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Unweighted GPA: 3.7
1.0
4.0
SAT: 720 math
200
800
| 800 verbal
200
800

Extracurriculars

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List of All U.S. Colleges With an International Relations Major

A major in international relations can open many doors in many fields. Businesses, governments, and the non-profit sector are united in their need for leaders who understand the complexities of human political interactions on a global level. If an analytical career for globalized stargazers is what you are looking for, international relations major programs are available across the country for you!

 

Interested in majoring in international relations? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

 

Overview of the International Relations Major

 

International relations is an interdisciplinary topic that involves the study of how the different actors of the international community interact with each other on a daily basis. Political science, history, economics, and law are the core fields of the major. Studying one foreign language in-depth is often a major requirement. Intercultural understanding is also taught throughout the major. Students often focus on one geographic area for their major, e.g. Central Asia or Latin America. Assignments typically include tests and short papers. 

 

The secret to success in international relations is to be curious. Be ready to study topics from a wide range of fields, and dig into their finer details out of passion. Strong memorization skills are necessary for the major, as remembering laws and treaties is important for exams. I may be biased as a history major, but I would say that history is the most important component of the international relations major ─ foreign policy is based on history and creates history. 

 

It is quite common for international relations students to pursue a Master’s degree. This is because the best opportunities in the field are highly specialized roles, often requiring advanced legal knowledge and unique political science expertise. It is also important to note that international relations is a popular Master’s degree itself.

 

An international relations degree opens doors in all sorts of places. Foreign affairs analyst, diplomat, international businessperson, political scientist, journalist, economist, and even working at a secretive three-letter agency ─ these are just some of the hats that international relations majors wear. The career paths for those who study “IR” tend to be well-paying, intellectual, but also quite competitive and elitist if you are going for something rooted in the major. The good news is that the interdisciplinary nature of international relations makes it easy to parlay the skills it teaches ─ such as intercultural communication, foreign language skills, and an understanding of “people problems” ─ into almost any field.

 

What to Look for in a College as an International Relations Major

 

Regional Studies

 

Since specializing in one region of the world along with its accompanying language is an important part of the major, consider schools which have strong programs in your region of interest. Look at how many levels of your target language they offer, study abroad programs, and faculty who have regional expertise. 

 

Internships near Campus

 

Location is key when it comes to any decision about your college experience, especially if you are majoring in international relations. Since many career paths in the field are tied to niche institutions located in the same areas, being in the right place at the right time can give you a big advantage in the internship market. Networking, which is crucial in the small world of international relations careers, is another benefit of choosing a good IR ecosystem.

 

If you are looking to use your degree to work for the federal government or political advocacy groups, living in Washington, DC would be very advantageous. If international business, international law, or working for the UN are options that are more your forte, four years in New York City would give you the best shot at applicable internships. Though these big cities are the top destinations for international relations majors, there are hidden pockets of internships and networking in smaller ponds, such as Kansas City. It is also important to note that you do not need to study in these areas to gain access to opportunities ─ it just helps, as you can apply for internships outside of the competitive summer season.

 

Extracurricular Opportunities

 

Extracurriculars can be enriching educational experiences outside the classroom for international relations majors. Model UN is the stereotypical club for IR students, as it provides opportunities to put theories into practice, learn about global careers, and best of all ─ travel. 

 

There are many more options to consider while looking at college offerings. Cultural societies, non-profit chapters, political groups, and student-run media all can help you deepen your classroom learning and take a test drive of possible career paths as an international relations major.

