Multilateral orgs
UN system and agencies.
Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Academic rigor70
Selectivity68
Employability62
Creativity60
Math intensity36
People-facing74
LessMore
Each bar is a 0-100 atlas score for this topic, not a timeline.
- 011
- 022
- 033
- 044
Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick facts
4 yearsTypical bachelor
Society & LawField
36Math intensity
62Employability*
74People-facing*
68Selectivity*
International relations studies states, markets and norms across borders — security, diplomacy and global governance. Language skills and regional depth separate serious programmes from slogan degrees.
Simulations, Model UN-style societies and embassy or IO internships structure ambition; the classroom is reading-heavy. Lab benches are not the metaphor.
Outcomes include foreign service tracks, IOs, NGOs, risk analysis and media. Scores are relative among forty majors.
The profile
- Academic rigor70
- Selectivity68
- Employability62
- Creativity60
- Math intensity36
- People-facing74
Employability signal
Typical bachelor years: 4
Scores are relative across the forty majors on this site — not absolute rankings of universities.
Popularity & Demand →70Academic rigor
68Selectivity
62Employability
60Creativity
36Math intensity
74People-facing
Industries this major feeds
Sectors where graduates and research from this field show up most often — plates from Wikimedia Commons.
Foreign service
Embassies and desks.
International NGOs
Aid and advocacy abroad.
Trade & investment
Agreements and commercial diplomacy.
People who shaped the field
Checkable figures whose work still frames how the discipline is taught and practised.
Kofi Annan
UN Secretary-General
1938–2018
US Mission in Geneva · Public domain
Eleanor Roosevelt
Human rights
1884–1962
FDR Presidential Library & Museum · CC BY 2.0
Dag Hammarskjöld
UN diplomacy
1905–1961
Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain
Kishore Mahbubani
Asia diplomacy
1948–
World Economic Forum from Cologny, Switzerland · CC BY-SA 2.5Seven ways into this major
Compare with neighbours
Same-field head-to-heads built from the six score axes.
Frequently asked questions
What do you study in International Relations?
IR theory — IR theory trains the habits international relations depends on — not trivia for exams, but reusable technique for later studios, labs or clinics.
What does a International Relations career path look like?
Foundation years — 0–2 — Build vocabulary and habits; seek near-peer tutoring before gaps compound.
How should I prepare for International Relations?
Practise the entry craft — Problem sets, portfolios, essays or auditions that mirror first-year reality — not only entrance exams.
How long does a typical International Relations degree take?
Most bachelor pathways run about 4 years of full-time study, though professionally accredited or longer first degrees can exceed that, and some systems split into 3+2 Bologna structures.
Is International Relations mostly theoretical or practical?
Expect both. Foundations lean theoretical; later years push simulations, language work and IO/embassy internships. The balance depends on accreditation and department culture.
Do I need strong mathematics?
Math intensity on this site is scored 36/100 relative to other majors. That is a signal, not a gate — check the specific programme's calculus and statistics requirements.
How selective is entry?
Selectivity here is 68/100 relative to the other majors catalogued — a composite of typical grade barriers and competition, not a single exam cut-off.
What communities should I join?
Start with the departmental society, then look for national student chapters and one serious online forum where practitioners share primary sources rather than memes.
Similar majors
Why labels are thematic — not a ranking of better majors.
Scores are browsing aids for curriculum and career lanes, not a league table of worth.
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Employability 74 🏛️Political Science
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Employability 60 👥Sociology
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Employability 58 🤝Social Work
Practice with people under strain — casework, systems, law and the ethics of intervening.
Employability 82