<p>I live/work overseas & have friends that work at the U.N. and embassies of different countries. To do foreign service work, the U.N. & the diplomatic corps are looking to recruit staff who can do something practical besides “int’l relations” (i.e. economists, engineers, doctors, finance types, teachers). You would be a more competitive candidate for the foreign service if you combined the IR degree with some other marketable major.</p>