The Government, Policy, Law & International Affairs cluster is a broad category of fields that are often suited for those who are mission-driven and seek to provide knowledge, support and resources for the common good.
Government or the public sector encompasses roles at the federal, state and local levels. Public sector opportunities span across all disciplines and are great options for students from all academic backgrounds with varied experiences.
The Law/Legal services field remains an ever-evolving, yet stable and prestigious profession. The diversity of career options and specializations offer intellectually stimulating environments that provide consistent growth professionally and financially.
International Affairs allows professionals to contribute to foreign diplomacy and engage in international policy issues such peace and security, health pandemics, human trafficking and climate change, to name a few.
Where UMD Alumni have Worked or Interned
Government
- Prince George’s County, Maryland
- Maryland General Assembly
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- U.S. House of Representatives
Law
- Covington & Burley, LLP
- Montgomery County Police Department
- U.S. Department of Justice
International Affairs
- Chemonics
- International Rescue Committee
- World Bank
Career options if you have a...
- Government
- Contract Specialist
- Economic Research Assistant
- Human Resources Specialist
- Intelligence Analyst
- Program Analyst
- Survey Statistician
- Policy
- Case Manager
- Election Protection Organizer
- Legislative Director
- Political Team Leader
- Program Delivery Assistant
- Staff Assistant
- Law
- Arbitrator
- Paralegal
- Legal Assistant
- Police Officer
- International Affairs
- Asylee Caseworker
- Diplomat
- Political Affairs Officer
- Foreign Affairs Analyst
- Political Scientist
- Lobbyist
- Economist
- Criminologist
- Compliance Officer
- Social Worker
- Judge
- Lawyer
- Faculty
Government, Policy, Law & Internal Affairs Careers on YouTube
Ways to Gain Experience
Student Organizations
Campus Programs
Professional Associations
Tips for Finding a Job & Internship
- Many federal agencies post openings on USAjobs.gov, the federal government’s official career website. Create a profile, use the resume builder to create your resume and be sure to sign up for alert notifications of roles of interest. The Students and Recent Graduates section page will provide particularly helpful information.
- The federal resume is unlike the standard resume you may be familiar with. Check out our federal resume sample and read more about federal resume best practices.
- Other helpful sites for looking for government and policy roles include GoGovernment.org, ProFellow, Daybook, Tom Manatos Jobs
- Many federal roles, including internships require candidates to undergo a basic background investigation to ensure you are “reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character and loyal to the United States.” Learning more about the security clearance process is an important part of your research for opportunities in the field.
- If you are interested in pursuing law school, connect with and get involved with the resources available to you via the Pre-Law Advising Office. They will support in course selection, the law school application process and connections to professionals in the field.
- Our proximity to DC makes a career within the international affairs space of interest to many. Check out this informative article on building a career in foreign relations for a detailed look on how to best position for the field.
Upcoming Events
-
Join the University Career Center for an interactive workshop designed to help students strengthen their approach to finding internships, jobs, and other ways to build experience. Participants will learn about the current job market, how to use campus and external resources to search effectively, and ways to stay organized throughout the process.
-
Join the University Career Center for an interactive workshop designed to help students build confidence and strengthen practical networking skills for career exploration and professional growth.
-
Participants will review resumes section by section and learn strategies to improve formatting, bullet points, and overall content. Students are encouraged to bring a current resume and be ready to make real-time edits during the session.