Explore Careers

A degree in an interdisciplinary field such as Global Studies prepares graduates for many different career avenues. Read on to get ideas of what you can do with a degree, hear from alumni and get strategies and resources for success after graduation.

What Can I Do with My Global Studies Degree?

  Professional Area Employers Strategies
U.S. Government
  • Translation/Interpretation
  • Teaching
  • Diplomacy
  • Civil Service
  • Foreign Service
  • Immigration/Naturalization
  • Armed Forces
  • Customs
  • Overseas Schools
  • Overseas Aid Agencies
  • Intelligence and Law Inforcement
  • State Department
  • Armed Forces
  • Library of Congress
  • United Nations
  • Learn federal, state, and local job application procedures.
  • Foreground your international experience.
  • Get involved in student government.
Media
  • Advertising
  • Journalism/Broadcasting
  • Publishing/Editing
  • Sales
  • Production
  • Public Relations
  • Voice of America
  • Print Media
  • TV and Radio Networks
  • Marketing Firms
  • Online Media
  • Video Production
  • International NGOs
  • Get sales experience.
  • Develop excellent grammar.
  • Serve on university media outlets.
  • Refine verbal and written communication skills.
  • Secure relevant internships.
International Business
  • Banking
  • Manufacturing
  • Market Research
  • Consulting
  • Imports/Exports
  • Banks and Financial Institutions
  • Import/Export Companies
  • Foreign Firms in the U.S.
  • U.S. Firms Abroad
  • Manufacturers
  • Consult "Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States."
  • Consult "Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries."
Tourism Industry
  • Airline Services
  • Hospitality Industry
  • Tour Companies
  • Travel Agencies
  • Hotels and Hostels
  • Airlines and Airports
  • Cruise Lines
  • Augment with hotel/restaurant experience.
  • Forefront international experience.
  • Develop good office skills.
  • Highlight second language skills.
Politics
  • State or Government Official
  • Campaign Worker
  • Political Party Officer
  • Public Interest Researcher
  • State/National Legislators
  • Republican or Democratic National Committees
  • Advocacy Groups
  • Local/State/National Campaigns
  • Volunteer on campaigns.
  • Refine verbal and written communication skills.
  • Earn leadership roles in local orgs.
NGO/Nonprofit Sector
  • Grant Writing
  • Rural Development
  • Social Justice
  • Environmental Protection
  • Amnesty International
  • Greenpeace
  • Mercy Corps
  • AmeriCorps
  • Peace Corps
  • Establish interpersonal networks.
  • Earn leadership roles in local orgs.
  • Refine verbal and written communication skills.

Alumni Testimonials

Undergraduates - Alissa Collins - INTL Undergraduate Alumni

“International Studies brings a softening of the heart. When we see other cultures and know that others exist in different ways than we do, we know we can solve problems in different ways. We pull on the collective strengths of the humans of the world.”

—Alissa Collins, BA in International Studies and Japanese, 2007. Alissa is the cofounder of Latitude Regenerative Real Estate.

Riley Shadffer

“I have found that I am already utilizing my global health toolbox at the residential treatment facility where I work. I try to be mindful about the intersectional social determinants that may have contributed to a client's experience with mental illness. Furthermore, I have found myself tuning into various pillars of explanatory models of distress within the clients I interact with: What language do they use to describe their experience? What cultural, familial, and personal factors contribute to how they perceive themselves?”

—Riley Shaffer, BA in International Studies and Spanish, Minor in Global Health, 2019

 

Madeline Tong

“When I went into undergrad, I had the long term goal of working in the international nonprofit sector and knew that majoring in International Studies would help me realize that goal. I appreciated the flexibility of course selection that the International Studies major offered, and enjoyed taking both foundational and concentration-specific courses, including courses on global human rights and development, as well as how to overcome culture shock and adjust to being in a new country/environment. The classes I took through the International Studies Department helped me develop holistically, and gave me the confidence to go into unfamiliar situations knowing that I am equipped to engage with people across diverse backgrounds.”

—Madeline Tong, BA in International Studies, 2020.

Career Highlights and Strategies for Global Studies Majors

For more ideas, visit our Internships page.

Skills & Strengths. Below are traits and skills common to Global Studies graduates, though you will almost certainly have skills not listed here:

  • Interact with diverse groups of people
  • Refine verbal/written communication
  • Multiple language proficiency
  • Interpret and evaluate events, information, and ideas
  • Understand and compare diverse cultures
  • *Identify and predict trends
  • *Understand and evaluate complex interrelationships

Potential Employers. A few examples of organizations that hire Global Studies graduates:

  • Federal Government (including State Department, Immigration & Naturalization Service, The Smithsonian Institute)
  • State, regional, and local goverments
  • Peace Corps
  • Universities (especially study abroad programs)
  • Elementary/Secondary schools
  • Consulting Firms
  • International nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

Sample Job Titles. Some of the job titles held by Global Studies graduates:

  • Curator
  • Peace Corps/VISTA Volunteer
  • Lawyer
  • Educator
  • Historian
  • Research Associate
  • Consultant
  • Public Administrator
  • Foreign Service Officer
  • Foreign Corespondent

    Letters of Recommendation

    Advice on how to get a letter of recommendation, along with a letter of recommendation request form.

    Letters of Recommendation

    Thank You Letters

    Information on how and when to write a thank you letter. (Hint: If you received a letter of recommendation, you're going to want to write a thank you letter!)

    Thank You Letters

    Professional Associations

    Membership in professional associations is often less expensive for students and can give you access to current information on jobs and trends in the field. Membership can also be listed on your resume and demonstrates commitment to your discipline. Here are a few samples: