Overview of major
Potential job titles
Examples of internships
Possible career fields
Possible work settings
Important skills and abilities
Sample web resources
Print resources
Sample graduate programs pursued by Political Science majors
Overview of major
Political science is the systematic study of government and politics. It deals with the making and implementing of public policy by means of decisions regarded as authoritative or binding for society. Graduates can pursue careers with Congress, Congressional committees, the White House, lobbying or law firms, interest groups, judges, state legislators or more.
Resources
Potential job titles
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Counterterrorism Analyst
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Paralegal
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Community Service Learning Fellow
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Social Studies Teacher
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Arbitrator
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Attorney
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Congressional Aide
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Foreign Service Officer
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City Planning Aide
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Appeals Examiner
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Equal Opportunity Specialist
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Historian
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Labor Relations Advisor
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Parole Officer
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Urban and Regional Planner
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Management Consultant
- Public Relations Specialist
- Technological Espionage Intelligence Agent
Examples of internships
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ACLU
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Alternative Directions
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Attorney General of Maryland
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Baltimore City Public Defender
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Baltimore Council of Foreign Affairs
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Baltimore Development Corp
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CNN
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City of Baltimore
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U.S. Senate
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U.S. Congress
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HUD
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Sallie Mae
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Mayor’s Office
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U.S. Attorney General of Maryland
- Peace Corps
- Department of Criminal Justice of NJ
Possible career fields
Government
- Public policy
- Research
- Regional planning
- Foreign service
- City or town management
- Intelligence community
- Law enforcement
- Legislative, executive, or judicial services
Law
Politics
- Elected or appointed leadership
- Campaign management
- Staff administration
- Special interest advocacy
Non-profit
- Administration
- Management
- Advertising
- Fundraising
Business
- Sales
- Human resources
- Management
- Advertising
- Public relations
Journalism
- Editing
- Reporting
- Circulation
- Sales
Broadcasting
- News programming
- Production
Education
Possible work settings
- Government
- Law firms
- Corporations
- Special interest groups
- Non-profits
- Campaigns
- Political action committees
- Newspapers
- Financial companies
- Insurance companies
- Associations
- Print & electronic media
- TV & radio stations
- Schools & colleges
Important skills and abilities
- Computers
- Statisitcs & data analysis
- Foreign language
- Research
- Writing
- Communication & interpersonal
- Leadership
- Reporting
- Debating
- Active listening
- Negotiation
- Service orientation
Sample web resources
Print resources
(All available in the Career Resource Library in The Career Center)
- What to do with your History or Political Science Major (H/PS Section)
- Great Jobs for Political Science Majors (H/PS Section)
- The Insider’s Guide to Political Internships (H/PS Section)
- An Insider’s Guide to Political Jobs in Washington (GOV Section)
- FBI Careers (GOV Section)
- The Almanac of American Politics (GOV Section)
- Guide to America’s Federal Jobs (GOV Section)
- How to Get Into the Top Law Schools (Grad Section)
- The Law School Buzz Book (Grad Section)
Sample graduate programs pursued by Political Science majors
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JD
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Master of Public Policy
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Master of Environmental Management
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Master of Social Work
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Master of Arts in Teaching
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Master of Arts in Public Administration