What kind of careers can I get if my major is international relations?
I am interested in majoring in international relations but I am not sure what I can do with that degree. #any
3 answers
Jim’s Answer
Have you thought of Law School? My cousin is an attorney. She deals with international law. This is a great career because you can work with the government or any international companies. If you like traveling, this is another great opportunity to do within your career.
Good luck!
Gary’s Answer
Hi,
I think international relations would be a great degree for many different careers...you can also take elective courses in specific areas that interest you. Most larger businesses are international nowadays so your degree could help you working for larger corporations all over the world...you could also use an IR degree to work in Government or in the Military...agencies like the United Nations, Worldwide health and finance agencies and the Peace Corps could also be options.
Good luck!
Jimmy Chen
Jimmy’s Answer
Lorena,
I majored in International Relations at Tufts University, and let me be the first to tell you that most people who have an IR degree do not end up doing international relations. An International Relations degree, at least at Tufts, is a multidisciplinary degree that gives students an introduction to the complex challenges that happen across borders in the areas of diplomacy, economics, politics, culture, history and the like. At Tufts one could choose a specialization (e.g Global Health, Economics, Culture, etc), and then pursue a career in those fields or move into academia.
I would encourage you to do research on what aspects of international relations interest you and examine why you would like to study it. Then, think about what careers you would be open to and then see if there is any direct overlap.
The one thing I want to stress is that one's degree is not necessarily indicative of what they will do in the future! I have friends with an IR degree that went into consulting, law, computer science, med school, digital arts, etc. The general rule of thumb is to do well in school and then doors will open for you!!