 

List of All U.S. Colleges With an International Relations Major

 

School

City

State

University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa

Alabama

Samford University

Birmingham

Alabama

Northern Arizona University | NAU

Flagstaff

Arizona

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville

Arkansas

Hendrix College

Conway

Arkansas

California State University, East Bay | CSU East Bay

Hayward

California

California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach State

Long Beach

California

University of California, Davis | UC Davis

Davis

California

University of California, Riverside | UC Riverside

Riverside

California

Claremont McKenna College | CMC

Claremont

California

University of La Verne

La Verne

California

Loyola Marymount University | LMU

Los Angeles

California

Mills College

Oakland

California

Occidental College

Los Angeles

California

University of the Pacific

Stockton

California

Pitzer College

Claremont

California

Pomona College

Claremont

California

University of Redlands

Redlands

California

San Diego State University | SDSU

San Diego

California

University of San Diego | USD

San Diego

California

San Francisco State University | SF State

San Francisco

California

University of San Francisco | USF

San Francisco

California

San Jose State University | SJSU

San Jose

California

Saint Mary’s College of California | St. Mary’s

Moraga

California

Sonoma State University | SSU

Rohnert Park

California

University of Southern California | USC

Los Angeles

California

University of Denver

Denver

Colorado

Connecticut College

New London

Connecticut

Fairfield University

Fairfield

Connecticut

University of Hartford

West Hartford

Connecticut

Yale University

New Haven

Connecticut

University of Delaware

Newark

Delaware

American University

Washington

Washington DC

George Washington University | GW

Washington

Washington DC

Georgetown University

Washington

Washington DC

Eckerd College

Saint Petersburg

Florida

Florida International University | FIU

Miami

Florida

Florida State University | FSU

Tallahassee

Florida

University of Miami

Coral Gables

Florida

Nova Southeastern University | NSU

Fort Lauderdale

Florida

Rollins College

Winter Park

Florida

University of South Florida | USF

Tampa

Florida

Stetson University

DeLand

Florida

University of West Florida | UWF

Pensacola

Florida

Agnes Scott College

Decatur

Georgia

Berry College

Mount Berry

Georgia

Emory University

Atlanta

Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology | Georgia Tech

Atlanta

Georgia

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro

Georgia

University of Georgia

Athens

Georgia

Mercer University

Macon

Georgia

Spelman College

Atlanta

Georgia

University of West Georgia | UWG

Carrollton

Georgia

University of Idaho

Moscow

Idaho

Bradley University

Peoria

Illinois

University of Chicago

Chicago

Illinois

DePaul University

Chicago

Illinois

Benedictine University

Lisle

Illinois

Knox College

Galesburg

Illinois

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

Illinois

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

Illinois

Northwestern University

Evanston

Illinois

Principia College

Elsah

Illinois

Roosevelt University

Chicago

Illinois

Wheaton College (Illinois)

Wheaton

Illinois

Butler University

Indianapolis

Indiana

Earlham College

Richmond

Indiana

University of Evansville

Evansville

Indiana

Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis | IUPUI

Indianapolis

Indiana

University of Southern Indiana | USI

Evansville

Indiana

Indiana University Bloomington | Indiana

Bloomington

Indiana

Taylor University

Upland

Indiana

Valparaiso University | Valpo

Valparaiso

Indiana

Cornell College

Mount Vernon

Iowa

Drake University

Des Moines

Iowa

University of Iowa

Iowa City

Iowa

Wartburg College

Waverly

Iowa

Transylvania University

Lexington

Kentucky

Tulane University

New Orleans

Louisiana

University of Maine

Orono

Maine

Goucher College

Baltimore

Maryland

Johns Hopkins University | JHU

Baltimore

Maryland

Morgan State University

Baltimore

Maryland

Towson University

Towson

Maryland

Washington College

Chestertown

Maryland

Boston University | BU

Boston

Massachusetts

Clark University

Worcester

Massachusetts

Emmanuel College (Massachusetts)

Boston

Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Boston | UMass Boston

Boston

Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley

Massachusetts

Northeastern University

Boston

Massachusetts

Simmons College

Boston

Massachusetts

Stonehill College

Easton

Massachusetts

Suffolk University

Boston

Massachusetts

Tufts University

Medford

Massachusetts

Wellesley College

Wellesley

Massachusetts

Wheaton College (Massachusetts)

