International Relations Research and Study Opportunities

International Relations Scholarships

International relations Fellowships

International Relations Conferences

International Relations relevant accounts on Twitter

International Relations as a discipline

Diplomacy is everything: both in politics, business, and life. International relations as a discipline is meant to educate students on this critical skill. The discipline prepares future specialists who would construct better relationships between nations, with the flexibility of mind and communication. 

There are more than 190 internationally recognized countries in the world, each protecting their areas, resources, and rights. Meanwhile, the current globalization trends create the necessity of collaboration and resource sharing to succeed in areas broader than purely national benefits. So, both big and small countries are in the net of mid-national relationships, where each strives to reach the golden point of getting the most out of global resources while compromising possibly few national interests. 

International relations specialists appear as the coordinators of those processes. They care about how their presented country performs in international areas and how they manage to implement national and international strategies. 

Generally, the origin of international relations can be considered the beginning of the 20th century. The role of certain countries, such as the United States, started to grow in parallel to their power, and the necessity of international regulations became bigger. There is a need for more effective communication between peoples, societies, governments, and economies. The lack of diplomacy leads to dangerous methods of regulation, reaching up to wars and genocides. 

International studies are mainly concerned about the relationship between countries in politics, economics, and security, as those are the sphere where conflicts usually occur. In the broader scope, IR is connected to geography, history, economics, sociology, psychology, philosophy, political science, etc. 

Interested to Pursue a Degree in International Relations?

It is vital to study international relations today. In globalization and crisis, terrorist attacks and organized crime, wars and environmental risks, proper management of international relations, and accurate diplomacy are the only way out.

Degree studies on international relations boost analytical and critical thinking, leadership skills, writing, and research skills. These academic programs drive students to think about what is there behind the conflict and how to achieve cooperation.

Bachelor's degree students choose from a wide pool of courses such as history, culture, international law, political institutions, anthropology, and sociology. Whereas master's degree students enroll in more specialized courses and explore the influence of international relations on the development of economies, political systems, and broader globalization.

The highest academic degree program, Ph.D., in international relations is an attempt to explore different academic thoughts and various aspects of diplomacy.

Employers in the public and non-profit sector are in constant search of outstanding graduates of international relations. While a degree in international relations is not that specific as accounting or architecture, the international relations department graduates easily find themselves employed in various fields due to their analytical and thinking abilities.

Conferences, Symposiums and Other Events on International Relations

Workshops, conferences, and symposiums bring together scholars and academics, students and practitioners, representatives of the non-profit sector. Participants of these events discuss current challenges to peace and sustainable development, alternatives to military intervention in resolving conflicts, and many other issues that can be effectively settled through proper international relations and diplomacy.

International Relations Careers

International Relations prepare effective communicators and critical thinkers. Ideally, students should occupy diplomatic positions after graduation and start presenting the country and its interests on international platforms. 

Besides the first-importance diplomatic roles such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, there are complex diplomatic institutions, where hundreds of workers develop their international strategies. Ministries of foreign affairs are considered to be one of the most popular employment areas for IR students. In most countries, regardless of the IR studies completion certificate, candidates should also pass the competition assessment tests to be accepted to the ministry. 

However, the careers in International relations are not finished at that point. The skills gained during the IR studies cover a broad range of study areas, so there are also many ways to utilize them. International relations graduates develop the following primary skills:

  • Effective verbal and written communication
  • Ability to translate complex ideas in simple language to public
  • Strong presentational skills
  • Critical analysis of information
  • Ability to find possible solutions to even the most challenging issues
  • Collaboration skills to achieve group goals
  • Strong independent study and research skills
  • Time management
  • Global understanding of the main issues and problems in different regions of the world
  • Awareness of global challenges

Therefore, any sphere of life which somehow deals with international relations regulations can be a fitting employment opportunity for IR students. 

After the governmental organizations, IR students are highly demanded in International organizations such as United Nations and European Union. In these organizations, you can take your first career steps even while studying, as there are many internships and traineeships both on a free and paid basis. 

Also, the role of languages is crucial for IR career jobs. You will most probably be required to travel much and communicate with people from different nationalities. While usually there might be translators, direct communication does not have worthy analogs for successful negotiations. 

Of course, you should not be a polyglot. However, learning the most popular international language(s) and having a basic understanding of the main partner country languages would be your competitive advantage in the job market. 

IR graduates main job occupations include:

  • Diplomatic service officer
  • Government social research officer
  • Intelligence analyst
  • International aid/development worker
  • Policy officer
  • Political risk analyst
  • Public affairs consultant
  • Lobbyist
  • Communication Specialist in a non-profit

International Relations educate specialists who have a crucial role in establishing international communications based on mutual respect, mutual understanding, and most importantly, elimination of conflicts. We hope this section of ARMACAD will help you master one of the most needed specialties of the 21st century.