Government, Law, and International Affairs

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) seek graduates with language skills to assist in their missions in engaging with foreign intelligence. Speakers of less-commonly taught languages and critical need languages (Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Russian, Spanish, and more) are especially sought-after by these agencies, who hire employees to translate, interpret, research, analyze, and assess foreign intelligence.

You must be a U.S. citizen to work for the CIA or NSA. Internships and full-time jobs at these agencies require top secret security clearance, which can be an intensive and long process. Students interested in these opportunities should start planning 1 -2 years in advance when applying for roles in intelligence communities.

International Law

International lawyers work in many different sectors, such as private law firms, nonprofits, consulting firms, financial institutions, and government or international government agencies. Many practicing international lawyers work for large firms in international trade, investment, and finance. Lawyers may represent foreign companies seeking to do business in the U.S., or domestic companies seeking to do business abroad. Language skills are important in this competitive field, as they give practitioners an edge in interpersonal communication and intercultural competence.

Immigration Law

Immigration lawyers deal with issues of both immigration (entering the country) and naturalization (establishing citizenship). Practitioners in this field work in large law firms, smaller firms, non-profit organizations, and the federal government. Immigration Law covers issues such as securing work authorization for foreign workers, remediation for undocumented residents, and personal or family immigration cases. Attorneys in non-profit organizations often represent low-income clients, working on asylee/refugee cases, family-based immigration, and humanitarian relief. Language skills are highly important in this field, which often involves communicating with clients whose native language is not English.

Jobs in these fields focus on addressing a range of issues on a global scale, such as global poverty, conflict, health, security, social and gender inequality, sustainability, and education. Employers range from intergovernmental organizations (i.e. the United Nations, World Bank) to federal government agencies (i.e. USAID) to nonprofit organizations (i.e. International Committee of the Red Cross). Some roles involve direct service to local populations, while other roles focus on the management or policy level.

These are highly competitive fields, and most people working in these careers have a master’s degree focused on international policy, international development, global public health, or similar areas. In addition to considering graduate study, you can strengthen your experience as a student or recent graduate through the opportunities listed below.