Picking LORs for Interdisciplinary-leaning Programs

[walt526]

Good afternoon,

Quick background: I was a Political Science major as an undergrad at a UC and currently completing an MA in Economics at a CSU (with as much math as I can squeeze in).

My research interests really lie on the intersection between Economics and Political Science, so I'm drawn to many (attainable) programs that, while housed in the Economics Department, integrate Political Science. For example:
- Caltech
- CMU
- George Mason
- UC Irvine
- U MA-Amherst
- Vanderbilt
- U Michigan? (Asquared if you could confirm or reject this assumption I'd greatly appreciate it)

My dilemma is that while I think that I can get three strong LORs from my MA program (CSU), would asking a Political Science professor add anything to my application? He would write an amazing letter of reference. I took 4 courses from him, all dealing with Judicial Politics (i.e., role of the courts in American democracy) including an undergrad research seminar. I also did some research (never published) for him.

I know that for more conventional programs, it's generally considered bad form to include LORs from non-Econ or Math professors. But for this handful of schools that have a more interdisciplinary orientation, might it be seen as valuable?

Thanks in advance for all the great advice.

[tm_guru]

Most schools allow up to 4 recommenders, and if each can contribute something to helping the adcom understand your motivation and aptitude for graduate study, then go ahead and add that professor.

I would point out that most agree that not having someone from your undergraduate institution provide a letter would be a mistake.

[tm_guru]

I would also note that UMass-Amherst and GMU are hetrodox programs and the opporutunities for placement are limited after graduation

[walt526]

Originally Posted by tm_guru

I would also note that UMass-Amherst and GMU are hetrodox programs and the opporutunities for placement are limited after graduation

Yeah, I know. I'm still not sure if I'll wind up applying to those. I just find polemics difficult to resist.

[tm_guru]

I'm hoping to maybe go be a visiting scholar at a hetrodox program for a semester at some point. Love Austrian ideas, but I love math too much to not go orthodox

[wind up bird]

I think it would be helpful for the application to Caltech. The adcom will more than likely have at least one political scientist. Although you should make sure your statement of purpose reflects that the flavor of political science at Caltech is pretty quantitative (mech design, game theory, experiments, etc). A lot of Caltech students enter the program as aspiring economists and leave as political scientists so it's definitely big here.

[asquare]

Re: U-Mich. You might be referring to the joint program between economics and public policy. It's not a PhD in public policy; it's a PhD in economics with public policy as a field. You have to be admitted by both departments, though. My impression is that admission to the econ part is seen as more difficult, so you want to make sure that your LORs are chosen to help you with that. But it sounds like the letter from the political science professor would certainly be a nice extra to have if you are applying to the joint program at U-Mich (assuming the work you did with him was policy-oriented, as opposed to political theory or something).

[Gecko]

Princeton has a program in political economy~