Online International Relations Degrees

International relations education is available at both the undergraduate and graduate degree level. Most degrees in international relations cover a broad range of topics, from foreign policy to comparative politics to language study. At the graduate level, students typically specialize in a particular area of international relations or a particular region. Take a look at the most popular international relations training levels:

1. Bachelor's degree: This common degree qualifies students for many entry-level jobs in the industry, including business, federal government and media careers. Courses generally provide an introduction to all areas of international relations, including political science, economics and history. Many schools also require international studies students to take a foreign language and/or study abroad.
2. Master's degree: Master's degrees in international relations go beyond the basics in the field and allow students to focus on one area of study, such as economic development or international security. Students can also specialize in a particular region such as South America, Eastern Europe or Africa. The specialized training allows students to gain skills relevant to careers such as foreign service officer, non-profit manager or international business consultant.
3. Doctoral degree: Reserved for those pursuing research and higher education, a doctoral degree in international relations requires students to conduct original research on a particular question in international relations.

Online education gives students a chance to log on from anywhere in the world to complete an education, making it the perfect education format for global professionals who may already have travel commitments with work. Online degrees in international relations also offer a global context for learning; students interact with peers and professors across the country and around the globe, gaining a valuable international perspective in their studies.

While foreign service officers, or diplomats, may be the face of international relations, possible career paths for international relations graduates are as broad as the major itself. According to the College Board, international relations majors can go on to careers in public relations, media or finance. Take a look at a few popular jobs which can feature international relations skills, plus mean annual wages from 2010 as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• Public relations specialists: $59,150
• Reporters and correspondents: $43,780
• Marketing mangers: $122,720
• Financial managers: $116,970

Students can choose to combine their international training with their existing business, marketing or financial experience to pursue popular careers like the ones above. For example, financial managers might earn a bachelor's degree in finance plus an MBA in international relations to round out their training and boost their hiring potential within international markets.

• Salary: International relations majors earned a median annual wage of $50,000
• Graduate school: 47 percent of students with a bachelor's degree in international relations went on to graduate school
• Employment: 93 percent of international relations majors are employed
• Common occupations: Management (21 percent), office work (19 percent), sales (12 percent), business (10 percent), finance (6 percent)

(Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce: What's it Worth?)