Norton

Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute | WPI

Worcester

Massachusetts

Calvin College

Grand Rapids

Michigan

Central Michigan University | CMU

Mount Pleasant

Michigan

Eastern Michigan University | EMU

Ypsilanti

Michigan

Grand Valley State University | GVSU

Allendale

Michigan

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo

Michigan

Michigan State University

East Lansing

Michigan

Oakland University

Rochester Hills

Michigan

Carleton College

Northfield

Minnesota

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minnesota

Minneapolis

Minnesota

University of Minnesota Duluth | UMD

Duluth

Minnesota

University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)

Saint Paul

Minnesota

University of Mississippi | Ole Miss

University

Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi | Southern Miss

Hattiesburg

Mississippi

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles

Missouri

Rockhurst University

Kansas City

Missouri

Saint Louis University | SLU

Saint Louis

Missouri

Washington University in St. Louis | WashU

Saint Louis

Missouri

Webster University

Saint Louis

Missouri

Westminster College (Missouri)

Fulton

Missouri

Carroll College

Helena

Montana

Creighton University

Omaha

Nebraska

University of Nebraska–Lincoln | UNL

Lincoln

Nebraska

Union College (Nebraska)

Lincoln

Nebraska

University of Nevada, Reno

Reno

Nevada

University of New Hampshire | UNH

Durham

New Hampshire

St. Anselm College

Manchester

New Hampshire

Drew University

Madison

New Jersey

Rider University

Lawrenceville

New Jersey

Seton Hall University

South Orange

New Jersey

The College of New Jersey | TCNJ

Ewing

New Jersey

Colgate University

Hamilton

New York

City College of New York | CCNY

New York

New York

Hunter College | CUNY Hunter

New York

New York

Fordham University

Bronx

New York

Hamilton College

Clinton

New York

Hobart and William Smith Colleges | HWS

Geneva

New York

Manhattan College

Riverdale

New York

New York University | NYU

New York

New York

University of Rochester

Rochester

New York

Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs

New York

St. John Fisher College

Rochester

New York

The State University of New York at Binghamton | SUNY Binghamton

Vestal

New York

The State University of New York at Buffalo | SUNY Buffalo

Buffalo

New York

The State University of New York at Geneseo | SUNY Geneseo

Geneseo

New York

Syracuse University

Syracuse

New York

United States Military Academy | Army

West Point

New York

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie

New York

Wagner College

Staten Island

New York

Campbell University

Buies Creek

North Carolina

Elon University

Elon

North Carolina

High Point University

High Point

North Carolina

University of Akron

Akron

Ohio

Ashland University

Ashland

Ohio

Bowling Green State University | BGSU

Bowling Green

Ohio

Capital University

Columbus

Ohio

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Ohio

Cleveland State University | CSU

Cleveland

Ohio

Denison University

Granville

Ohio

Kent State University

Kent

Ohio

Miami University

Oxford

Ohio

Ohio State University | OSU

Columbus

Ohio

Ohio University

Athens

Ohio

Otterbein University

Westerville

Ohio

University of Toledo

Toledo

Ohio

College of Wooster

Wooster

Ohio

Youngstown State University

Youngstown

Ohio

Lewis & Clark College

Portland

Oregon

Linfield College

McMinnville

Oregon

Pacific University

Forest Grove

Oregon

Portland State University | PSU

Portland

Oregon

Reed College

Portland

Oregon

Allegheny College

Meadville

Pennsylvania

Bucknell University

Lewisburg

Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University | CMU

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

Dickinson College

Carlisle

Pennsylvania

Duquesne University

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg

Pennsylvania

Immaculata University

Immaculata

Pennsylvania

Indiana University of Pennsylvania | IUP

Indiana

Pennsylvania

Juniata College

Huntingdon

Pennsylvania

Lafayette College

Easton

Pennsylvania

Lehigh University

Bethlehem

Pennsylvania

Muhlenberg College

Allentown

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State University | PSU

University Park

Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania | UPenn

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

St. Francis College | SFC

Loretto

