Additional Information
The U.S. does not require that foreign service officers have a degree,
but most applicants do have one, and many have a master's degree or even a
PhD.
"There's a huge variety in the degrees represented in the foreign service,
both in the specialists and the generalists," says Sara Rosenberry. She's
a senior foreign service officer.
"We have people who are still college students and those who are doing
it as a second career," says Rosenberry.
Business, history and political science are just a few of the majors that
would be helpful in this career.
"A good, broad liberal arts education is probably one of the best academic
tools to come into it with because you're dealing with different countries
and cultures and you have to understand them," says Thomas Switzer with the
American Foreign Service Association.
"If they've studied a certain part of the world that can be advantageous
if they want to serve in that part of the world. "In general terms, for success
in the service a person should have a reasonably capable international affairs
education and background," Switzer adds. "Does that mean they must study Subject
X? No -- they come from all backgrounds."
Foreign service applicants must undergo extensive background checks. They
must also pass a written exam that measures their knowledge in a variety of
areas important to this field -- history, geography, world politics, economics
and more.
Candidates are presented with hypothetical situations and must explain
how they would handle them. This tests judgment and decision-making ability.
Foreign language skills are very highly valued.
"They get extra points if they have language skills, especially in areas
that are critically important to us now, such as Arabic, Chinese, Pashto,
Dari," says Rosenberry.
The main training institution for U.S. foreign affairs personnel is the
Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, Virginia. The FSI offers more
than 450 courses, including training in about 70 foreign languages.