during the academic year.

Fordham is particularly appealing for students who value a Jesuit education’s emphasis on ethics, social justice, and service, and who want international relations to be connected to questions of human rights, migration, inequality, or global development. It can also feel more intimate and campus-centered than Northeastern, depending on whether you are based at Rose Hill or Lincoln Center.

Choose based on how you want to build your résumé: Northeastern is designed around extended professional placements, while Fordham rewards a student who will actively use New York for semester-long internships and networking. For international relations alone, Northeastern has the clearer built-in career structure; Fordham can be an excellent fit when NYC access, a values-driven liberal arts setting, and close faculty engagement matter more.