Careers and Opportunities

International Studies alumni find employment in a range of career sectors such as education, non-profits/NGOs, business, government, and translation/ interpreting. The International Studies major is also excellent preparation for graduate and professional programs in law, international development, medicine, non-profit management, higher education, public health, and urban and regional planning.

Through the Pomerantz Career Center website, you can view the "What Can I Do with a Major in Global Studies?" resource. (Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the "What Can I Do With This Major?" icon. Then click on all majors and choose Global Studies.)

Additional career resources can be found on the University of Iowa Pomerantz Career Center's Career Communities website. The Pomerantz Career Center also provides Post-Graduation Information and Statistics on International Studies alumni.

The International Studies Program offers a 1 s.h. course, IS:2500 - Working Internationally, which features presentations from professionals (including UI alumni) in a variety of fields. The off-cycle course allows students to begin formulating their own strategies for pursuing similar career paths. The course is repeatable for credit and rotates between the following topics:

Global Careers in Education, Translation, and Cultural Exchange
Global Business and Communications
Government Service, United Nations, and International Nonprofits/NGOs

International Organizations in Iowa

There are many ways for IS students to do international work in Iowa City or in other communities within the state/region. Below are some Iowa organizations which are addressing global issues. Students can explore individual websites for possible volunteer, internship, or career opportunities. For more information, see the International Organizations in Iowa page.

Graduate School

Many International Studies alumni have gone on to graduate, law, or medical school right here at Iowa; at other US institutions like Harvard, University of California, and New York University; and overseas, at institutions such as the London School of Economics and American University in Beirut. Recent IS graduates have been accepted to graduate programs in public health, urban and regional planning, law, non-profit management, student development, and international affairs.

Graduate and Professional School Resources: https://careers.uiowa.edu/career-prep/prepare-graduate-and-professional-school
Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising: https://advisingcenter.uiowa.edu/

Fellowships

For a full list of fellowship opportunities for undergraduates, visit the managed by UI Undergraduate Fellowships site.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is designed to give recent bachelor’s graduates, master’s and doctoral candidates, young professionals, and artists opportunities for personal development and international experience. Projects may include English teaching assistantships, independent research, creative/artistic projects, university coursework or degree programs, training in a music conservatory or art school.

The Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship Program provides benefits for graduate school, internships and professional development as a pathway to a career in the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Foreign Service. The Program encourages applications from students who are members of groups which historically have been underrepresented in international development work, and from students with financial need.

The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship and the Rangel Graduate Fellowship fund students who are pursuing a graduate degree which will lead to a Foreign Service career with the U.S. Department of State. The fellowships are designed to attract outstanding individuals from all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds. Interested students at the University of Iowa can contact Kelly Thornburg, UI Honors Program Fellowships Director at 319-335-1874 to schedule a conference to discuss.

The Obama Foundation Fellowship program is a two-year, non-residential program that seeks to support outstanding civic innovators from around the world in order to amplify the impact of their work and to inspire a wave of civic innovation. By engaging their fellow citizens to work together in new and meaningful ways, Obama Foundation Fellows will model how any individual can become an active member of their community.

Princeton in Africa matches talented and passionate college graduates with organizations working across Africa for yearlong service placements. Fellows have helped improve education and public health, source fresh water and alternative energy, increase family incomes, and so much more.

Princeton in Asia arranges one-year fellowships and internships with Asian host organizations that contribute to important global issues at the local level: education, public health, environmental sustainability, access to information/media, economic development, and social justice.

Princeton in Latin America (PiLA) partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations and places highly qualified recent college graduates in yearlong service fellowships with nonprofit, public service, humanitarian, and government organizations with a social mission in Latin America and Caribbean.

The Rotary Peace Fellowship gives the opportunity to earn a master's degree or a professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies at one of the Rotary Peace Centers, located within seven leading universities worldwide (Japan, Australia, Sweden, England, and the U.S.). The fully funded fellowship covers tuition and living expenses, increases the capacity of current and emerging peace leaders to prevent and resolve conflict, and provides field experience and professional networking.

Career Resources for UI Undergraduate Students

The Pomerantz Career Center provides high-quality resources and services to students, alumni, and employers. The site has information designed to help students move through the various stages of the job search process, including the Handshake@UIowa website as well as information on upcoming employer visits, internships, and careers after college.