Over the last few months, you must have been clueless about why the US killed Qasim Sulaimani that almost drove them into a full-fledged war with Iran. You might also start questioning your knowledge if you come across fancy words such as sovereignty, realism, or liberalism. Well, you are not the only one who doesn’t comprehend this jargon in their complete sense. You need an in-depth awareness of international relations to know or even comment with absolute authority about whatever is happening between countries. Much like human relationships, relations between countries involves several intricacies. Many factors contribute to these relationships, which include the type of government in a country and its customs. Diplomacy is one of the most primary practices that have the potential to avoid wars between nations and increase collaboration.

The applications of international relations are so ubiquitous that it interests millions of people across the globe. Not only does it give you a historical perspective of what is happening today, but it also helps you in predicting future eventualities. International relations majors offer by thousands of universities that help people in creating the foundation for their successful careers. Some people take it a notch further and pursue higher studies in the form of a master’s degree. By this time, many people have already started their careers, and a full-fledged degree might be too time-consuming, so they prefer online masters international relations. If you are someone who is not well aware of the career possibilities in international relations, this article will give you a due cognizance. A study says that the US has the most international relations scholars, and no wonder they lead the world since they understand it better.

FOREIGN SERVICE

Who doesn’t get impressed when they see the ambassadors stationed in various countries? They carry a peculiar aura that is very different from any other career. One of the privileges of this career is representing your country in official as well as in personal capacity. The natives get to see your country’s values through the lens of your personality. Since this involves an immense amount of responsibility, you will have to go through a rigorous selection process against several competent candidates. In this process, your knowledge of your country’s history, as well as international relations, is tested. So, a degree in international relations will give you a necessary framework to become the best candidate in the selection process. As global dynamics have been changing, experts believe that it has never been a better time to study international relations.

CIVIL SERVICE

Foreign service is not the only place where the government is looking to hire a person who has good knowledge about what is happening in the world. As a person responsible for providing government services to the people, you not only interact with a wide range of people but also serve the community. Civil service is your chance to make a difference in society, and international relations can take as the first step in that direction. The cherry on top is you can even become a right candidate for an intelligence career. Don’t get spooked; working in intelligence doesn’t involve much of what you see James Bond doing in his movies. Intelligence agencies require research and analysis before even thinking about any clandestine operations. There is no better example of the phrase “knowledge is power” than intelligence agencies as they are called the eyes and ears of a country. They study the motives and moves of other countries to respond in kind, and that requires an in-depth knowledge of international relations. These analysts are considered an asset by the agencies and hence very well paid.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

When you think about international organizations, your mind gets fixated at the United Nations. You are right, but you should know that the UN consists of several dozens of agencies like the International Civil Aviation Organization, International Labour Organization, and many more. Furthermore, there is also the European Union, and all of these organizations might not be able to operate a day without international relations specialists. You must be wondering why? Well, since they have to work with a lot of different countries, getting a local cultural and historical perspective is of elemental importance. Nobody can give this perspective better than an international relations expert, which makes them the perfect candidates for jobs in these organizations.

MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS

As the name suggests, several conglomerates operate across continents, and they can never be successful without understanding how relationships between countries work. Companies try to remain as apolitical and uncontroversial as possible. That’s because they can lose business in many states if they fail to acknowledge the feelings and aspirations of the natives. Cultural insensitivities of these multinational companies cause several controversies. For this reason, they hire international relations experts to guide them away from any such trouble. Furthermore, they are instrumental in bridging the gaps between countries, much like diplomats, to create a suitable environment for business.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND EDUCATION

If you are looking for any nobler career prospects after studying international relations, activism is the way to go. Such organizations are involved in activism for human rights across countries and continents, so they need the help of international relations specialists to establish a footprint. If activism doesn’t interest you, education can help you share your knowledge with future international relations graduates. You were joining academia aids you in shaping the minds that will lead countries in several capacities. You can also continue your research and publish it in journals or books to help the academic community understand this diverse subject in a better way.

JOURNALISM

If not anything else, studying international relations gives you a broader picture of what happens around the world. This knowledge is of paramount importance to newsgroups who want to inform their readers about the latest happenings. So, journalism is another career option that allows you to express your views and shape opinions openly.

CONCLUSION

This article gave you a fair idea about the scope of studying international relations. It is a pretty diverse subject providing you with an opportunity to learn a versatile set of skills. You are not only reinforced with knowledge but also learn how to make the right decisions with a world view. You have thought enough, now is the time to dive into this domain and make a difference in several capacities. The world wants to benefit from your abilities, but you must polish them first with an international relations degree.