Careers in Political Science

What Can You Do with a Degree in Politics?

Political science gives students tools to analyze their world critically, revealing the nature and scope of political and economic authority, the process of policy-making, and so on. However, the number of majors who go on to actually work in a governmental setting is not overwhelming. Why is that the case? Government jobs are not rare (especially at the state and local levels), and plenty of political science majors have productive careers there.

These lessons are highly relevant to business, law, journalism, organizational work, and other fields. Many majors go on to work in local, state, and national government, but others do not. Graduates working outside of government are assets to their organizations because their interactions with government (as a lawyer, a company manager dealing with regulations, an officer in a charitable organization, etc.) are enhanced greatly by their understanding of the structures and processes of governance. Political science majors are clearly attuned to the blur of human interactions that is politics. It is a testament to the breadth and adaptability of the major that they use the knowledge and skill gained in political coursework in dramatically different ways.

Back to Careers & Internships

Recent Alumni

Graduate School

Cory Adams is a member of the MS Army National Guard and a 2016 W graduate. He completed his POL internship with the City of Columbus and is now earning a Master’s of Public Policy and Administration from Mississippi State University.

Law School

While at the W, Bryn Bailey researched the migrant crisis in Greece and completed her POL internship with Catholic Charities Migration & Refugee Services in Arlington, Virginia. Now she’s pursuing her interest in international humanitarian and criminal law at Michigan State’s Law School.

Consulting

Menuka Ban works in Washington, D.C. as a senior policy analyst for EY QUEST, a consulting firm that provides research to domestic and international policymakers. She earned degrees in Mathematics and Politics at The W, then joint M.A.’s in Computer Science and Public Policy from the College of William and Mary.

Government

Michael D. Sipp is Constituent Liaison in the Jackson, MS office of US Senator Roger Wicker and Assistant Director of Boys State’s Mississippi chapter, which has been grooming governors and legislators since 1939. Sipp got his start with Boys State while at The W, where he earned a B.A. in Politics and a Master’s in Public Health.

Advocacy

A native of Liberty, MS, Preston Veal studied Spanish and Business in addition to majoring in Politics at The W. After earning a law degree from Ole Miss, he interned for Minority Rights Group International in London. Now he advocates for human rights as a legal researcher with the Southern Africa Litigation Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.