Anyone major in International Relations?

Hey guys, I wanted to hear your thoughts on double majoring in Finance and IR for a future job in banking. I want to do a double major anyways, and my school is known for its business school (Finance, Accounting). But I have a genuine interest in IR, and want to double major in it with a focus on international economics. I know Tim Geithner did Government at Dartmouth and then went to Johns Hopkins SAIS, which is a prominent IR master's program. Although he never had a banking career in the private sector, he ran the Fed and is the Secretary of Treasury so that might speak for the relevance of his studies to financial work.. I've also met a couple analysts at BB that single majored in IR.

Do you think studying International Relations will be of better value than, say, Accounting as a second major to go into banking? Are there entry positions within banks that require knowledge of international politics and economics? I'm a native Korean speaker to give you perspective.

8 Comments
 
ConnorLet me guess. Those analysts you met who majored in IR went to HYPS, Duke, uChi, Wharton, or Ross.

BC and Gtown

Ugh the FBI still quotes the Dow... -Matt Levine
 
buybuybuy If IR is really what interests you, then you will probably hate banking.

Why would you say so?

Ugh the FBI still quotes the Dow... -Matt Levine
 

Because banking is at best tangentially related to anything that would lead you to be interested in international relations. Banking is a good way to learn about companies and about the transaction process for companies. Not much else.

There are plenty of other areas in finance, namely buyside and sellside research that might be more relevant to your interests.

 

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Ugh the FBI still quotes the Dow... -Matt Levine

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