How to Pick a Foreign Policy Major

We live in a global society. There is virtually no place on the planet that is not connected to someplace else in some way. As a major industrialized nation, the United States has dealings with nearly every country on earth. Therefore, job opportunities in foreign policy are plentiful and continue to increase. The best way to get a foreign policy job is to have a foreign policy major in college. There are several ways to pick a foreign policy major.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Pick a Foreign Policy Major

1. Ask student services which department handles foreign policy classes. At most colleges and universities, foreign policy falls under the broad spectrum major of political science.

2. Check with an advisor in the political science department to find out about areas of specialization within the major. Most schools allow specialization within the major. Some common areas of specialization include American government, political theory and international relations.

3. Discuss curriculum with your advisor. If you are interested in pursuing a foreign policy major, you will want to pick an area of study that includes a generous selection of classes dealing with this sort of subject matter. Classes in comparative politics, diplomacy and law are just some of the classes that will deal with foreign policy.

4. Talk about career opportunities within each political science area of specialization. You will want to take a track that has good job prospects in the field of foreign policy when you graduate.

5. Find out if there are any study abroad opportunities available. Nothing beats going into the field for learning foreign policy. Living in a foreign country for a semester or a year is an excellent way to develop the cultural understanding necessary to work in foreign policy.

Tips & Warnings

• International relations is the most foreign policy-intensive track of study at most schools.
• Finding a school with a renowned foreign policy center will increase the prestige associated with your degree and may open up more job opportunities for you later on.
• Look for internship opportunities in foreign policy. This will enhance your job prospects upon graduation and will let you experience what it is like to work in your chosen field from day to day. Some good internships for foreign policy majors include working on Congressional committees, on the staffs of members of Congress, in embassies and for lobbying firms.
• If you have a special foreign policy interest that is not covered by a class at your school, ask your adviser about the possibility of doing an independent study on it. Independent study is a self-directed research project supervised by a faculty member in your department. It usually runs for one semester and you get credit for it and a grade, just like a regular class.