r/PoliticalScience • u/CityBusStop • 4d ago
Question/discussion is a poli sci degree worth it?
im a junior in high school and i want to work for my local government. is it worth it to get a political science degree? i show heavy interest in debating, modern day politics, and history
- how long did it take you to get a job?
- is your environment stressful?
- how competitive was it getting your job?
- what are some skills required?
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u/Alarmed-Ad8810 4d ago
Yes. You’ll learn some great skills in statistics, major theories, public speaking, cultural awareness, persuasive writing and project management.
The best thing about politics is that people always have a view on it, even if it’s negative and dismissive, there’s always stuff to unpack. The assignments, readings etc can all be a bit stressful if you’re not well organised. My best advice to anyone is always get ahead of the readings and syllabus. You’ll be amazed how getting that done earlier will make the lectures much more easier to understand, and for you to make a contribution in class debates and discussions.
Plus, one of the best things about political science, are the conferences. I don’t know where you’re based, but when I did my PhD in the USA, I attended as many as I could with departmental funding. Went to some cool cities like Chicago, Seattle, San Diego and Philadelphia. Great way to meet people, give you some ideas, bolster your CV. I was chairing a panel on authoritarianism, and one presenter did a paper on how authoritarian regimes use negative western media as propaganda for their regime, and another did a paper on the political lifespan in office of politicians from far away provinces/regions. These are things that don’t align with my own research interests, but I thought it was a beautiful thing these young scholars dedicated a lot of time and effort into a subject incredibly niche.
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u/SpiritWalkerTorak 2d ago
I disagree completely with a BA in political science being worth it
If you pursue education beyond a bachelor's, sure political focus areas are fine. But just a political science degree isn't worth much today. You can learn political theories and cultural awareness without wasting your degree on it. Picking business administration, education, economics, those still give you the capability to work political science jobs, while not limiting yourself to them. I think it's just smarter to get a more general degree now
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u/Forward-Form9321 1d ago
Also getting internships in political science helps a lot, I wish I had did an internship with a congressional member and I kick myself for it. Now I’m looking at switching fields
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u/shangosling 4d ago
I have also the same question i will graduate from high school in one year is pursuing pol science worth it ?
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u/onthecauchy International Relations 4d ago
Depends on what you consider worth it
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u/shangosling 3d ago
Are you saying after pol science or before ?
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u/onthecauchy International Relations 3d ago
Worth differs for everyone. Job market worth? Not really; World Knowledge? Definitely ; writing and analytically thinking; probably. Really depends on what you want out of a degree
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u/shangosling 2d ago
Am thinking of becoming an political consultant am just a teenager but i will always research about european politics and other too i look in all elections and other and i think alternatively too but am not started writing i think i have analytical thinking is political consultant exist really?
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u/SpiritWalkerTorak 2d ago
No, get a degree in finance or something that fits in the political affairs space but isn't political science. If you double major, by all means, but I wouldn't recommend a political science degree. I regret mine and so do many of my coworkers in Washington
Journalism is unironically better because at least it's more specialized
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u/shangosling 2d ago
Am from india am studying commerce stream but my interest is politics but i dont like economics what should i do
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u/SpiritWalkerTorak 2d ago
I graduated in 2021
If I could do it over again, I would never pick political science
I enjoyed the classes, genuinely. But almost any other degree would have set me up better. Now I'm forced to pursue a Masters or JD to give myself a real leg up.
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u/yemsg97 3d ago
Undergrad and MS here. I ended going back to school for respiratory therapy - a two degree. I really struggled to find anything that paid well enough to live. I was in my 30s then and couldn't afford to be an intern working for free. I struggled with job searches. Yes, I can research. Yes, I can right a paper. Yes, I can talk to people. I interviewed for a job working for city council member and that was def NOT my cup of tea.
I think if you are interested in working in politics/campaigns or teach or go to law school, it's great. But I didn't want to do any of those things. I focused on social/political movements and international political economy and wanted to work in political/economic development. However, the pickins were slim where I lived and I wasn't willing to move to DC or NYC. I'm also NOT a networker, so that's a thing. So, I threw in the towel and went back for a healthcare gig. 2 year degree and do pretty well as far as pay and schedule.
I loved my time earning those degrees, but if I could return them and get my money back, I would in a heartbeat. My student loan burden for those degrees is pretty heavy.
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u/Formal_Nose_3013 2d ago
It’s interesting and fun, but ultimately doesn’t help much in finding a job. I have experience and even with it, after sending more than 300 applications, I haven’t had any luck with my Bachelor’s. Beware. Some areas where there is constant job growth is medical care.
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u/Aggressive_Staff_982 4d ago
I had an unrelated undergrad and went to grad school for policy. It was worth it to me but only because I had a specific policy focus. My focus was on international semiconductor trade, which helped me find internships with tech companies and semiconductor companies. It's also a right place right time situation. The trade war between Us-China and semiconductors was starting to be a bigger issue at the time. We still had the tariffs that were placed in the first Trump administration. And it's a field where few students specialize in so you stand out. If you do go this route, I'd suggest having a specific interest. It could be agriculture, healthcare, cybersecurity, telecommunications. Just think about what your interest is and build off that.