It can be helpful to have at least a rudimentary idea of what your desired career path looks like before you choose a degree program. So, what can you do with a political science degree? Political science and related degrees like government can be remarkably versatile.
With a political science degree, you may have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of potential careers to pursue. You should also keep in mind the transferrable nature of the taught knowledge and skills. Because it is a liberal arts degree, a political science program will typically teach transferrable skills such as the following:
- Communication skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
- Research and writing competencies
- Professional responsibility and ethics
These competencies are important for many different professions across various industries and sectors. Even if you ultimately decide that becoming a politician isn’t the right choice for you, you could potentially apply your degree to another field. Political scientists often work for governmental agencies, as well as nonprofit or professional organizations. They study political systems and ideas, including the origins and development of systems. Political scientists apply analytical reasoning skills to evaluate governmental policies and political trends. They may also do any of the following:
- Evaluate current events and forecast future political or social trends
- Analyze public policies and their effects on people, businesses and governmental agencies
- Conduct public opinion surveys and analyze the results
- Publish their research and give presentations at conferences
Here are some political science career options:
Policy Analyst
As the job title suggests, a policy analyst specializes in evaluating proposed and existing governmental policies. They study how laws, policies and regulations affect people, organizations and systems, and evaluate the potential results of proposed policy changes. This line of work involves a great deal of research, such as collecting and analyzing data.
Some policy analysts may choose to specialize in a particular area. For example, you might pursue a careers in health policy, foreign policy or environment policy.
Legislative Assistant
A legislative assistant works in the legislative branch of government. They serve as aides to elected officials, such as senators and representatives. A legislative assistant may work at the state or federal level.
Legislative assistants can perform a broad variety of tasks, depending on the day-to-day needs of the elected official for whom they work. It’s their responsibility to understand the issues that affect the elected official’s constituents and the general opinions of those constituents. Legislative assistants may conduct research, take phone calls from constituents, coordinate meetings and draft reports. Some assistants may be tasked with drafting speeches and press releases.
Lawyer
Although some students who major in political science or government may go on to pursue jobs in government, others may decide to take an alternative path. A political science, government or public administration degree can provide a foundation for pursuing further education at law school.
There are many types of lawyers. Some exclusively represent defendants accused of criminal violations, while others seek justice in civil courtrooms for clients who may have been wronged by another individual, business or government entity. Some law school grads decide to become corporate attorneys who advise company decision-makers on legal issues.
Public Relations Specialist
Another career path to consider after earning a political science degree is that of a public relations specialist. A public relations specialist may choose to specialize in working on political campaigns, or they may opt to represent other types of clients, ranging from business executives to Hollywood celebrities to star athletes.
Public relations specialists are responsible for liaising with the media, helping their clients ace interviews and, in general, promoting the best possible public image for their clients. They may also draft press releases and respond to public image crises.
