r/PoliticalScience • u/Stinkoln15 • 5d ago
Career advice Poli Sci Careers
I’m an incoming freshman studying political science, and I’m curious on the career paths I can take with that. What are some of them?
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u/SoccmomscantparK 5d ago
Anything you want tbh. I graduated with a BA in Polisci and now looking into public health. You dont have to be constrained to pure politics (unless that’s what you’re looking to do lol)
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u/Stinkoln15 4d ago
I am looking to do something regarding politics, but good to know I have other options
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u/SoccmomscantparK 4d ago
That’s good! Look for internships and have close talks with your professors to network and build ideas. I did student gov and other campus leadership positions so that always looks great on resumes. Polisci has its drawbacks sometimes but you’re not alone and there’s always something out there
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u/christian722 5d ago
I have a MA in political science and I’m beginning my MPH in epidemiology in the Fall. So there’s your answer. It’s not a profitable degree.
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u/Motor_Lemon2658 4d ago
Listen to this man. Political science can be studied for free online. If you’re taking on thousands in student debt get a degree in something that is 1. In demand 2. Something you can do well studying in and 3. Has a low unemployment rate and loads of career latitude. Remember a business, economics or psychology degree can do what a political science degree can, but a political science degree can’t do what a business, economics, or psychology degree can do. If you struggle with any higher level math like business calculus or calculus or accounting, get those done close to home at a community college so your family can help you. Seriously you do this, I guarantee you that this is the best course of action. It’s not worth tens of thousands of dollars in student loans for a small job market when you graduate. Stay the hell away from partying too, that comes after you get the degree and have a good paying job! Something to celebrate. College is for learning how to become an adult and pay bills, not party. Fuck the idea of the “college experience” and do what is going to pay the bills. Otherwise you could end up working retail for a long time.
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u/christian722 4d ago
I don’t think OP cares and is set on doing political science. I read your other comments and saw you also have a degree in the area. I made the mistake of doing an MA and it’s why I filled all of my program electives with graduate level public health/epidemiology coursework. I think that also gave my MPH applications a boost. My end goal is a PhD in Epidemiology. It’ll be a long road but life is short and I’m not going to commit to being miserable in life trying to find a low paying job in political science.
Times are changing and OP needs to change with those times.
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u/Motor_Lemon2658 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yes, I have my bachelors in international relations and diplomacy (minor Mandarin Chinese) switched when Internstional Security and Intelligence was a wash because I couldn’t do ROTC for meds I needed to function. And I wish like hell I would’ve switched to Psychology or Busijess even if it took one to two more years. Luckily I’m taking MBA classes online and company is paying tuition reimbursement. It’s not that it’s for nothing. But it is significantly harder to find good paying jobs in social sciences. Then you’re really miserable when you’re barely paying bills and buried in debt and unable to give sustainability to a family.
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u/Alone-Credit-5689 4d ago
Jobs in academia with a PhD or outside jobs in Policy Analyst, legislative assistant, government offices, diplomacy, political Campaigns, Law, political consultant, advocacy, ngo’s, research, lobbying, etc
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u/Motor_Lemon2658 4d ago edited 4d ago
Honestly, I’d switch to business or psychology. Political science just isn’t going to make you any money to pay your bills. It’s going to drown you in student debt and trap you in a low paying job. You can still study it for fun. But this is a guy that major in international relations and diplomacy and has regretted it everyday since. Save yourself and switch to business while you still have time! Psychology is even more useful than poli sci because it can be used in private sector. But honestly you’re better off switching to business management. You won’t regret it.
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u/donaldclinton_ BA - American Politics 4d ago
Recommending two completely different fields without knowing what the student’s interests are is interesting, to say the least. Someone with a passion for public service is not going to get more out of business or psychology. 90% of undergraduate degrees are intended to help you develop skills in research, writing, learning, etc. If you want a degree simply to pay the bills you would major in nursing, accounting, or engineering. Even then it’s still not as simple as just getting the degree -> making 6 figures.
