Video: Professional Opportunities | Degree in International Relations 2024, June
“All works are good, choose to taste …” Remember, this is the line from a children's poem? But there are a number of specialties, one name of which causes us awe and respect for those who are engaged in this area. A doctor, a fireman, an astronaut are our first childhood dreams. It seems to us very exciting, and most importantly - the need to treat and save people. And sometimes from the sphere of employment it blows with such romance and mystery … Here, for example, international relations. The professions associated with diplomacy are social events, negotiations, permanent business trips abroad … That is how it seems to a person who is far from this specialty.
Romance
For all centuries, work in foreign embassies has been the most honorable, but at the same time the most dangerous. Indeed, if hostility suddenly began between states, it was the diplomats who were the first to be hit.
Of course, the modern world is much more humane, and economic, industrial and other relations between states are becoming wider every day. And not always everything goes smoothly and “like clockwork”. But this makes them even more interesting - international relations. Diverse professions that require knowledge in many fields of activity always attract extraordinary people. And therefore, almost everyone wants to "study as a diplomat."
Specialty
And yet, what direction does the “International Relations” profession offer? What will this give the graduate in the future? Those who are really going to build a career in the field of diplomacy need to decide on the choice of a specific specialty. After all, the professions associated with international relations are very diverse. This is the world economy, and regional studies, and applied computer science in the field of international relations. Highly specialized universities can also offer foreign economic activity or socio-cultural services and tourism, linguistics, etc.
In addition, within regional studies, for example, there are such opportunities for education:
- Europe;
- North America;
- Asian-Pacific area;
- Near East;
- Africa;
- Baltic countries
- CIS;
- individual countries in each region.
Actually, we see that sometimes “at the exit” we get very narrow (although this is a very voluminous concept - international relations) professions. Is it a competitive advantage or a way to unemployment? Professionals unequivocally stand in favor of the first - the deeper the young specialist has studied one direction, the more he has made efforts to master a rare language, the higher his chances in the labor market.
Complexity and uniqueness
The training of specialists in the field of “International Relations” (professions are very different here) requires thorough knowledge of not only theory, but also applied disciplines. It is not enough just to memorize historical events and dates; appropriate conclusions must be drawn about their significance. It’s not enough to talk about the need for mutually beneficial cooperation, you need to be able to accurately determine common ground and justify your proposals. The profession of "international economic relations" also requires serious knowledge of macroeconomics and the features of foreign economic interstate relations.
Language training
In addition, students must also learn several foreign languages. Indeed, the ability to communicate without an intermediary-translator allows you to avoid misunderstandings, and often quickly find common ground between the interests of negotiators.
Imagine, MGIMO is marked by the Guinness Book of Records as a university with the maximum amount of teaching state foreign languages. There you can find a teacher in one of 50 languages, including rare European and Oriental. Agree that unique knowledge makes specialists indispensable in their field. Moreover, they can work not only in Russia, but also build a career in foreign companies.
In addition to language training, international relations (the profession of a diplomat and economist with knowledge of foreign economic activity, for example) require deep knowledge in the field of development of the selected region. This is very interesting, on the one hand, but also extremely difficult, on the other. After all, in order to penetrate the problems of a country, you really want to. Only if there is intrinsic motivation can we talk about successfully obtaining an education in such an area as international relations.
The professions, the description of which we are interested in today, is an important and, most important, responsible component of the life of the state in the world community. Apparently, therefore, international experts are so appreciated at all times.
Foreign Regional Studies
This is one of the areas of student training offered by the Faculty of International Relations. The profession of diplomats and embassy staff is here. Here the staff for work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is forged.
Students have been trained for this program for a very long time. For the first time at MGIMO, for example, such a department was launched in 1943. Therefore, we can confidently talk about the “knurled” training program. But, of course, modern life is much more dynamic than the one that was 60, or even 70 years ago. Therefore, programs are regularly adjusted and modified. Practitioners who have worked for more than a year on a business trip abroad are constantly involved in teaching.
Narrow profile does not mean lack of opportunities
Regional graduates who have passed the direction of “international relations” (professions whose salaries are significantly higher than the national average) find a job much easier than their colleagues with a more general education. This is due to the fact that students learn rare languages and have a fairly deep knowledge of the situation in the “beloved” point of the globe. This means that there are fewer of them, and they are more in demand than specialists of a wide profile with knowledge of English, German and French.
And another note. Sometimes in universities in the field of "International Relations", professions associated with foreign regional studies are called "diplomacy and politics of foreign countries." When submitting documents, you should find out exactly what training program we are talking about.
Internationals
The second direction at first glance always seems more prestigious and interesting - actually “international relations” (professions, universities usually give a list of them, they are very interesting, but do not have sufficient concentration on any one nuance). These are the so-called specialists of a wide profile.
In the framework of the preparation of such students, there are no subjects on the history, economy or culture of any one country. Here, rather, work is being done to study global issues in the development of relationships in the world. For example, the differences of entire regions (East-West) are studied, the activities of international foundations and organizations are examined, etc. In addition to acquaintance with the traditions of Russian diplomacy, foreign practices are also studied. The same applies to language training: students master the traditional set of European languages.
In short, after graduation, young specialists can devote themselves not only to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but also in other state or non-governmental structures. The graduates have rather big prospects, for which it’s worth trying, realizing their desire to enter the faculty of “International Relations”. Professions (the salary of a novice specialist may be small) can be claimed by companies that are not directly related to diplomacy.
Linguists
Professions related to international relations do not always imply a diplomatic career. Having received education in this direction, a young man learns two or three foreign languages. And this is a direct way to referents, referents-translators, public relations managers in foreign companies, etc.
The training program usually includes not only the linguistic component, but also the economy, paperwork, and information technology. That is, all the basic knowledge that may be needed in further work.
Among other things, referents and translators get an excellent opportunity to travel around the world. International corporations are required to participate in various forums, symposia, conferences, etc. And this means that small, but versatile overseas business trips are guaranteed. If narrow specialists can only realize this prospect during their holidays (roughly speaking, they can “shine” with a long trip to the region that was the object of study), then linguists combine the useful with the pleasant.
Internship
What else provides training in the field of "International Relations"? What professions require practical skills while studying? Here the answer is simple: all without exception. Most often, universities have arrangements with various state and commercial enterprises for students to complete internships.
Large and well-known universities are training in the field of "International Relations". Professions (universities of Krasnoyarsk with budget places, 2014 statistics very clearly illustrate this) make it possible to train abroad in the selected region. This is especially important for those who receive the specialty “Foreign regional studies”. Indeed, even three months in the country you are studying will do wonders: the language barrier will be overcome, the psychology of local residents will be understood, the rites and cultural traditions will cease to seem “savage” (of course, if we are talking about Africa or some Asian countries where philosophy life is fundamentally different from our usual).
Independent work
But those who were not lucky enough to become a student at a prestigious university have a lot of opportunities to engage in the development of their careers even at the time of training. Every year, many open meetings are held with official representatives of the diplomatic corps of different countries. All kinds of conferences and symposiums, evenings of national culture, etc. are constantly organized. Actively participating in such events, you can get a lot of useful, and most importantly - practical skills.
