A liberal arts degree is highly beneficial for pursuing a career abroad—fostering adaptability and a global perspective—to allow you to navigate diverse cultural contexts and engage with international communities. Through a broad understanding of global issues, languages, and social dynamics, you can effectively work in roles such as international relations, global marketing, or cross-cultural consulting. The ability to analyze complex problems and communicate across cultures enhances your effectiveness in various international settings, making you an asset in a global workforce.
A liberal arts degree develops cultural awareness and adaptability, fostering key transferable skills essential for living and working abroad, such as:
- Cultural competency
- Effective communication
- Critical thinking
- Adaptability
- Research and analytical skills
- Interdisciplinary knowledge
Related Interests
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Interested in learning more about what you can do with a liberal arts degree?
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Current Students
Majors
Explore our degrees designed for those interested in building global connections. Our programs will equip you with the skills to excel and turn your passions into a rewarding career.
While this page shows many opportunities and examples of what our students and alumni have done related to this area of interest, this is not an exhaustive list of majors or experiences.
Out-of-Classroom Experiences
Internships
- Deloitte
- Microsoft
- United Nations
- U.S. Department of State
- Syngenta Global
- Traveler’s Insurance
- UNESCO
- National Security Innovation Network
- Jewish Cultural Historical Museum
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- US-ASEAN Business Council
Education Abroad Destinations
Germany
Students enrolled in GER 003/197 spent a week in Munich, Germany, as part of the “Experiencing German Language and Culture in Munich” embedded program.
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Poland
Students taking HIST/JST 426 spent a week in Poland as part of “The Holocaust and History" embedded program deepening their understanding of key issues surrounding the Holocaust and pre-war Jewish life through visiting historical sites in Poland.
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Greece
Students taking CAMS 15U spent a week in Athens, Greece, as part of the “Wonders of the Ancient World” embedded program. The course focused on the famed “Seven Wonders” and other achievements dating back to 3,000 B.C.E.
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Georgia
Students enrolled in RUS 197 spent a week in Tbilisi, Georgia, as part of the “Cultural Immersion in Post-Soviet Georgia” embedded program.
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France
A faculty-led summer French language program in Besançon, France, offered beginner to advanced-level students of French an immersive experience to rapidly improve their fluency.
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Post-Graduation Opportunities
Continuing Education
- Law school
- MBA
- Graduate school to study international relations, global studies, cultural anthropology, language and linguistics, public policy, development studies, comparative literature, and global business
Job Titles
- International Development Officer
- Cultural Program Coordinator
- Global Communications Specialist
- International Trade Analyst
- Diplomatic Liaison Officer
- Cross-Cultural Trainer
- Global Marketing Manager
- Foreign Policy Analyst
- International Human Resources Manager
- Global Nonprofit Coordinator
Industries
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- Global Nonprofits and NGOs
- International Education
- Multinational Corporations
- International Marketing and Advertising
- Cultural Heritage and Preservation
- Global Tourism and Hospitality
- International Trade and Logistics
- Cross-Cultural Consulting
- Media and Journalism with a Global Focus
Employers
- United Nations
- Peace Corps
- World Trade Organization
- National Geographic Society
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
- U.S. Department of State
- Amnesty International
- Global multinational companies, such as Google or Microsoft
- International publishing houses, such as Penguin Random House
- Education abroad organizations, such as CIEE or IES Abroad
Alumni Career Conversations
Careers in...
Embedded Course
Ava Gianna Nociforo
’26
Communication, Arts, and Sciences
|
Advertising/Public Relations
Communication, Arts, and Sciences
Advertising/Public Relations
In the summer of 2025, Ava traveled abroad to Ireland and through CAS 299H. The final project for her class was to create a documentary on how Ireland’s history of crises shapes its modern political landscape. During her time abroad, she got to meet with Irish senator and sit in on deliberations, where she learned more about Ireland’s political system, specifically about their use of the Citizen’s Assemblies.
Education Abroad
Kendall Penkunas
’26
Applied German
|
World Languages Education
Applied German
World Languages Education
Participating in the Goethe-Institut Summer Academy during the summer of 2024 provided me with wonderful professional development in the field of foreign-language pedagogy and the opportunity to connect with other current-or-aspiring German teachers across the United States.
Undergrad Research
Nicholas Groene
’26
Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies
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Chinese
|
Linguistics
Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies
Chinese
Linguistics
Nicholas participated as a researcher for the Linguistics program processing data and comparative examples from the Anii language. From February 2024 to May 2024, he traveled with a group of his peers to Benin to do fieldwork on the language. He felt that his time interviewing and making friends with the locals changed his perspective on life and made him re-examine how I viewed the past, the present, and the way I live my life.
International ResearchResearch
Christina Ellis
’26
Integrative Science
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Spanish
Integrative Science
Spanish
Christina was selected by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) fellowship program. She spent eight weeks in Granada, Spain, conducting research while earning academic credit and attending seminars and lab meetings at the University of Granada.
CriminologyEducation Abroad
Ashley Carmona
’26
Criminology
Criminology
In Barcelona, Ashley took a contemporary history course that aligns closely with concepts she learned at Penn State, allowing her to compare international legal frameworks with those in the United States and drawing on her classes as well as her professional experience. While there, she learned how Spain handles unaccompanied immigrant minors, and that their legal barriers are much different than those in the United States.
South Asian Studies
Bhavya Aplash
’26
Computer Science
|
South Asian Studies (minor)
Computer Science
South Asian Studies (minor)
Bhavya is proud that students are using the tool he helped develop to learn Hindi, noting it would have enhanced his learning experience had he had it during his first year. Looking ahead, he plans to apply what he’s learned at the intersection of design, culture and technology to create more culturally accessible digital interfaces in UI/UX or product design.