The Tower Center, located on the second floor of the Carr Collins building, supports undergraduate and faculty research and organizes numerous conferences, lectures and symposia on topics of American Politics, International Politics, and Political Economy.
International and Area Studies majors and minors may be eligible for study abroad scholarships, as well as undergraduate fellowships and internships offered through the Tower Center, such as:
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The Marian Tower study Abroad internships (managed by the Study Abroad office)
- The Cox, Hill, Medders and Miller Undergraduate Research Fellowships
- The Hatton W. Sumners Foundation Endowed Scholarships (New)
- The Walter M. Mondale Ambassador’s Japanese Studies Fellowship
- The Neill McFarland Friendship Fellowship
- The Vaughn Foreign Service and International Affairs Internship
For information on the Tower Center fellowships and internships and their current availability, consult the Tower Center website and the webpage for study abroad scholarships.
Career Information
Information about international internships and international careers is available through the SMU Hegi Family Career Development Center, located in the Hughes-Trigg building. For additional information, consult the Hegi Family Career Development Center Website.
Many career or pre-career choices are available to students in International Studies. Here are some main alternatives:
Foreign Service
Foreign Service officer jobs are with the US State Department.
In addition, there are positions with other government agencies such as the Defense Department, the CIA, the NSA, USAID (Agency for International Development), Homeland Security, and smaller government organizations: the Peace Corps, the International Trade Commission, the US Information Agency, and Congressional Research Service. Many domestic executive agencies, i.e., Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture have international activities or offices.
International Business
There may be good opportunities to work in the U.S. for a multinational American corporation or a foreign firm established in the U.S. International banks are the most likely to hire graduates without business degrees, as they have to train employees regardless of their background. Consulting firms are also interested in International Studies graduates. The travel and hospitality industries are another possibility Non-Profit Private Sector. There are numerous private volunteer organizations, i.e., Maryknoll, Oxfam, Doctors without Borders, etc., with international scope.
Law School
Business School
Graduate Programs in International Affairs or Political Science
If your intention is to further your language studies and your international knowledge before starting a career or going to graduate school, you should look into possibilities offered through the following programs and others such as the following: