Are Individuals Studying Government And International Relations Limited To Government Jobs?

Written by Heidi Song December 21th 2021

To start, with over 1,831,723 individuals employed to work for the federal government in the U.S., and in Canada, with employment in the public sector making up 20% of employed Canadians, it is clear that there are many government-related job opportunities and individuals that have interest in working for the government. However, having a government job is not something that everyone wants to do, including those who study government and international relations, so what other job opportunities are there that individuals studying in this field pursue?

First, according to York University, some of the potential career options for students in international studies include being a journalist and speech writer. Although many of the jobs individuals in international studies have are in the government, such as being judges, lawyers, politicians, etc., there are various other jobs available for students outside of the usual career range. Being a journalist, which is one of the careers for those with an international studies degree, is a job where individuals “research, write, edit, proofread, and file news stories, features and articles”. A speech writer, which is another job an international studies degree offers, is a role where individuals prepare and write speeches to be presented by another person. Despite the fact that speech writers can work for the government, such as being employed by elected officials and executives in the government, speech writers also have the option to write for social occasions, like weddings.

Furthermore, according to the University of the Potomac, an international relations degree can “open you up to a better understanding of the interconnected world we live in”, which can allow students in international studies to also take non-traditional routes. For instance, this includes regional consultants. Out of the responsibilities of a regional consultant, one of the main tasks students who have an interest in pursuing this role can expect to do is help a company locate potential customers. Another non-traditional career path students in international relations can take on is being a teacher. Although becoming a teacher is not one of the most common pathways for students in this focus area, majoring in global studies is very helpful for those who are interested in teaching overseas. Additionally, students in international relations can also become travel guides, which is a role that allows individuals to explore their own country as well as others. There are also many different types of travel guides, such as guiding people through cultural tours. Ultimately, it is clear that majoring in international relations allows individuals to apply their knowledge and skill set to various careers and have jobs that extend past roles.