<p>I think it would be really cool to become an ambassador for the UN and I was wondering what would I major in. I thought that you would major in international relations with an emphasis on a certain area of the world, but I think that I read somewhere that it doesn't really matter what you major in in college because to become an ambassador you are chosen somehow and that you don't really like apply. I also talked to this girl whose parents worked for the UN and I think one of them was an ambassador from India. She (the daughter) told me that it is best to become fluent in like three or four languages and then intern at the UN and work your way up from there. Anyway, I was thinking of majoring in Spanish and French. I want to become a doctor also. I don't know if all this is possible time-wise. Just wondering what you CC members think.</p>
<p>I would say something like international relations, language and area studies, a language major, really anything that will introduce you to the field in general, but also something that you're really interested in (but any of these things should be of interest if the UN is your goal). </p>
<p>In terms of diplomats and ambassadors in US embassies, there are some positions which are appointed by the president, etc. and others where you can apply through the Foreign Service at the State Department. I'm not too sure about jobs at the UN. But you are on the right track to be asking questions and getting info and advice early - but always remember something else could come along that you will want to work in as well!! Even within the UN there is a very wide range of jobs and areas of specialty - so explore your options! :)</p>
<p>I actually met with an ambassador the other day, and she said any liberal arts major has a good chance; however, IS, political science, and economics had better luck. You have to take an exam and do well enough to qualify to start working for the DofS, so as long as you do well, she said it didn't matter (she was a French major).</p>
<p>It seems like the doctor thing is sora an afterthought. Maybe you should focus more on the languages first. And definately get some internships, so you can add a little more focus to your goals.</p>
<p>I’m also thinking of becoming either an Ambassador or a Doctor. I haven’t quite made up my mind. What I have been able to find out about being an Ambassador is that you would what to be well versed in Politics and Curents events of the world as well as have a good understanding of the law of your chosen country. Political Science/Goverment and International Relations are what I’m looking at. With a few language classes thrown in. You must have a minimum of your bachelors degree but many Ambassadors have more. The following website gave me a lot of information about Ambassadors you might find it helpfull to. Good Luck! [Ambassador</a> Job Description, Career as a Ambassador, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job](<a href=“Ambassador Job Description, Career as a Ambassador, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job - StateUniversity.com”>Ambassador Job Description, Career as a Ambassador, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job - StateUniversity.com)</p>
<p>An Ambassador isn’t something you apply to become, you are appointed by the President. So it really has nothing to do with your major in college, and everything to do with connections - MAJOR CONNECTIONS, like President of the United States connections!!!</p>
<p>For example, the current Ambassador to Ireland is Dan Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who was appointed by President Obama.</p>
<p>“Ambassador-ships” are often passed out as political favors. In Rooneys case, he endorsed Obama over Clilnton during the primary (Rooney is powerful in PGH), and this is how he was rewarded.</p>
<p>Some position are attainable via the State Department, but those are all about connections as well. They are more political positions than government GS positions.</p>
<p>There is not pathway to this sort of thing. A person can be an Ambassador with little foreign relations experience. They are appointed through various channels, not just the government, but very often from the business sector.</p>
<p>Your college major has ZERO to do with it, so major in whatever you want - it has no bearing.</p>
<p>Typically, the Ambassadors appointed through the State Department will have extensive experience in a certian country (decades), and will then be given this title.</p>
<p>There are also “Ambassadors” of different sorts, that I don’t really understand. For example, Cofer Black - a major player behind Blackwater and Total Intelligence Solutions (former CIA big shot) also has the title Ambassador.</p>
<p>Just focus on doing well in your career - these are rare positions, lots of things need to fall into place for you to be appointed.</p>
<p>Actually, you have a better chance being elected to Congress in a certain way.</p>
<p>To the OP - asking what major you need to be an Ambassador is like asking what major you need to become President of the United States. </p>
<p>People really need to start understand that college majors have little to do with your career, in the long term. All they are good for is your first charge into the workforce. After that, they become increasingly irrelavant as you get older and acquire more experience.</p>
<p>For example, I’m only 28. Yet at my last job interview the subject of my major never even came up or was discussed. It was all about work experience and skills. This is compounded greatly in the government, because they care squat about your major.</p>
<p>I agree with the prior post. Although I do consider that your college major may be able to help you build a foundation of knowledge later applicable to positions related to your goal. And well, we are living in a globalized world, so learning new languages is always good.</p>
