International relations
International relations is a diverse field that opens up a range of career opportunities, including working in government, human rights and development roles
Job options
Jobs directly related to your degree include:
- Civil Service fast streamer
- Diplomatic service officer
- Government social research officer
- Intelligence analyst
- International aid/development worker
- Policy officer
- Political risk analyst
- Public affairs consultant
Jobs where your degree would be useful include:
- Armed Forces operational officer
- Border Force officer
- Broadcast journalist
- External auditor
- Higher education lecturer
- Risk manager
- Solicitor
Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.
Work experience
It's important to get relevant work experience to complement your degree. Volunteering can be a useful way to get experience, in the UK or overseas.
Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) such as the United Nations offer volunteering opportunities, internships and traineeships. The UN also offers a Young Professionals Programme for graduates wanting to start a career as an international civil servant.
Depending on the area of work you go into, a language is likely to be of great benefit to your career in international relations. You could consider doing this as part of your degree, as combined study, or independently, perhaps seeking out ways to spend some time working or travelling abroad.
Working for a charity or non-governmental organisation (NGO) is another popular area of work and these can be good areas for volunteering or paid work experience.
If you're interested in using your degree to work in the media, try writing for your university newspaper, blogging or writing for an online publication. For careers in other areas, such as teaching, business or law, you'll also need relevant experience.
Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.
Typical employers
International relations graduates work across a range of careers, including in the commercial, public and charity sectors. Typical employers include:
- banks
- charities
- IGOs, such as the UN, UNICEF and The World Bank
- international businesses
- law firms
- local and national government
- media companies
- NGOs, such as Oxfam, Greenpeace and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
If you want to use your degree directly, consider roles with government departments such as the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Find information on employers in public services and administration, charity and voluntary work, and other job sectors.
Skills for your CV
Studying for a degree in international relations allows you to understand the relationship between nations and how they connect in the world.
You develop knowledge of how the individual culture of a nation and its politics, economics, governance, law and security, impacts international relations, both in terms of collaboration and competition.
You also gain skills in:
- critical and independent thinking and the ability to analyse information to form an argument and find possible solutions to problems
- effective verbal and written communication - including the ability to translate complex ideas to a wide audience
- data management - learning how to gather, organise and present
- intercultural and global awareness - essential in a global job market
- working in a group - for working on projects and group presentations
- time management, independent study and reflective practice
- applying ethical considerations when using and presenting information
- using technology to research and present information and data.
Further study
Some graduates choose to develop their knowledge further by taking a postgraduate course, such as a Masters degree, in international relations. You could also specialise in areas such as security studies, diplomacy or global governance. Alternatively, you can focus on a specific geographical area, such as Europe, the Middle East or Asia. It's also possible to undertake a PhD if you're particularly interested in research.
Having developed a global outlook during their undergraduate studies, some graduates go on to take a Masters in international development, law or business. Cyber security is another option if you're interested in technology, as this area is becoming more important in international relations.
You can also undertake further training to move into professions such as teaching, journalism and human resources.
For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in international relations.
What do international relations graduates do?
The top five jobs held by international relations graduates include PR professionals (5%), business and related research professionals (4%), advertising and marketing associate professionals (3%), HR officers (3%) and national government administrative occupations (3%).
| Destination | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Employed | 64.6 |
| Further study | 8 |
| Working and studying | 11.2 |
| Unemployed | 8.5 |
| Other | 7.7 |
| Type of work | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Business, HR and finance | 23.4 |
| Clerical, secretarial and administrative | 14.7 |
| Marketing, PR and sales | 12.5 |
| Retail, catering and customer service | 9.7 |
| Other | 39.7 |
For a breakdown of what international relations graduates are doing after graduation, see What do graduates do?
Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.
Find out more
- Learn more about EU Careers.
- Find out more about United Nations careers.
- Discover what working for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) involves.
- Gain an insight into working for the Department for International Trade (DIT).