When people think of political science jobs, they are often confused. As a matter of fact, many political science students enter their majors without a clear idea of what they’ll do next. But there are tons of great real world applications to political studies that can open the doors to many high demand jobs with great job prospects. In this article, we’re going to touch on five great career paths for political science students.
1. Policy Analyst
This is a great job for anybody coming straight out of college. Political science students are asked to analyze policy and its effects on the general public, making policy analyst a natural job for political science students.
Policy analysts will be required to have good critical skills, excel at research and writing and will be asked to comment on policy proposals and what effects they will have.
2. Legislative Assistant
The job of a legislative assistant consists of assisting various politicians and policy makers to convey their message to the public. Legislative assistants will often be required to explain certain policies to constituents and how they will affect their community. For this reason, legislative assistants will be required to develop good communication skills and extensive knowledge of various policies so they can answer the questions of constituents if needed.
3. Public Relations Specialists
The goal of public relations specialists is to influence the public’s opinion of their clients. They will usually do so through various media outlets. Since PR specialists will be asked to draft press releases, they will be required to have significant writing skills and be persuasive enough to sway the opinion of the public. Public relations specialists will be called on to organize various press events and press conferences to gather attention to their clients, so they will also need good organizational skills and natural leadership.
4. Campaign Manager
A campaign manager is another job you can get with an degree in political science. Campaign managers are needed to coordinate day to day operations, manage and hire staff and organize fundraising operations for instance. While political science majors learn the skills necessary to fulfill the job of a campaign manager, George Washington University has a great online political management course that is great for anybody who wants to seek a position as a campaign manager.
5. Political Consultant
Political students work independently and assist politicians and policy makers in making decisions. They will usually counsel policy makers on the repercussion of their policy choices and whether some policies should be considered in the first place. Political consultants will also be called to do some PR work and help candidates improve their public image. They may also be asked to conduct polls to gauge voters’ opinion on a certain candidate and come out with recommendations based on the data.
All these positions are wide open to anyone with a political science degree. So, if you were considering entering this major, but are still on the fence, we sincerely advise that you check these positions to see if they’re the right fit for you.
