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🇺🇸 United States · Civil Service
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) Syllabus
The written entrance exam administered by the U.S. Department of State for those seeking to become Foreign Service Officers (diplomats). The full Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) syllabus: 8 subjects, 31 chapters, 112 topics and 230 sub-topics, with 444 flashcards written against it.
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) subjects
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) has 8 subjects. Each one is listed below with its chapters in syllabus order; open a subject for every topic and sub-topic inside them.
United States Government and Political Systems
- Constitutional Foundations · 5 topics
- The Legislative Branch · 4 topics
- The Executive Branch · 4 topics
- The Judicial Branch and Civil Liberties · 4 topics
- Political Behavior and Participation · 4 topics
United States and World History
- Colonial Era through the Early Republic · 4 topics
- Civil War, Reconstruction, and Industrialization · 4 topics
- The Twentieth Century United States · 4 topics
- World History to 1500 · 4 topics
- Modern World History · 4 topics
United States Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
- Foundations of U.S. Foreign Policy · 3 topics
- The Department of State and Diplomatic Practice · 4 topics
- International Organizations and Law · 3 topics
- Contemporary Foreign Policy Challenges · 4 topics
Economics
- Microeconomics · 4 topics
- Macroeconomics · 4 topics
- International Economics · 3 topics
Geography
- Physical Geography · 3 topics
- Human and Political Geography · 4 topics
- Geopolitics and Resources · 3 topics
Management, Economics of Organizations, and Statistics
- Management Principles · 4 topics
- Quantitative and Financial Management · 3 topics
- Statistics and Data Interpretation · 3 topics
Communication and English Expression
- Grammar and Usage · 3 topics
- Effective Writing and Editing · 4 topics
- Reading Comprehension and Analysis · 3 topics
- The Written Essay · 3 topics
Computers, Mathematics, and Science and Technology
- Computers and Information Technology · 3 topics
- Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning · 4 topics
- Natural and Physical Sciences · 3 topics
- Science Policy and Emerging Technology · 3 topics
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) flashcards
444 question-and-answer cards across 8 subject decks, each shown in full on its subject page.
- United States Government and Political Systems — 51 cards
- United States and World History — 60 cards
- United States Foreign Policy and Diplomacy — 56 cards
- Economics — 59 cards
- Geography — 50 cards
- Management, Economics of Organizations, and Statistics — 51 cards
- Communication and English Expression — 59 cards
- Computers, Mathematics, and Science and Technology — 58 cards
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) syllabus?
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) covers 8 subjects: United States Government and Political Systems, United States and World History, United States Foreign Policy and Diplomacy, Economics, Geography, Management, Economics of Organizations, and Statistics, Communication and English Expression and Computers, Mathematics, and Science and Technology.
How many chapters and topics are in the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) syllabus?
31 chapters and 112 topics, broken down further into 230 sub-topics, across 8 subjects. United States Government and Political Systems is the largest subject, with 21 topics in 5 chapters.
Are there Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) flashcards?
Yes — 444 question-and-answer flashcards in 8 subject decks. Each deck is printed in full on its subject page here, and the same cards are in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.
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