What Can I Really Do With A Political Science Major?

Now in its Sixth Edition, the American Political Science Association's publication Careers and the Study of Political Science has become multi-generational standard reading and reference (the first edition appeared in 1974) for many undergraduate students across the country who have either already declared a major in Political Science or who are thinking about doing so. Helpful and full of a range of great ideas, the booklet has often been provided by Departments of Political Science or Pi Sigma Alpha chapters to the students they serve as a way of encouraging thinking about the wide range of occupational possibilities for which Political Science prepares its students well.

But what other information is available for those majors who have worked hard in college, are thinking about commencement and what comes afterwards, and who still need more help or advice about what they want to do with their degree? Faculty advisors are an often-overlooked (or under-appreciated) source of information about career possibilities, and although they can all counsel you about the joys and advantages of the academic lifestyle should you be interested in graduate study in Political Science, you will often find that your advisors come to their positions with other life or occupational experiences that can be useful in guiding your own search for the perfect job.

Additionally, there are lots of good data on the World Wide Web these days about what Political Scientists are and do, as well as job prospects and alternative careers to teaching if you decide the professorial life isn't for you. One of the best and most useful is the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, which regularly updates entries on a variety of occupations including Sociologists and Political Scientists. What's the best news from the latest entry in the BLS handbook? For the Newsletter, it's probably this: "Employment of political scientists is projected to grow faster than average, reflecting the growing importance of public policy and research. Demand for political science research is growing because of increasing interest in politics, foreign affairs, and public policy, including social and environmental policy issues, healthcare, and immigration. Political scientists will use their knowledge of political institutions to further the interests of nonprofit, political lobbying, and social and civic organizations. Job growth also may be driven by the budget constraints of public resources. As a growing population exerts excess demand on certain public services, political scientists will be needed to analyze the effects and efficiencies of those services, as well as to offer solutions."

According to admittedly non-scientific but apparently broad and extensive anecdotal data collected by the website StudentsReview, Political Science has one of the highest satisfaction ratings among any popular major at American colleges and universities (84.4%), with 90.3% of graduated majors expressing the opinion that "things are going well" for them with the job they found after graduating with a Political Science degree. And Payscale.com's presentation of "Most Popular Jobs for Political Science Majors" at the undergraduate level includes paralegals, intelligence analysts, administrators and administrative assistants... even retail store managers! In 2008, Cable News Network in conjunction with Careerbuilder.com ran an online article entitled "10 Most Popular Majors and What They Pay" that was another good source of information-- since Political Science is one of the ten most popular undergraduate majors in the nation!