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<p>Yeah Ambassadorships are notorious for being the way Presidents reward their supporters, and it makes sense. I would much rather have Mr. Obama’s, or any other President’s for that matter, political allies, who have absolutely no experience, stationed in a remote tropical paradise that does no business with the United States, or a place like Ireland, which is nice, but who we aren’t going to get into any wars with, and who isn’t a major NATO ally, than have them in cabinet level positions or as judges, where when they mess up, it actually has real world effects.</p>
<p>There are around 160ish countries I think, almost all of them have a US ambassador. Of these countries, the vast majority of them have no strategic value at all to the US. For those that are important, the President is going to appoint someone who is trusted, intelligent, and has experience dealing with the country in question. This effectively means that for the ambassadorships that are not political favours, you have to have a degree from an Ivy-caliber school.</p>
<p>I agree with everything other than you need an Ivy level caliber education.</p>
<p>You really come off as an elitist sometimes.</p>
<p>[Ambassadors</a> of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambassadors_of_the_United_States]Ambassadors”>Ambassadors of the United States - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Scroll through the list of Ambassadors and click to read their bio.</p>
<p>They come from a mix of backgrounds - and not all (most aren’t) from Ivy League schools.</p>
<p>Everyone of the profiles that I read were either political favours or had graduate study at top universities, not necessarily Ivy League. The National War College is also seen somewhat frequently.</p>
<p>Also, it isn’t elitist to say that to hold an important ambassadorship, you normally have to have gone to a top school. This doesn’t mean I’m an elitist, it simply recognizes the political reality.</p>
<p>You said Ivy league school.</p>
<p>Last I checked Ohio State, University of Tennessee and Utah (just a few examples) weren’t Ivy League.</p>
<p>I said Ivy-caliber, not Ivy League, and yes, there are a few exceptions, but for the most part, you have people with degrees from the Ivies, schools considered “Public Ivies”, and schools like Georgetown.</p>
<p>Well, regardless - the OP shouldn’t be worrying about being an Ambassador.</p>
<p>They should just be concerned about getting a job out of college.</p>
<p>But hey, “being an Ambassador would be like really cool, huh?” (Said in my best Valley Gurl voice)</p>
<p>im kinda lost in this forum, so what would be the best major to major in to have the best chances of becoming an ambassador?</p>
<p>The best thing you can do short of having major personal/political connections is join the Foreign Service (not an easy task) and work your way up for years.</p>
<p>It might not be feasible to become an “ambassador” (I believe it’s ambassadors to countries and delegates to the UN, anyway), but you could certainly be a diplomat if you put hard work into it. And hey, many high-ups in the Foreign Service do end up as ambassadors after long and distinguished careers.</p>
<p>Also, to join the Foreign Service you don’t need a certain major. You just have to be very knowledgeable and language skills help.</p>
<h2>im kinda lost in this forum, so what would be the best major to major in to have the best chances of becoming an ambassador? ~ Collegekid</h2>
<p>It doesn’t matter what you major in.</p>
<p>However, your priorities are way out of wack. The chances of becoming an Ambassador are extremely rare, because in most cases you have to be appointed by the President. Do you understand that? The President of the United States of America has to say, “You know what? I’m picking Collegekid to be the Ambassador for X country.”</p>
<p>It has absolutely nothing to do with your major in college.</p>
<p>You should be worried about getting prepared to find your first job out of college, not unrealistic goals like being an Ambassador.</p>
<p>Besides, if you did beat the odds and became an Ambassador, it wouldn’t happen till your 40’s or 50’s, so what will you do till then?</p>
<p>I do understand, I just wanted to know the ebst major that would put me on the correct career track is all</p>
<p>There is no ‘correct major’ that will put you on track to become an ambassadors. There have been US ambassadors that have been farmers, or business men or even some who have not even gone to college!</p>
<p>Unfortunately your goal is incredibly unrealistic. Look into more realistic things like foreign service realistic careers like that.</p>
<p>Technically any reasonable major could be useful. Even engineers can become ambassadors.</p>
<p>I was a Foreign Service Officer for 23 years before retiring and going to medical school for my second career. About 20% to 30% of Ambassadors are political appointees that have been major supporters of the President and usually have contributed to the President’s campaign. The rest are almost all chosen from the ranks of the Foreign Service after 20 or more years of experience. </p>
<p>Getting into the Foreign Service is very difficult. Only about one percent of applicants pass both the written and oral examinations used to select potential Foreign Service Officers. Even after commissioning as a Foreign Service Officer you will work for at least 20 years in dangerous unhealthy places around the world before there is any chance of being appointed as an Ambassador. In my entering class of Foreign Service Officers only one out of the 35 of us was selected to become an Ambassador. Most officers end their careers as I did, as an FSO-1 which is equivalent to a colonel in the Army, and given a generous immediate pension for the rest of their lives. The highlight of my career was being selected to be the officer in charge of the U.S. Consulate in ***uoka, Japan.</p>