U.S. Foreign Service

The U.S. Foreign Service falls within the U.S. Department of State.

Background
Foreign service began as diplomatic service but has "evolved into a small and narrowly specialized corps, separate from the consular service, which actively promoted American business, particularly shipping, around the world," according to the Council on Diplomacy & International Affairs web site.

For more background, history, and information, read the copyrighted article by Karen Krebsbach, the editor of Foreign Service Journal.

Documents

 * Foreign Service Act of 1980, Public Law 96-465; Excerpt from Legislation on Foreign Affairs Through 1996.

Careers

 * "As part of it's effort to develop a more diverse Foreign Service, the State Department has reestablished the Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program (FAFP)."


 * U.S. Department of State Recruitment. Self-Test: Is the Foreign Service Right for Me?.


 * Foreign Service Exam.

Training & Schools
"A number of universities offer specific programs which prepare students for a career in the foreign service. These schools include:


 * American University's [School of International Service] (DC)
 * Brigham Young University's David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
 * Brookings Institute's Foreign Policy Studies
 * Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
 * Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (NYC)
 * Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service (DC)
 * George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs(DC)
 * Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government (Cambridge, MA)
 * Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University (DC)
 * Joint Military Intelligence College at the Defense Intelligence Agency
 * Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs (Princeton, NJ)
 * The Maxwell School at Syracuse University's Global Affairs Institute (Syracuse, NY)
 * Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Medford, MA)
 * Vienna School of International Studies, aka Vienna Diplomatic Academy

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * American Foreign Service Association
 * George Soros/Soros Foundations/Open Society Institute
 * globalization
 * Peace Corps
 * Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers
 * think tank
 * United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

People

 * Madeleine K. Albright
 * W. Stuart Symington, IV