Hey guys, I am thinking of majoring in international relations but I don’t know what kind of jobs are available with that major. All I found was foreign service officer but is there anything else. And also I want to be a lawyer, however the market for lawyers is really bad so it would really help if you guys could recommend some back-up well paying careers. Thanks!
The market for lawyers is actually significantly better now than it was four years ago (when a lot of would-be MBAs graduated with JDs instead). If you are still thinking about your major, that means that you are likely a freshman or sophomore, meaning graduation from law school is at least five years away. A lot can change in five years, so basing a decision of major on perception of today’s job market is not necessarily the best thing to do.
IR is one of those majors that has little utility in and of itself, but it can be quite versatile. You can take it a more quantitative route and come out with great understanding of statistics, which can be used in plenty of careers. You could also go more qualitative and come out with a grasp of analysis and argument techniques, which can also be used in plenty of careers. You could go the foreign service route, or you could look to international business. You could also look to domestic business or government, depending on your interests. You could also choose to do an IR major and follow up with some sort of master’s degree - economics, political science, communication, etc. - to get yourself into a more “marketable” position, should you find that you have few opportunities after junior year.
If you enjoy the subject matter, then IR can be a great major; job prospects can be developed later.