Political Science

What is Political Science?

Political Science is the attempt to understand some very important questions about politics. Questions like:

What attitudes and values produce political conflict and dissent?
What political organizations are active in the struggle to achieve political consensus?
What is the nature of the socioeconomic relationships inside a polity?
How adequate are resources to meet ends, how equitably are resources distributed, and how are material interests pursued, protected, or changed by the course of public policy?
What are the constitutional structures and the decision-making procedures of each nation, and how well suited are they to that nation's needs?
What internal structures and procedures exist for the debate and resolution of problems with other nations?
What assistance is available from international agencies and the international community at large? (Lawson 14)

Keep in mind that "political science does not have all the answers to these questions, but it does have some, and, what is more important, it has the means of finding others. Becoming a political scientist means joining a community of people who work on just these sorts of questions" (Lawson 14).

What career paths are open to Political Science majors?

The following is a discussion put together by William Murin of the University of Wisconsin, Parkside (I couldn't have said it better myself).

The study of Political Science offers opportunities toward careers in government; business and industry; and in such professions as law, journalism, communications; interest groups and lobbying work, campaign management and others.

Government Service

International:

The arena of international affairs can be extremely complicated but with the analytical tools of Political Science, these dilemmas are rendered very understandable. From reading the newspaper to employment in the United Nations, with its many specialized agencies, Political Science is a strong background. Americans employed in foreign lands by the U.S. government include positions that range from the foreign Service and Peace Corps to serving as a Hospitality and Tourism expert for the U.S. Travel Service, to working as international economists for the Export-Import Bank.

Federal:

There are a myriad of job types in the various branches of the U.S. government for which Political Science is an appropriate background. Such career opportunities might range from intelligence specialists in the CIA to program analysts in various regulating agencies to research assistants on Capitol Hill. The U.S. Civil Service publishes a Federal Career Directory: A Guide for College Students.

State and local:

Job opportunities for political science students have increased substantially in this sector as a result of the expansion of executive and legislative responsibilities in such areas as pollution control, consumer protection, and industrial development.

Law:

Many students who intend to go to law school see Political Science as an appropriate stepping stone. The Political Science curriculum offers a number of courses which expose the student to important social issues of the day, as well as public law courses.

Business and Industry

Undergraduate training in Political Science provides you with analytic skills that are transferable to the world of business. Political Science graduates can benefit from a background in the interrelationships between government and business. Work in public administration organizational theory and international politics may be particularly helpful to those interested in business careers and are often sought in middle and top-level management.

Journalism

A background in Political Science provides an excellent complementary field for Journalism. Much of Journalism deals with government and politics, and reporters need to be politically literate.

Public and Private Interest Groups

Interest groups are major agents in the political process, representing virtually all sectors of American society. Increasingly such groups have need for specialists with backgrounds in political science.

The Study & Practice of Political Science as a Career

Students who aspire to earn either a Master's Degree (M.A., M.S., MPA, etc.) or Doctorate (Ph.D.) in political science have a number of career opportunities open to them. While most people with advanced degrees in political science are employed as college and university professors, graduate training in political science can lead to employment in professional research organizations, survey research institutes, government, or interest group organizations. For more detailed information the opportunities and advantages of a career in political science, the American Political Science Association has a brochure entitled "Earning a Ph.D. in Political Science."

Related Professions

Careers in other fields, such as criminal justice, social welfare and communications are also supported by a background in Political Science.

Citations:

Lawson, Kay. The Human Polity: A Comparative Introduction to Political Science, 4th ed.. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. Murin, William. "Careers in Political Science." Department of Political Science, University of Wisconsin, Parkside. 29 Sept. 1998 (http://www.uwp.edu/academic/political.science/).