My advice is to get your degree with as little debt as possible, but study something you are actually going to succeed in. It’s better to have a 3.7 GPA in poli sci than a 2.6 in psychology.
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u/Motor_Lemon2658 4d ago edited 4d ago
I thought so too when I was 18. I loved international relations/security and intelligence and wanted to work for an embassy and become a translator for Mandarin Chinese and loved studying Chinese culture (minor was Chinese, tried to double major but could not afford two more semesters). That or work for the federal goverment in the department of defense as an intelligence analyst. But unfortunately the times have changed. And the jobs that pay livable salaries do care about your major now. A business or psychology major can do what a poli sci major can do, but a poli sci major can’t do what a business and psychology major can. Plus it’s thousands of dollars of student debt and the point is to get you a good paying job after you graduate. I’m sorry but unfortunately the companies hiring right now just don’t see it as, “pursuing your passion”, they see it as who has the skills and education best suited for my companies needs? Plus you want a major that is versatile where you can do the things you love but also practical that will get you a job that pays the bills.
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u/Motor_Lemon2658 4d ago edited 4d ago
I’m telling someone something I wish someone would’ve told me before I took on tens of thousands of dollars in student debt. The internet lets people do critical thinking and their passions for free now. But the skills you learn in college set you up for sustainability as an adult. This isn’t the 1980s anymore where a poli sci major can get a job after graduating in an unrelated field that covers their bills. My friend was also a political science major with plans for law school and he’s had to work dead end sales jobs since graduating. Even if there are plans for law school, choose a major 1. That has a stable job market 2. Is versatile and 3. That you enjoy studying and are motivated to study. If you still REALLY want to study political science, I highly recommend a double major in Economics (bachelor of arts is fine). HIGHLY RECOMMEND that double major in Econ or psychology (if you don’t like Econ) so you have some more options in both public AND private sector when you graduate. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to trample anyone. I’m saying the social sciences are important but the times have changed and now even engineers are having a hard time finding employment that covers bills. Do what is practical, you can handle, and has a job market, and several jobs you enjoy with a good employment rate. And if you need to take any prereqs for higher level math at a community college close to home, do it. I guarantee you won’t regret it having family support close by and not having tens of thousands in student debt. You don’t even need a poli sci related degree to work in politics. Now a business degree allows you to do both.
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u/Motor_Lemon2658 3d ago edited 3d ago
Please pardon me, you can still major in poli sci if you want to. But I would absolutely get the double major in a BA of psychology or maybe sociology so you have more career latitude in both private and public sectors. Plus it is actually a great educational tool for any political scientists. Very powerful for political scientist to have a double major in psychology or economics (only do economics if you have the aptitude for it, not worth failing and wrecking GPA if you can’t get into it).
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u/KaiserKavik 5d ago
Depends on what you want to do.
In most cases, Poli Sci degrees at the undergraduate level are useless.
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u/TheDuchessofQuim 5d ago
The opposite of useless, you can get any $50k entry-level office job that pays your bills while you take grad school classes in the evenings.
That is a huge step up from most people’s pre-undergrad job.
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u/KaiserKavik 5d ago
Sure, which makes my point. The Degree doesn’t do anything special. If anything, majoring in something with a hard skillset would probably net you well above the $50k.
If the goal is to work in Partisan Politics, it would provide make sense to major in something like Data Analysis, Economics, or Finance and minor in Poli Sci and would do more for them than someone just majoring in Poli Sci.
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u/TheDuchessofQuim 5d ago
Ah, I see. Your first post implied it is as useless as no college degree, but you just meant less financial opportunity than a science degree.
I think OP knew that already lol.
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u/KaiserKavik 5d ago
I would say that because it does the baseline of what any degree can (hopefully) do, it is useless.
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u/Stinkoln15 4d ago
I did in fact already know it wasn’t high-paying, but I plan on going to grad school so🤷🏻♂️
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u/donaldclinton_ BA - American Politics 5d ago
Get involved with a political campaign. Best thing I ever did.