Written By: Charlotte Walton (BS Political Science 18’)

As an International Affairs Major, it can be both exciting and daunting to know that the world is your employment platform. With this comes possibilities, and a degree of the unknown. However, you do not have to be completely in the dark anymore when it comes to potentially working with large entities such as the United Nations, the Central Intelligence Agency, or the U.S. Department of State.

As a new graduate or pondering alumnus of the University of North Georgia, you might have several questions about what working for these big-name entities might entail. You might even be considering which might be a good fit for you.

The United Nations is a global entity with many available fields to work in; Management and Administration, Economic/Social and Development, Political/Peace and Humanitarian, Information and Telecommunication Technology, Legal, Public Information and Conference Management, Internal Security and Safety, Logistics/Transportation and Supply Chain, and Science.

 

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has an abundance of fields to entire into, with five major overarching categories of occupations; Analysis, Clandestine, STEM, Enterprise and Support, and Foreign Language. There are a variety of analyst and officer positions, as well as audit, health care, legal, design, transportation, and managerial positions. The CIA also has a job fit tool, which will connect you to a position that closest matches your skillset.

 

The U.S. Department of State has four major employment opportunities for International Affairs degree holders; Consular Fellows Program, Foreign Service Specialist, Foreign Service Officer, and Civil Service Officer. The Consular Fellows Program is a non-career position for up to 60 months, utilizing foreign language skills to adjudicate for visas. Foreign Service Specialists provide technical, medical, or administrative services overseas. Foreign Service Officers serve as diplomats to other countries. Civil Service Officers work to help Americans all over the world by improving standings with foreign nations. The U.S. Department of State also has a Foreign Service quiz online to test and see if the occupation is a good fit for you.

 

These are only three of the larger big-name entities that International Affairs degree holders can pursue employment. Other entities that might be of interest to explore would be USAID, USAJOBS, the United State Department of Agriculture, the International Trade Administration, and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.

 

Here are some helpful links that can assist you in further research about job opportunities for international affairs majors:

https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx

https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities/cia-jobs/index.html

https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities/job-fit-tool

https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/quiz/#

 

We encourage you to visit career services for additional information:

https://ung.edu/career-services/