Albright has dedicated her life to international study. After receiving her B.A. in political science from Wellesley College, Albright studied international relations at Johns Hopkins University before receiving her master's and Ph.D. from Columbia University's Department of Public Law and Government.

Before her appointment as Secretary of State, she had a diverse career. She was Sen. Edwin Muskie's chief legislative assistant; a Woodrow Wilson fellow; president of the Center for National Policy, a nonprofit research organization; and research professor of international affairs and director of the Women in Foreign Service Program at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. During President Clinton's first term, Albright served as the United States permanent representative to the United Nations and was a member of Clinton's National Security Council.