What Can You Do With Your Political Science Degree? | College & Careers | The Princeton Review
TLDRRob Franek discusses potential career paths for political science majors, highlighting the versatility of the degree. He covers entry-level roles in public relations, social media, nonprofits, and legislation. Franek then discusses advanced degree options like law school to become a lawyer or lobbyist, a Master's in Public Administration to manage public and private organizations, or a PhD to work in academia researching and teaching. Overall, he conveys the breadth of options for political science majors to find meaningful work across sectors.
Takeaways
- 😀 Political science is a popular and versatile major with nearly 42,000 degrees awarded in 2019
- 📈 It's a growing field - graduates join 3.8 million professionals with social science degrees
- 🎓 It develops strong research, communication and data analysis skills applicable across sectors
- 👔 Entry-level roles include PR, social media, nonprofits and legislative assistant positions
- 🎓 Advanced degrees like law, MPA or PhD open up careers in law, academia and executive leadership
- 😀 Many lawyers work in legislation, corporate law or as legal advocates for nonprofits
- 📊 MPA grads work as managers in public & private sectors - city, charity, HR and campaign managers
- 🎓 PhDs spend years on research to become professors, researchers and scholars
- ❓ The major offers versatility - law, politics, nonprofits, media, business, education and more!
- 👍 It's fantastic for service-oriented careers combining research, policy and advocacy
Q & A
What skills does a political science degree equip you with?
-A political science degree equips you with strong research, communication, and data analysis skills that are applicable to careers in both the private and public sectors.
What entry-level jobs are good options for political science majors?
-Some good entry-level jobs for political science majors are public relations coordinator, social media manager, nonprofit program coordinator, and legislative assistant.
Why is political science a popular pre-law major?
-Political science is a popular pre-law major because lawyers and political scientists have overlapping interests in studying legal systems, conducting research, and doing a lot of reading and writing.
What types of law careers are options with a law degree?
-Some law career options with a law degree include lobbyist, corporate lawyer, and legal advocate for nonprofits or issue-based organizations.
What is an MPA degree and what careers can you pursue with it?
-An MPA (Master of Public Administration) degree allows you to specialize in an area of political science. Graduates pursue careers as managers in the public and private sectors.
What does a PhD in political science prepare you for?
-A PhD in political science prepares you for a career in academia as a researcher, professor, or scholar at universities, think tanks, consulting firms, and government institutions.
What sector do most political science graduates build careers in?
-Most political science graduates build careers in law, politics, government, and the nonprofit sector.
How can political science majors use media to influence public opinion?
-Political science majors can work as public relations coordinators, social media managers, and press secretaries to shape public opinion through media.
How many people earned political science degrees in 2019?
-Nearly 42,000 total undergraduate degrees were awarded in political science in 2019.
What advanced degrees help further specialize in political science?
-Master's degrees like an MPA (Master of Public Administration) and doctoral degrees help political science majors specialize in specific areas like public policy, nonprofit management, and academia.
Outlines
👨🎓 An Overview of Political Science as a Major and Career Path
The first paragraph provides an introduction to political science as a college major. It discusses that political science majors learn about systems of government, political behavior, and applying political theories. It highlights statistics showing political science is a popular major and equips students with valuable transferable skills. The paragraph also notes political science is a versatile and growing field leading to careers in law, politics, nonprofits, media, consulting, business, and more.
📝 Entry-level Jobs and Advanced Degrees for Political Science Majors
The second paragraph explores some popular entry-level jobs for political science majors including public relations coordinator, social media manager, nonprofit program coordinator, and legislative assistant. It then discusses advanced degree options like law school and master's programs that lead to careers in law, academia, public administration, and executive leadership positions in various sectors.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡political science
💡versatile
💡law school
💡nonprofit
💡lobbyist
💡MPA
💡academia
💡policy analysis
💡think tank
💡consulting firm
Highlights
Political science is a versatile major with careers in law, politics, government, nonprofit, media, consulting, financial services, business, and education.
Entry-level jobs include public relations coordinator, social media manager, nonprofit program coordinator, and legislative assistant.
With advanced degrees, political science majors pursue careers in law, academia, and executive leadership.
Law school is popular for political science majors due to shared interests in legal systems, research, reading, and writing.
Lawyers work in diverse settings including legislation, corporate law, and as legal advocates in the nonprofit sector.
A Master of Public Administration (MPA) allows specialization in areas like public policy, urban development, and international relations.
MPA graduates work as managers in the public and private sectors, like city managers, charity directors, and campaign managers.
Over 700 political science PhDs were awarded in 2019, preparing graduates for academia, research, and consulting.
Political science teaches strong research, communication, and data analysis skills applicable across sectors.
Nearly 42,000 political science degrees were awarded in 2019, and 3.8 million have social science degrees overall.
Public opinion today is greatly shaped by social media, creating demand for politically-savvy social media managers.
Nonprofit program coordinators make a meaningful impact by organizing events, writing materials, and managing projects.
Legislative assistants work closely with elected officials on legislation, speeches, constituent contacts, and more.
Political science trains students to understand government systems, political behavior, and applying political theories.
The versatility of a political science degree means graduates can find enriching careers across diverse industries.
Transcripts
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