"We build participatory processes of exchange and dialogue from a multidisciplinary approach"
International Relations
The International Relations program is aimed at students who have an interest in understanding the operation and challenges facing the international system and all the actors that make it up from various dimensions such as politics, economy, social, cultural, legal, and environmental. Throughout the program, students will acquire and develop theoretical, methodological, and practical knowledge in order to obtain a wide spectrum of multidisciplinary knowledge.
Advantages
The Department of International Relations has been developing the United Nations Model Project (ONUSFQ) since 2006. In this environment, students learn about the functioning of international organizations and multilateral diplomacy. Participants conduct several academic simulations in preparation for the National Model United Nations, the largest and most professional Model UN in the world, held each year at UN headquarters in New York, and in which USFQ has participated 13 times. More than 200 students from various USFQ programs have received nearly 80 international awards in this trajectory of successful participation. USFQ has also been the headquarters on three occasions of the National Model UN Latin America, satellite conference of the NMUN NYC.
Professional Field
The program aims to train professionals with theoretical, conceptual, and practical tools in the discipline of International Relations, as well as with the ability to interact and function in various areas of a globalized world in Spanish and English.
Several alumni work in public sector agencies such as the National Secretariat for Planning and Development (SENPLADES), the National Secretariat for Intelligence (SENAIN), the Technical Secretariat for International Cooperation (SETECI), the Ministry of Foreign Relations and Human Mobility, the Ministry of the Environment, the National Electoral Council, Ministry of Education, and Municipality of the Metropolitan District of Quito, among other entities. In the private sphere, several graduates are located in consulting, political, economic, and research analysis companies.
Others are located in multinational companies with regional subsidiaries and in university institutions such as FLACSO, UDLA, and USFQ, among others.
Students can also choose the field of International Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Several of our graduates currently work in United Nations agencies or in international cooperation organizations such as Grupo Faro, the Carter Foundation, as well as embassies and consulates of foreign countries.
Testimonials
"Studying International Relations at USFQ was the best decision I could have made in my academic life. During the 4 years of the program, I was able to gain knowledge to analyze the different political, economic, and social situations that the world faces currently, through theory, history, and practice. The International Relations program at USFQ also opens up many paths for you, thanks to the ability to combine it with other programs such as Journalism, Economics, or Law; and in the professional field, it opens a range of opportunities in the public or private sector."
- Sofía Vaca, class of 2009 -
"Being the daughter of a diplomat, I grew up in an environment where politics and knowing about different cultures and customs were always a very important factor. In this sense, I chose the career of International Relations because I understood everything that seemed interesting to me. I think that the most valuable aspect about having studied this program lies in the fact that it prepared me, in a certain sense, to understand the ever-changing phenomena in such a globalized world. It is a program that has very diverse approaches and this lays the foundation for adapting knowledge acquired to any professional field that one later chooses."
- Adriana Garcés, class of 2013, Senior Analyst, Political and Regulatory Risks - Cefeidas Group (Buenos Aires, Argentina) -
"I was always interested in learning about politics, the different types of political systems that exist, the role of institutions, understanding what role international organizations play, and understanding the factors that influence the development of a country. The program offered me the opportunity to learn about these topics and others that I was interested in. I consider that having analyzed different theories of International Relations, having understood the role of institutions in a country, knowing how the electoral system works, etc., allowed me to have solid foundations for a clearer understanding of how politics work both locally and globally. Additionally, having classes with different approaches (economics, law, sociology) gave me the opportunity to enrich the analysis, including different perspectives. Based on what I learned, I realized what fieldI wanted to specialize in in the future."
- Mateo Sáenz Hinojosa, class of 2015, subspecialization in Political Science, Master's in Development Sciences in Latin America, King’s College London 2016 -
Academic Faculty
Scholarships
Community Outreach
Since 2014, this space in the Department of International Relations at USFQ has been open to all high school students and seeks to train young people between 9th grade basic education through 3rd year of Baccalaureate studies in political, economic, and social subjects of national, regional, and international interest, combining theoretical knowledge with four academic simulations (academic simulations of the United Nations, National Assembly, European Union, and Climate Change Conference) during the school year in which students will put their skills and abilities into practice.
