Mississippi’s premier international relations organization is housed in the International Visitors Center of Jackson, located on the campus of Jackson State University. Not only does the Center arrange visits from foreign dignitaries designed to strengthen relationships between Mississippi and foreign stakeholders, but it also provides translation services and ESL courses to encourage the cultural exchange of foreign students.
The Mississippi State Guard also works to create international ties by participating in the state partnership program. The 2013 annual report from the National Guard State Partnership Program indicates that as of 1999, Mississippi formed a partnership with Bolivia, as well as a partnership with Uzbekistan in 2012.
These organizations work to create relationships that continue to strengthen cooperation between Mississippi and foreign stakeholders’ militaries, calling upon skilled diplomats, translators, journalists and program directors to help facilitate cooperative exchanges.
Obtaining a Degree in International Relations
A degree in international relations is a launching pad into governmental, nonprofit, and private sector work with organizations like the Peace Corps, Amnesty International, the United Nations, and more.
Choosing to study international relations is the first step towards a career in international security analysis, journalism, diplomacy, and many other areas.
Because international relations degrees are interdisciplinary, students gets to specialize in a concentration such trade relations or global security.
Both bachelor’s and master’s programs will generally include international internships or study abroad experiences, allowing students to develop the kind of understanding that only comes with gaining real-world experience.
Achieving a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations
Many bachelor’s degrees are offered in online or blended formats, allowing students to study remotely while gaining work experience. A bachelor’s degree will prepare students to function in entry-level international relations roles specific to their concentration, whether in diplomacy, global security or international development.
Degrees include varying titles, such as:
- BA or BS in International Relations
- BA or BS in International Affairs
- BA or BS in Diplomacy
- BA or BS in International Relations and Political Science
- BA or BS in International Development
These degrees will include courses such as:
- Research Methods for International Relations
- Global Economic and Development Policy
- International Development
- S. Foreign Policy
- World Regional Geography
After these core courses, students are then able to specialize in a specific area of international relations, choosing tracks such as:
- Business and Economics
- Geography and History
- Political Science
- Regional Studies
Specializing in a particular track will set the stage for a student’s long-term career in international relations.
Advancing to a Master’s Degree in International Relations
Professionals who wish to enter advanced jobs in such areas as international diplomacy or global security analysis will often pursue a master’s degree in international relations.
To apply to a master’s program, students will need to meet a minimum set of eligibility criteria, generally including:
- Holding a bachelor’s degree form an accredited university
- Holding a strong GPA, such as a 3.0 or above
- Completing the GRE
If eligible, students will be asked to submit the following information as part of their application packet:
- Application Form
- Statement of Purpose
- Resume or CV
- Official transcripts
- GRE scores
- TOEFL or IELTS scores, if applicable
- Two letters of recommendation
- An application fee
Students may choose from a variety of master’s degree programs, with titles such as:
- MA in International Relations
- MA in Global Development
- MA in International Intelligence
- MA in International Affairs
In addition to the international relations core courses, students will be able to specialize by choosing a concentration, such as:
- Global Security
- International Development
- International Negotiation
- Conflict Resolution
- S. Foreign Policy
- National Security
Concentrations will provide in-depth courses on specific areas of study, including:
Global Security
The global security concentration will focus on issues of peace and security, specifically, how to manage and prevent conflict.
- Causes of War—this course considers the factors and conditions that beget war, including conflict at the interstate, regional, and global level.
- Security from Inside the State—this course considers how to create conditions of peace from within the state by analyzing foreign policy and domestic politics.
- Conflict Assessment and Prevention—this course focuses on conflict prevention methods, such as humanitarian aid and the work of governmental organizations, NGOs, the United Nations, and more.
International Development
This concentration gives students the economic, political, and social skills skills they need for careers centered around improving poverty-stricken people around the world. Courses include:
- Politics of Global Development – focuses on the understanding of the history, theory, and approaches toward alleviating global poverty and inequality by studying vulnerable members of society
- Sustainable Development and Global Environmental Politics – this course focuses on the global environmental dangers threatening both the earth and humanity, specifically focusing on species extinction, food, agriculture, and climate change
- Global Health Politics and Policy – this course focuses on global diseases, such as HIV, TB, malnutrition, SARS, malaria, and more.
U.S. Foreign Policy
This concentration trains students to understand the economic, historical, political, social, and strategic facets of U.S. foreign policy in order to enter careers focused on foreign or national security policy.
- Security from Inside the State—this course considers how to create conditions of peace from within the state by analyzing foreign policy and domestic politics.
- The Making of U.S. Foreign Policy: Institutions and Processes – this course allows students to understanding the processes involved in creating and implementing foreign policy, including State and Defense departments, the intelligence community, the White House, and more
- The U.S. as a World Power – this course looks at U.S. history to understand foreign relations from the twentieth century and beyond.
Mississippi’s Contribution to International Development and Humanitarian Work
Mississippi’s premier international relations contributor includes:
As Mississippi’s sole visitor’s center, the International Visitors Center of Jackson (IVCJ) works to globalize Jackson, and Mississippi as a whole, by offering the only visitor center in the country on the campus of an HBCU. In order to develop and strengthen cultural understandings between citizens of Mississippi and foreign dignitaries, IVCJ arranges professional visits for current and emerging foreign leaders. These person-to-person exchanges help to strengthen the bond between Mississippi and foreign nations, as well as bring Mississippi to the forefront of the global stage.
Mississippi organizations that are dedicated to developing and strengthening relationships with foreign stakeholders include:
State
Nonprofit