A good way to differentiate and deepen your understanding of two similar fields of study is to learn about the various occupations available in each field.

In regard to intercultural learning and international relations, there are many people with degrees in these fields who have similar jobs. However, there are also many jobs that are tailored to the unique knowledge and skills of either field.

Within international relations, the first job that comes to mind for many is a diplomat, and even an ambassador. Such high level postings are certainly emblematic of international studies because this subject area focuses on global interactions at the organizational and state levels. Yet while these high-level occupations can exemplify the focus of international relations, they don’t necessarily show the diversity of occupations within that field. Just as there are a great number of occupations within the field of politics other than the president or prime minister, there are a vast number of jobs within the field of international relations other than a diplomat or ambassador.

The field of intercultural learning is smaller than the field of international studies, but the opportunities for careers are similarly diverse. Since intercultural learning focuses on interaction at the individual level and the role culture plays in this interaction, many occupations in the field naturally revolve around this main focus. Occupations in intercultural learning include international human resource consulting, helping people adjust to living abroad, language teachers, and international educators. A common characteristic of any job in this field is that professionals learn from cultural differences and use this knowledge to better facilitate understanding and communication. This characteristic is essential to differentiating a job within the field of intercultural learning from a job in international relations.

Learning about the jobs people do within a particular field is a good way to learn what a field is really about. AFS focuses on fostering international dialogue and understanding among its audiences. This personal focus gives AFS a prominent role in the diverse field of intercultural learning.

Paul Edinger is a contributing writer for the ICL Blog. He was an intern at AFS International in 2011 in the Development and Branding department, and continued in 2012 in the Intercultural Learning department. He holds a B.A. in International Studies.