Boston College vs. George Washington University for an International Relations Major

For an international relations major focused on internships, policy exposure, and early career access, George Washington University is the more compelling choice. Its Elliott School of International Affairs is built around undergraduate international-affairs study and sits in downtown Washington, D.C., near federal agencies, embassies, think tanks, NGOs, and international organizations. That location makes semester-long internships and networking substantially more accessible during the academic year, not just over the summer.

GW’s course offerings and student community are especially oriented toward foreign policy, security studies, regional studies, international economics, and diplomacy. Students can pair classroom work with Washington-based experiences such as policy events, guest speakers, research roles, and internships that can clarify career interests and create useful references for jobs or graduate school. For someone hoping to work in government, diplomacy, advocacy, intelligence, development, or policy research, that day-to-day proximity is a meaningful advantage.

Boston College can offer a more traditional residential campus experience, a strong Jesuit liberal-arts foundation, and a close-knit undergraduate environment. Its International Studies program encourages interdisciplinary work across politics, economics, history, languages, and cultural study, which can be excellent preparation for graduate-level international affairs. Boston also has reputable academic and nonprofit opportunities, though it does not provide the same immediate concentration of federal and diplomatic institutions as D.C.

The key distinction is structure: at GW, international affairs is a central institutional focus embedded in the city where much U.S. foreign-policy work happens. At Boston College, international studies is likely to feel more like one part of a broader liberal-arts education, with campus life and core curriculum playing a larger role.