Careers with an international focus

Graduates of our renowned degree programs are well positioned to seek top jobs in any field requiring international skills and knowledge. Many ESEI alumni work in international careers based out of Canada.

Our graduates are known for their international skills

Once you have earned your Master’s Degree in International Studies, you will have access to challenging, high quality jobs in a wide range of fields. About half of our graduates choose to work in the Québec or Canadian public service, while the other half pursue careers in broader public sector agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, or the private sector that either specialize in international affairs or have international departments. Your versatility and in-depth knowledge will be highly appreciated.

With a doctorate in International Studies, you will have access to jobs that require proven expertise in academic research and knowledge in several fields. You can aspire to positions of responsibilty in public or broader public sector organizations: universities, research organizations, government ministries, and international organizations.

Learn more about our graduates

An exciting array of career options

Positions obtained by graduates of our master’s program include: 

International market development officer

Economic development officer

Economic and social rights program officer

Foreign service officer

Political analyst

Consular affairs assistant

Advisor to exporting SME

Project manager

Sustainable development advisor

Volunteer cooperant

Diplomat

Public and economic affairs assistant

International internship manager

Management and consular affairs specialist

Examples of international organizations where our graduates work

Public service

  • Global Affairs Canada 
  • National Assembly of Québec 
  • Environment Canada 
  • Ministère des Affaires culturelles du Québec 
  • Canadian Department of National Defence 
  • Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie (MRIF), Government of Québec 
  • Canadian Heritage 
  • Ville de Québec  

Regional and international organizations

  • Council of Europe
  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  • United Nations Refugee Agency
  • Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
  • Organization of American States
  • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  • United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Private sector

  • Bank of Montreal
  • Bombardier
  • Montreal Council on Foreign Relations (MCFR)
  • Law firms
  • Domtar
  •  Gagné Leclerc Groupe Conseil WSP Global
  • Québec International

Media

  • Huffington Post
  • The Canadian Press
  • Radio Ville-Marie
  • CBC/Radio Canada

Broader public sector

  • Pearson Peacekeeping Centre 
  • École nationale d’administration publique
  • Hydro-Québec
  • Université Laval
  • Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
  • University of Ottawa

Non-governmental organizations

  • Lawyers Without Borders
  • David Suzuki Foundation
  • Oxfam Québec

Employment situation of our master’s graduates

The Université Laval student placement service (SPLA) provides statistics on students who have successfully completed their master's in International Studies. The 2017 statistics below are for the 2015 graduating class. 

  • Employed 83.1%
  • Seeking employment:  2.3%
  • Still in school:  11.4%
  • Unemployment rate:  2.6%
  • Employed full-time 91.4%
  • Average gross weekly salary: $1,224 ($63,648 a year, for students who graduated one to two years previously)
  • Employment in a related field: 83.8%

 

Source: La Relance, Ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement supérieur, 2017

For more information on employment opportunities, visit the SPLA website.