What is the difference between a Foreign Service Specialist and a Foreign Service Generalist?

Both Foreign Service Specialists and Generalists are diplomats and direct-hire career employees of the Department of State.

Foreign Service Specialists are professionals with specialized expertise and experience needed to meet Foreign Service responsibilities around the world (e.g. engineering, medical, management, and security).

Foreign Service Officers (FSO) are known as “generalists” and choose a career track, which will determine the type of work performed for the majority of the FSO’s career. The five career tracks are (Economic, Public Diplomacy, Consular, Management, or Political).