What I Want To Do With My Degree

Today I researched the possibilities of different jobs I can do with this degree. Because I plan on joining the military, I looked at both military jobs and civilian jobs that I can do.

Military

First, I looked for a military job. I already had done some research into military positions that I would be interested in. I came across the Military Intelligence Officer page on the army's website and knew that this is what I wanted to do. It's very similar to everything the International Relations degree encompasses.

According to the Army's website, the overview of this job states that,"The Army's military intelligence is responsible for all collected intelligence during missions. They provide essential information that often save the soldiers fighting on the front lines". This sounds like a very interesting, yet extremely important job.

The website also lists certain skills that would help you in the job area.

• Self-discipline, confidence, and intelligence (which I like to think I already have)
• Physically and mentally fit to perform under pressure (As of right now I think I do well working under pressure, however the pressure from one of these jobs is far more severe than anything I have dealt with)
• Ability to make quick decisions (I can make quick decisions, whether it's a good one or not varies)
• Capable of bearing numerous responsibilities (of all the things I'm involved in now I think I can handle multiple things at once)

Some of these skills I already have, but I can always improve these skills to get better. Below is a video I found of a small look inside a Intelligence Officer's day. I think it's cool to see this job in action.

In the video, we also see a man who works for Homeland Security. This is a great civilian job for this degree that also leads into my next section.

Civilian

There are many things that someone with an international relations degree can do in the civilian world. After looking through many different possibilities, I came across a Counterterrorism Analyst on the CIA's website. This seems like the type of job that I may want to pursue. Not necessarily at the CIA but the position in general.

 

The description of the job is "Counterterrorism Analysts assess the leadership, motivations, capabilities, plans, and intentions of foreign terrorist groups and their state and non state sponsors. Their key mission is to identify specific threats, warn of and preempt attacks, disrupt their networks, and eventually defeat terrorist organizations".

 

This sounds really exciting and important to me and I feel like I could be really good at it.

The Website also lists some requirements for the job. These include:

• Bachelor or Master's degree in International Relations or a similar study accompanied by regional expertise
• At least a 3.0 GPA
• Relevant Experience
• Strong verbal presentation and writing skills
• Write Clear and Concise text
• Excellent Analytical Ability
• Interpersonal Skills
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines
• Proficiency in Foreign Language/Region

These requirements seem very complex and difficult. This likely because of the high intensity and importance of the job. A lot of these skills I already have somewhat of a base in. I know that I can improve upon interpersonal, and speaking and writing skills over the years.

 

Because this is an analyst position, there is an expectation of having analytical skills. Analytical skills allow you to examine something (whether it be a document, picture, or map) and interpret or solve a problem you are searching for. This requires a creative and attentive brain.

 

Below is a video I found that shows what counterterrorism analysts do on a daily basis. These people have lots of connections with the white house and other government facilities.

 

 

And finally, I wanted to include a clip from one of my favorite movies, Zero Dark Thirty. This movie planted the interest of this area focus in me, and I have been interested in International Relations ever since. In this particular clip they are tracking a possible person of interest through a town.

 



 

 

I learned a lot more today about the possible military and civilian careers that I could do. I'm excited to further my research next week so that I can be prepared for my future decisions.

 

 

Bibliography

"Military Intelligence Officer Jobs (35)." Goarmy.com. United States Army. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.

 

 

"Counterterrorism Analyst." Central Intelligence Agency. United States Government, 17 Apr. 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.



 

The Best Degree Programs

My International Relations Project

I have decided to do write my blog about my research on the International Relations degree. I have known for 2 years now that this is what I've wanted to study in college, and I'm excited to continue research.

As of right now I plan on going to college to earn this degree with an area focus in the middle east. All students must choose an area to focus on and I think the middle east would be interesting. I am just drawn to that region and I feel like I can make a difference eventually. I also would be studying Arabic as well. If I'm going to be communicating with that region, it would be best for me to learn that language. On top of these things, I also plan on doing college ROTC and eventually commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army. This would open up even more opportunities for me. I have some pretty big goals set, and a heavy workload in front of me. The research I do now can only help.

This week I decided to research the top college programs for International Relations. This brought me to Foreign Policy's website, and to an article that listed their top 10 programs. The list is as follows:

1. Harvard University
2. Princeton University
3. Stanford University
4. Columbia University
5. Georgetown University
6. Yale University
7. University of Chicago
8. Dartmouth College
9. George Washington University
10. American University.

The first thing that I noticed was the prestige of all of the colleges. These are all very good schools. However, I was also really excited to see that 3 of the schools I'm considering on attending are in that list. My main goal at this point is to attend the United States Military Academy. This is a very hard school to get into which means I must have some back-ups. Georgetown has been my primary back-up for awhile now along with George Washington and American in the running as well. I'm very excited to see 3 of these schools in the top 10.

The reason that Georgetown, George Washington, and American University interests me so much is because they are all in the Washington D.C. area. The amount of opportunities I would have studying International Relations in our nation's capital would be limitless. This would enhance the learning experience exponentially. I figure that this is why all 3 schools are listed on this top 10 list.

Further searching into the top college programs brought me to Campus Explorer's website. This website listed their top picks as follows:

1. George Washington University
2. American University
3. Georgetown University
4. Boston University
5. Tufts University

This made me extremely happy to see. My top 3 picks had landed the top 3 spots on this list. The descriptions list how the D.C setting provides great opportunities and even chances to study abroad!

Further research continued to show my 3 top colleges included in the ranks. I definitely know that I will be focusing on these 3 schools. I can't wait to research more about the degrees at these particular school and to learn more about the whole experience.

Bibliography

"The Top 10 International Relations Undergraduate Programs." Pavgi, Kedar. Foreign Policy. n.p. 3  
         January, 2012. Web. 9 February 2015

"5 Top Colleges for International Relations Majors." Henshaw, Ashley. Campus Explorer. n.p. 23
         July, 2013. Web. 9 February, 2015