Pennsylvania

St. Joseph’s University | SJU

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

University of Scranton

Scranton

Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore

Pennsylvania

Temple University

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

Ursinus College

Collegeville

Pennsylvania

Widener University

Chester

Pennsylvania

York College of Pennsylvania

York

Pennsylvania

Brown University

Providence

Rhode Island

Roger Williams University | RWU

Bristol

Rhode Island

University of South Carolina | USC

Columbia

South Carolina

Wofford College

Spartanburg

South Carolina

Belmont University

Nashville

Tennessee

Lipscomb University

Nashville

Tennessee

East Tennessee State University | ETSU

Johnson City

Tennessee

University of Memphis

Memphis

Tennessee

Middle Tennessee State University | MTSU

Murfreesboro

Tennessee

Rhodes College

Memphis

Tennessee

Austin College

Sherman

Texas

Baylor University

Waco

Texas

Howard Payne University | HPU

Brownwood

Texas

University of St. Thomas (Texas)

Houston

Texas

St. Mary’s University, Texas

San Antonio

Texas

Texas State University

San Marcos

Texas

Texas Christian University | TCU

Fort Worth

Texas

University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA

San Antonio

Texas

Trinity University

San Antonio

Texas

Brigham Young University | BYU

Provo

Utah

Westminster College (Utah)

Salt Lake City

Utah

Bennington College

Bennington

Vermont

Middlebury College

Middlebury

Vermont

St. Michael’s College

Colchester

Vermont

College of William & Mary | William & Mary

Williamsburg

Virginia

George Mason University

Fairfax

Virginia

Hampden–Sydney College | H–SC

Hampden-Sydney

Virginia

Hampton University

Hampton

Virginia

Hollins University

Roanoke

Virginia

James Madison University | JMU

Harrisonburg

Virginia

Liberty University

Lynchburg

Virginia

Old Dominion University | ODU

Norfolk

Virginia

University of Richmond

University of Richmond

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg

Virginia

University of Virginia | UVA

Charlottesville

Virginia

Virginia Military Institute | VMI

Lexington

Virginia

Eastern Washington University | EWU

Cheney

Washington

Gonzaga University

Spokane

Washington

University of Puget Sound

Tacoma

Washington

Washington State University | WSU

Pullman

Washington

Whitworth University

Spokane

Washington

Beloit College

Beloit

Wisconsin

Edgewood College

Madison

Wisconsin

Marquette University

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

Stanford University

Stanford

California

Kennesaw State University | KSU

Kennesaw

Georgia

 

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

 

No matter what major you are thinking about pursuing, the first step is ensuring that you are academically comparable to previously admitted students to your target schools. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who do not meet their standards.

 

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with each school and specific major you are applying to via the qualitative components of your application, such as your essays and extracurriculars. For a prospective international relations major, the essay is particularly important ─ a solid writing ability as well as creativity will be critical in the classroom and beyond. You may also want to pursue a foreign language (or two) to the highest level in high school, and participate in cultural clubs and initiatives.

 

Want to find out your chances of being accepted to your target schools for international relations? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike conventional admissions calculators, ours reviews your profile holistically ─ we include academic stats, qualitative components like your activities, and more in our calculations.


Short Bio
The college applications process is all about responding to one question: who are you? I am passionate about helping students craft a creative answer. I have been helping students gain admission to the T25 schools of their dreams since 2018. Soon after graduating from Georgetown University with a B.A. in History and minors in French and Russian, I made college advising my career. I currently mentor students through one-on-one consulting sessions, blog posts, and admissions livestreams, in addition to tutoring in humanities subjects. When I am not advising, you can probably find me taking a road trip or reading a novel in French.