Josef Korbel School Admissions Director Brad Miller, right, with
Dr. Nassar M. Shaikh, vice rector for academic affairs at Prince
Mohammad Bin Fahd University in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

By Nirvana Bhatia
Master's candidate in Human Rights
Josef Korbel School of International Studies

A new degree program and a tough economy mean graduate applications for the 2010-2011 school year are up at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies.

Professional degree programs around the country are experiencing an increase in applicants, but the Josef Korbel School's innovative Master's in Development Practice (MDP) program, which will launch next year, has also been responsible for attracting more students.

There are 220 additional applicants from last year -- a record year in itself, and approximately 110 for the MDP program. There are also more international applications than ever before.

"It's about a 37 percent increase from last year," said Josef Korbel School Director of Graduate Admissions Brad Miller. "That's the highest among the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), and it means we can be more selective in composing the incoming class."
 
Applications have always been linked to the current political and economic climate. This latest trend in admissions is similar to the increased applications following the Sept. 11 attacks, when international relations schools became a vision of a changing world, Miller said. Applicants then filtered down in subsequent years as the economy boomed.

Professional graduate school admissions are usually tied to opportunities in the job market, so fewer prospects means more people are looking to re-train themselves with new skills. As Miller points out, government jobs are still available, but the competition has increased as people with JD and MBA qualifications are now seeking the same positions.

"The Josef Korbel School is becoming a more recognizable name," Miller said. "Our alumni and faculty are talking about their experiences and bringing awareness to our school, and people are realizing we can provide them with the professional skills necessary in a competitive job market."

The Office of Graduate Admissions stresses that a higher number of prospective students denotes an incoming class of the highest caliber, rather than a bigger class. The Josef Korbel School will not admit more students than there is room for. On average, there are about 200 students that begin their course of study every fall quarter.

The MDP program has a cohort of just 20 individuals, which Miller called "the best students I have seen in an applicant pool."

Miller encouraged students interested in the 2011-2012 school year to apply early Learn more about applying to the Josef Korbel school.