Training in international relations is nowadays necessary to understand the issues at stake in the relations between different countries. This type of course will introduce you to defense and security issues, and to theories of international trade and regional integration. This will determine your career path in the international relations field. Here are some useful details.
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International relations: what exactly is it?
International relations refer to the multifaceted relationships that can be maintained by different international actors. The latter (public institutions, private organizations or operators) belong to several different countries. International relations is also an area of training for students after the baccalaureate or licence.
In terms of training, international relations is considered a sub-discipline of political science. It allows you to specialize in order to acquire the skills and knowledge required in political science and geopolitics. This will prepare you for a wide range of international relations careers.
Main sectors and job opportunities after a training in international relations.
Following your training in international relations, several international relations jobs are available to you in different sectors.
Departments
In particular, you may be required to work in government departments to carry out analyses and studies. The administration that employs you may also ask you to write status updates and press releases or to manage press relations. In addition to these tasks, we prepare speeches and follow up on relations with other ministerial institutions. You can have the position:
- parliamentary assistant ;
- administrative attaché ;
- of advisor in charge of speeches, studies and prospective;
- magistrate ;
- communication officer ;
- geopolitical analyst.
Embassies
Embassies are looking for different actors specialized in international relations to optimize the management of their activities. You may be required to take on the coordination of cultural or development projects. Your assignment may also involve implementing policy, strategic and economic studies, and managing local partnerships and business requests. It depends primarily on your role in the organization:
- assistant cooperation for cultural action ;
- administrative manager ;
- assistant to the commercial and economic advisor ;
- assistant to the service manager ;
- responsible for the international development of local companies.
The local authorities
Graduates of international relations studies can work for local authorities, managing legislative monitoring or administering their services. They may also be responsible for the institutional and political communication of these communities, and the conduct of public projects to support elected officials. Depending on their training, these graduates may practice as:
- director of public affairs ;
- public and political grants manager ;
- legal advisor ;
- technical advisor ;
- department head;
- chief of staff.
Consulting firms
International relations graduates have access to a variety of opportunities with consulting firms. Their mission is to create or respond to various calls for tenders. They can also map multiple networks of influence. In addition to these approaches, we analyze, evaluate and respond to issues related to public action. Among the possible positions, you can work as :
- head of educational projects in the popular education division;
- security officer;
- development manager ;
- project manager ;
- consultant in public policy evaluation ;
- public affairs consultant.
Large private groups
Large private groups must measure the impact of their international activities. To do this, they work with various professionals in international relations. They will need to be able to analyze, influence and comment on their policy decisions. These missions also concern their global and national development, and the impact of their presence on economic activity. It can be:
- public relations and event managers;
- policy analysts;
- of analysts international development and security ;
- of media consultants ;
- experts in public affairs and advocacy;
- institutional affairs officers.
How do I get into an international relations program?
To enter the international relations profession, you must at least have a bachelor’s degree. This allows you to enter directly the degree programs offered by general or specialized training schools. Of course, you will have to send your application to the school where you want to study beforehand.
However, there is another alternative for students with a Bachelor’s degree or a degree equivalent to a Bac+3. This is a direct admission to the Master’s program. You must send your application to the school of your choice. If your application is accepted, you may have to take an entrance exam or interview with a jury.
HEIP’s international relations courses
HEIP or the School of Advanced International and Political Studies is a pioneering institution in the fields of international relations and political science. We offer several types of high-level training courses focused on excellence in pedagogy and teaching staff.
The academic course at HEIP is divided into 2 parts. The first cycle gives you the opportunity to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science. This is the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. You can enter this 3-year program with a Baccalaureate, a Bac+1 or a Bac+2. Your studies will then focus on learning all the international and political disciplines.
The second cycle (MSc cycle) gives access to an advanced degree in international studies or an advanced degree in political studies after two years of study. During this time, you will have to choose a specialization in order to have the skills required for international relations.