<p>I've seen here and there that the job market for graduates with degrees in International Relations/Affairs/Studies is very saturated. I've read quite a lot of threads on what schools are best for International Relations and such, but I haven't seen one where people who majored in IR told us how'd they ended up. So I ask - What do you who have an IR degree do now?</p>
<p>Funny. That is exactly what I want to figure out!!!</p>
<p>I want to know this too…</p>
<p>Haha, me too</p>
<p>D1 got a BS in International Studies 2 years ago. She is now working on a PhD in Astrophysics. Probably not the answer you’re looking for.</p>
<p>0_0. Can you tell us her story please?</p>
<p>Wow. Those are two very different fields… Did she not enjoy international studies?</p>
<p>What I didn’t mention above was in her 4 years as an undergrad she also acquired bachelor degrees in astronomy, physics and German. I think what she enjoyed most was the international travel and the people she encountered. She studied in Bulgaria (geography), China (math), and Kenya (engineering). Now as it turns out astronomers travel quite a bit. While an undergrad in astro she had multiple trips to Hawaii to use the Subaru telescope atop Mauna Kea, presented a research paper at an international conference in Krakow Poland as well as attended many other conferences. Now as a grad student her travels seem to be taking her to South America and Chile in particular.</p>
<p>Whoa, you’re daughter got 4 bachelor’s degrees in 4 years?! That’s crazy! Thanks for the info.</p>
<p>Having a real hard time believing SCbob. 4 degrees in 4 years. Riiiiiiiiiiiiight… >_></p>
<p>I’m also interested in knowing this. We can’t all get jobs with NGOs, the State Dept, etc.</p>
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<p>You’ve just described the wet dream of every college kid studying in DCc (except the tools screaming they’re the next President, which are a dime a dozen). </p>
<p>A lot of people go into non-profits. Most go on to earn graduate degrees in a more specific area of the field (think Security or perhaps a region). A few go to law school, and only a small portion to med school. A few go to privates like Booz Allen or Lockheed Martin. Some work as analysts or consultants (really works out if you’re knowledgable about a specific area AND speak the language fluently). A good portion of them become project assistants, though.</p>
<p>^So would double majoring in IR and a language help much? </p>
<p>And as it seems a lot of college’s IR programs require “tracks” in specific regions, if I majored in IR (and eventually went into an east asian track) and also in Japanese, would the culture classes from one fulfill the requirement in another? Or would I have to take double the amount of those?</p>
<p>I’m an international relations/economics senior graduating in May & trying to figure what I’m doing in the next couple years too! Here are some jobs my recently graduated classmates have received with international relations majors:</p>
<p>-IBM Global Business Services - Consultant (also double major in supply chain management or economics)
-Booz Allen Hamilton - Consultant (also double major in arabic, extensive travel experience)
-State Dept - Nuclear Proliferation (also double major in Russian, interned for Dept of State for 3 semesters before obtaining job)
-Teach for America (quite a few are doing this)
-General Electric - Contract Management Training Program
-Legal Assistant - Non-profit
-Program Associate - United Nations Foundation
Other people have gone to grad school, found temporary/internship positions, or have not found anything at all. I’ve observed that IR can be a good major for jobs - if you are flexible, persistent, and willing to look at all opportunities for advancement…the diversity in jobs here shows that.</p>
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<p>A decent IR program will make you take a language for a couple of semester as part of its degree requirements. No one cares what you major in, anyway (unless you’re going into engineering), so for the sake of sanity, I’d drop the double major (especially with Japanese! It’s a tough langauge).</p>
<p>I’m learning Jap in high school and want to continue it in college though :P</p>
<p>Then continue it by taking Japanese throughout college. You don’t need to be a Japanese major to do that.</p>