Students studying in Social Sciences Building

What can I do with my studies?

International Studies and Modern Languages

Potential occupations

Universities studies lead to multiple occupations. Furthermore, certain professions require talent, special aptitudes, additional skills and experience beyond degrees themselves. By targeting a profession, it can make decisions easier during your schooling, throughout your job search and, finally, when choosing among job offers. The choices can change over time based on academic, personal, and professional paths and on the knowledge of occupations and of the labour market.

 In order to list your choices, visit the Job Bank Canada website and, using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, view job postings, wages, employment prospects and other important information that can help you make a decision. If need be, additional and complementary information can be found via two online career exploration tools (Careercruising and Choices Planner)* also designed to facilitate your career advancement. The occupations found below are examples derived from the National Occupational Classification.

Occupations related to this program

Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers

  • International aid and development project officer
  • International relations specialist
  • Labour policy analyst
  • Poverty and Discrimination Researcher
  • Social policy analyst 

Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants

  • International development and assistance researcher
  • International development officer
  • International development representative

Translators, terminologists and interpreters

  • Interpreter
  • Terminologist
  • Translator

Employment insurance, immigration, border services and revenue officers

  • Immigration agent

College and other vocational instructors

  • Modern languages teacher college level
  • Modern languages tutor language school 

Other professional occupations in social science

  • Linguist

Program officers unique to government

  • Diplomat
  • Foreign service officer

Senior government managers and officials

  • Ambassador

Volunteer opportunities

In addition to providing an opportunity to apply theories and knowledge learned during your university studies outside the classroom, in real world situations, volunteering is a way to help the community and its many organizations. The Community Service Learning also allows students to contribute to their community by participating in projects that are related to their program of study.

Potential employers

The following examples of employers can offer internships or employment opportunities related to students program of studies.

  • Amnesty International
  • Canada Border Services Agency - CBSA
  • CARE Canada
  • United Nations Association in Canada
  • Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
  • Peacebuild
  • ADT Translastions
  • Canadian Crossroads International - CCI
  • Development and Peace
  • Foundation for International Development Assistance - FIDA
  • International Development and Relief Foundation - IDRF
  • Ontario Council for International Cooperation
  • St. Joseph Communications
  • Study English in Canada
  • Centre for Research on Globalization
  • Conseil supérieur de la langue française
  • Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine
  • Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles
  • Ministère des Relations internationales
  • Office québécois de la langue française
  • Alberta Municipal Services Corporation - AMSC
  • British Columbia Public Service
  • Povnet
  • CARE International
  • International Crisis Group - ICG
  • International Alert - IA
  • International Institute for Sustainable Development - IISD
  • International Monetary Fund - IMF
  • United Nations - UN
  • World Health Organization - WHO
  • African Development Foundation - USADF
  • Coalition on Human Needs
  • Customs and Borders Protection - CBP
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Department of State
  • Heritage Foundation
  • Caritas International
  • Council of the European Union
  • European Centre for Minority Issues - ECMI
  • Kiel Institute for the World Economy
  • Overseas Development Institute - ODI
  • Progressio
  • Womankind Worldwide
  • World Trade Organization
  • Euromonitor International
  • Asian Human Rights Commission - AHRC
  • China Youth Development Foundation - CYDF
  • Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace - WISCOMP

Professional organizations

Examples of professional organizations, presented by location, provide essential information on professional development opportunities and networking activities, the examples can also provide access to publications and job opportunities.

  • Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale - AQOCI
  • Canadian Association for the Study of International Development - CASID
  • Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants - CAPIC
  • Canadian Communication Association - CCA
  • Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences - CFHSS
  • Canadian International Council - CIC
  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council - SSHRC
  • American Foreign Service Association - AFSA
  • Association of International Customs and Border Agencies - AICBA
  • International Association for Social Science Information Service and Technology -IASSIST
  • International Political Science Association - IPSA
  • International Social Science Council - ISSC
  • International Studies Association - ISA

Date modified : 20123-11-16