Politics and current affairs at the local, regional and international levels have always interested George Khoukaz. So it was a natural fit for him to attend the University of Balamand in Lebanon, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in political science and international affairs.

“Personally, I always believed that citizens should have the ability to play a role in their societies and stand against the imposed marginalization they were facing by their regimes,” says Khoukaz, who notes his degree will enable him to do so.

Khoukaz, from Syria, chose the school based on its program, small class sizes and faculty, whom he says promote active participation in discussions, critical thinking and communication skills. Sami A. Ofeish, chairperson of the department of political science and international affairs, says the university offers an undergraduate degree in political science and international affairs; a Master of Arts in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean politics; and a minor in political science and international affairs to undergraduate students outside the department.

[Find out the factors to consider when choosing a university in the Arab region.]

“I’m interested in tackling inequality at the international level, especially between the Middle East and the more advanced part of the world,” says Khoukaz. “I believe in the ability of Middle Eastern societies to develop socially, politically and economically and I think that tackling the causes and reasons that prevents development is a first step we need to do.”

Ofeish says undergrad and grad students can use their degrees in various fields. These include working in regional and international organizations; nongovernmental organizations at the local and national levels; media and journalism; foreign service; teaching; public relations; administrative and management positions in the private and public sectors; research centers; and consultancies.

[Explore how the tourism boom is a boon for Arab region students.]

The University of Wollongong in Dubai offers a Master of International Studies degree. Program director Feras Hamza calls the degree an “asset for anyone who is currently working, or would like to work for, a government or private organization that manages diplomatic or business relationships with other countries.”

He says students and grads work as members of government and civil service intergovernmental organizations, country or region heads, analysts, policy specialists in think tanks, diplomats, managers in the travel and tourism industry and academics.

“Our graduates have gone on to pursue executive director roles at NGOs and worked in positions at embassies around the world,” says Hamza.

Syrian Sami Salloum is currently pursuing a master’s in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern politics at the University of Balamand. He chose to study in Lebanon because he says in his country these kinds of majors “are very politicized by the state.”

[Learn what parents should weigh before sending a child to an overseas Arab region university.]

“Lebanon is not that hegemonic over the educational system, unlike all other Arab countries where criticizing the politics of the regimes and exposing the violations of human rights is totally forbidden,” says Salloum.

Salloum says he would like to work for the United Nations in a diplomatic role “to establish negotiations and open platforms of dialog between conflicting parties.” He says the crisis in Syria has only increased his interest in establishing peace and promoting stability in his homeland.

Private sector careers are a big draw for students of Mehran Kamrava, director of the Center for International and Regional Studies and professor at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar.

“This is particularly the case because of Qatar’s rapid economic development and its emergence over the last decade or so as one of the main centers of commerce, finance and infrastructural development in the Persian Gulf region and in the broader Middle East,” says Kamrava.

Former students have gone on to work for international banks such as HSBC, oil companies ExxonMobil and Shell, consulting firms like PricewaterhouseCoopers and many major local private or state-related firms and foundations such as the Qatar Foundation, Qatar Petroleum and telecommunications provider Ooredoo.

Georgetown’s Qatar branch offers a Bachelor of Science in foreign service in four majors: culture and politics, international economics, international history and international politics. It also offers three certificates in American studies; Arab and regional studies; and media and politics.

Basil Mahfouz, a 2011 grad from Lebanon, obtained a Bachelor of Science in foreign service, with a major in international politics.

“I was always passionate about international politics, having taken part in the Model United Nations and my school’s debating team,” says Mahfouz. “Qatar was also close to home not to mention full of opportunities. I figured, I’d study there, get my foot through the door as I seek my potential in Qatar.”

Mahfouz plans to enter the field of environmental policy and development and work with NGOs, companies or government associations to consult on effective and sustainable policies and strategies. He works as a manager at BLJ Worldwide, an international strategic consultancy firm, where he leads his own team. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in public administration or environmental management policy in Germany or the United Kingdom.

University of Balamand grad Khoukaz will begin his J.D. degree at the University of Missouri School of Law in late August. He plans to gain legal work experience there and join an international organization focused on the Middle East that addresses development.

“Kofi Annan once wrote that in order to help his own country and the African continent, he believed in the need to join some powerful international organizations and work from within these organizations,” says Khoukaz. “I’m also looking forward to (coming) back to the Middle East and (working) from within these societies.”

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Varied Career Options Attract Politics Graduates From Arab Universities originally appeared on usnews.com