I am seriously considering an international relations major when I enroll in college this fall. I have some questions for those who have either graduated with a major in international relations, or are currently majoring in IR. There’s a lot here… If you don’t feel like answering everything, that’s fine, I just have some questions regarding my possible future.
(1) If you have graduated, or if you have completed internship(s), if you don’t mind me asking, what line of work are you in now?
(2) How satisfied are you with your professional life after college? Do you regret your choice of major, or are you satisfied with it?
(3) In general, what is the likelihood of getting a government job in DC, or an IR job in NYC, with the major? I’ve always wanted to live in Chicago, but there seems to be virtually no IR jobs in Chicago. Is this true? I won’t exactly be disappointed if I have to live in DC or NYC of course, but I was just wondering if there’s anything in Chicago.
(4) What benefits are there majoring in IR? What body of knowledge have you gained that you didn’t have prior to starting college?
(5) If a beginning student follows politics, but doesn’t have a ton of political knowledge, will they be at a disadvantage? Would you suggest subscribing to a magazine like Foreign Policy to stay updated?
(6) If I major in IR, a double major is basically inevitable. What majors do you think complement IR best? Economics, or a language possibly? Which languages do you feel are the most valuable, yet feasible for a westerner? Is French still relevant, or is it slowly losing importance?
(7) Assuming you took a language(s), which one(s)? Is a language like Arabic too difficult for a westerner? Is it even possible to have a good grip on languages like Arabic, Farsi, Chinese, etc. in 4 years? Would a minor in one of these languages even help, if it was coupled with an IR + Econ double major?
(8) What was your regular coursework like? What were classes like?
(9) What type of internships were available to you, if any?
(10) Do you plan on continuing your education in the future, or have you? What’s the value of a MIA or MA in IR, and when in your career do you pursue that?
(11) Is there much possibility for travel in most IR careers? Have you done much travel in your career? Are there any careers that offer frequent travel, but not permanent/nonstop travel such as diplomacy?
(12) Do you feel you are truly making an impact with your career (I hope this isn’t too personal)? Are think tanks valuable, or do you think most of them are very obscure and scarcely read?
(13) Which courses do you think were the most valuable to you, in terms of value of knowledge gained, or how much they opened up an area previously unexplored to you? Do you have any suggestions on what type of classes to take in undergrad?
(14) Would you suggest taking more courses about a certain area of the world? I.e.- East Asia, the Middle East, etc.
(15) What is the outlook like on the fields that IR majors join, and the IR major itself?
(16) Any general tips for a prospective IR major?
Thanks! Like I said, I know there’s a lot here. I was rambling a bit, putting down anything that came to mind. Chances are I will reply with more questions 