Students are encouraged to use the career services available through the Student Employment and Career Centre.

The International Studies Program provides excellent academic training for any number of careers. Many students graduating from the program go on to do further study, but every year a number go directly from their undergraduate degree directly into employment related to their studies. Students have found employment in diverse areas, from foreign cultural counseling for executives to selling prefab homes in Asia. 

Many students often hope to work for the federal government in the foreign service through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada. To pursue this option students may be required to write the Foreign Service Examination. 

Other students often seek employment with Non-Governmental Organizations, such as CUSO, Oxfam, World University Service of Canada (WUSC), the North-South Institute or such organizations as the Canadian Co-operative Association, which do work in developing countries. 


Be imaginative in your consideration of job-search opportunities:

  • consider the many opportunities that exist for employment with Canadian community-based organizations. Even if the focus is on Canadian issues, your International Studies background may be an asset when you apply, and the skills you learn may lead to an international career later
  • look for opportunities with companies that do business internationally
  • consider the possibility of working in an educational institution in a role that supports any one of the many facets of internationalization
  • government opportunities are not limited to Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada; there are international dimensions to the work of virtually every government department – provincial as well as federal.

Good starting points for graduating students looking for career opportunities are as follows: