Careers in International Relations
The online master’s degrees from American University’s School of International Service (SIS) will prepare you to start or advance your career in global service.
Whether your aspirations are in global security, international development, foreign policy, national security, or conflict resolution, you will graduate ready to take on positions in a range of settings—think tanks, nonprofits, consulting firms, or government agencies—and promote peace worldwide.
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International Development
Working in international development means helping to improve—and sustain—the economic development and quality of life in an area. This includes: alleviating poverty and illiteracy, elevating life expectancy, and heightening GDP per capita.
You may work in the following professions:
- Development and disaster relief: Relief deployment managers, project coordinators, and monitoring and evaluation advisors.
- Infrastructure building: Building designers, engineers, planners, and consultants.
- Trade and economic policy: Research assistants, analysts, and transfer pricing associates.
- Energy and environmental sustainability: Environmental scientists and engineers, corporate responsibility professionals, and agriculture and food scientists.
- Human rights and humanitarian aid: Analysts, program managers, business developers, and policy and advocacy professionals.
- Social impact and corporate responsibility: Social impact analysts, corporate responsibility public affairs specialists, and corporate citizenship program managers.
Here is a sampling of positions that some of our students and alumni hold:
- Research Assistant, the Brookings Institution
- Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Agency for International Development
- Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, United Nations Development Programme
- Program Officer, National Democratic Institute
Security and Foreign Policy
Professionals in this field study how governments make decisions during times of war and peace. They work to solve global threats by combining military strategy with diplomacy to shape how countries interact and protect their interests.
You may work in the following professions:
- Foreign policy and diplomacy: Foreign affairs specialists, policy analysts, and foreign service officers.
- Security and intelligence: Intelligence analysts, defense advisors, and strategic assessment specialists.
- International organizations: Program officers, multilateral specialists, and global governance analysts.
- Political risk and consulting: Political risk consultants, strategy consultants, and private sector advisors.
Here is a sampling of positions that some of our students and alumni hold:
- Strategy Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Associate, Kroll
- Assistant Director of Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Policy and Activism Coordinator, Amnesty International
- Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Department of State
- Project Manager & Research Associate, Center for Strategic & International Studies
- Program Analyst, InScope International
- Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State
Learn more about our U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security degree concentration.
“The M.A. in International Relations is already proving invaluable. I presently work at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Belgium where my office employs representatives from all 28 NATO nations and partner countries.”
Emily Ham, Master of Arts in International Relations, ‘15
International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
Professionals in this field work to understand, mitigate, and resolve conflict on an international level.
You may work in the following professions:
- International peace building: Program monitoring and evaluation specialists, research advisors, and communication and liaison officers.
- Foreign service and international diplomacy: Foreign service specialists, program analysts, technical specialists, and foreign affairs officers.
- Democracy building and conflict resolution: Program and response coordinators, field facilitators, and monitoring and evaluation specialists.
Here is a sampling of positions that some of our students and alumni hold:
- Director, China Program, U.S. Institute of Peace
- Program Development Officer, Search for Common Ground
How Can You Make an Impact?
Explore how you can promote the health and safety of communities on a global scale.
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International Relations Career Support Services
The School of International Service (SIS) offers a variety of career services designed to help you find job opportunities in international relations. The following resources will become available to you once you become a student.
As an SIS student you will have access to a variety of career services designed to help you find job opportunities in international relations.
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Careers
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Alumni Connections
When you enroll in one of our online master’s degree programs, you will join a global community of more than 20,000 School of International Service students and alumni.
As a student, you will immediately gain access to a vast network of alumni who are professionals spanning the globe. Our graduates work to address and analyze international challenges in leadership positions at some of the most respected public, private, and nonprofit organizations in the field. This global network of SIS alumni serves as a valuable resource for career guidance and professional development
Learn more about the impact these alumni are making.
Start Making a Difference
Make a global impact with an online master’s from AU’s School of International Service.