See what some political science grads have done with their degrees.

Political science is a very popular major in the United States, because it 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 this the case? Government jobs are not rare (especially at the state and local levels), and plenty of political science majors have productive careers there. But what makes this major so compelling is that the lessons it imparts are highly relevant to business, law, journalism, organizational work, and other fields. Many majors may not work for government, but their interactions with government (whether as a criminal defense lawyer, a company manager, a reporter, or as an officer in a charitable organization) 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 their knowledge and skill from their coursework in dramatically different ways.

Students are often heard to say, "What kind of job can I get with my major?" Political science is no magic key into any vocation, unlike majoring in technical fields (e.g., engineering, architecture). Students take many different career paths after they leave college. Below is a sample of some politics-related careers that you may consider pursuing with a political science major immediately after college. Additional coursework (e.g., graduate school) is noted to give you a sense of what is necessary to get ahead in the field.

1. Government Administration

Consider working for an agency (federal, state, or local) in the administrative structure: personnel (human resources), public relations/communications, budgeting. Certain specialized jobs may be open to you (e.g., caseworker, negotiator) after agency-sponsored training.

An M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration) is a desirable graduate degree for those rising through the ranks of an agency. Higher-level jobs may be available only to those with an M.P.A.

Government administrative jobs are advertised widely (there are agency employment bulletins for federal and state government) and are usually very competitive. For federal-level administrative employment, consider this site operated by the Office of Personnel Management (www.usajobs.gov).

Daring political scientists venture into the world of legislative policy-making, beginning as entry-level staff for elected officials and working their way up to become policy analysts, communications directors, and even chiefs of staff. The pace is hectic, the hours can be very long, but the work is very rewarding.

Many staffers (especially in the U.S. Congress) take an M.P.P. (Master of Public Policy) in health policy, education policy, foreign policy, etc. along the way to help their careers. Others get an M.A. in Public Affairs or get a law degree (J.D.) to strengthen their resumes.

Many of these jobs are not advertised publicly and are filled by word of mouth. Having experience as a campaign volunteer or working political connections can help. You may have to start as an unpaid intern, but once you have proven your reliability, then paid opportunities often follow.

Campaigns are havens for political science majors, the "true believers" who often aspire one day to be candidates for office themselves. Entry-level positions here are normally unpaid and may involve lots of grunt work, but being a volunteer is an essential "foot in the door" for higher positions.

Being a staffer for one candidate is fine, but you may wish to be hired by many over time as a campaign consultant (a very lucrative profession these days). Consider graduate study in the field of "political management" if you have these aspirations. Traditionally, George Washington University (Washington, DC)has had the most comprehensive graduate program in this field, but now Fordham University (New York, NY) and other schools are offering similar training.

Your career in campaign management can begin as soon as you contact a campaign office. You will revel in mundane tasks (e.g., sticking campaign signs in the ground) for no pay for a while. If you develop a good reputation as trustworthy and diligent, doors should open to greater things.

If you fashion yourself as an advocate for a cause, you may want to circulate your resumJ among political organizations (interest groups, political action committees, "think tanks," political parties). This path is good for anyone who wants to one day be involved in: lobbying, soliciting contributions, stirring up citizen support for an issue, creating policy proposals, and the like. Make sure you totally agree with the agenda of the organization before you apply, as even behind-the-scenes administrators are expected to be devoted to the goals of the group.

Each organization is different in its hiring practices, office management, agenda, etc. Expect entry-level positions to be labor-intensive (e.g., filing papers, going door-to-door for donations or petition signatures), and some organizations prefer to pay only those who have previously volunteered their time. As with so many political jobs, diligence can pay off if you wait out the unpaid legwork.

Washington, D.C. is the best place to look for such work, as many organizations have staffs of dozens in area offices. Groups with an international focus are found mostly in D.C. but also New York (to be near the U.N. and major financial institutions). State capitals can also be good locations, though many groups have skeleton staffs there (a number of interest groups contract with law or PR firms for lobbying in the states, thus eliminating the need to have a local staff). National headquarters for these organizations may be located anywhere, and they are large operations, but the work may have little to do with politics. Nevertheless, working on organizational budgets, membership relations, publications, community outreach, etc. is vital support for those at the front line of the group's political activity.

Moving up the ladder in these groups may be aided by an M.P.A. (organizational theory/management is a big subfield of public administration). An M.A. in Public Affairs or an M.P.P. in the group's policy specialty may also be well advised. Some schools have now developed graduate degrees that are less technical but are definitely geared toward preparing people for political employment: a master's degree is available in "applied politics" from the American University (Washington, DC); in "professional politics" from Suffolk University (Boston, MA); and several programs are highly specialized, such as the M.A. in "international peace and conflict resolution" from Arcadia University (near Philadelphia, PA).

Advocacy jobs are usually advertised just like any business-related opening. The Washington Post and other big city papers have extensive listings in their classified sections.

Many law/PR firms in capital cities specialize in contract lobbying, in which their lawyers are hired by interest groups to interact with legislators and bureaucrats. These "hired gun" lobbyists have long client lists and thus a big need for staff support. One needs no official accreditation or license to lobby, so you may find yourself with responsibility for specific clients soon after you begin work at the firm.

Most professional lobbyists are lawyers, so pursuing a J.D. is wise if you want to become a full-blown contract lobbyist in the future. A few lobbyists have a Ph.D. or other advanced degree, but the law angle is by far the most common.

These jobs are advertised in employment sections of papers and journals, though smaller firms may prefer to hire by word of mouth.

Those who wish to teach social studies (which includes politics and government) at the elementary or secondary level are strongly recommended to major in Social Science (with the teacher certification option).

Teaching at the post-secondary level requires at least a Master of Arts (M.A.) in political science or closely related field. Those with an M.A. may find work teaching at a community college or junior college. Plenty of M.A.'s teach at four-year universities, but they are adjunct faculty, which means they have little control over the courses they are assigned and they normally cannot be promoted.

Permanent college/university teaching and research positions require (with very few exceptions) a Ph.D. in political science or a closely related field. Most Ph.D. programs are geared toward producing college professors, though plenty of degree recipients end up in excellent positions in government and politically-related fields.

* If you are interested in getting a political science M.A. or Ph.D., I (Dr. Brian Anderson) would be happy to talk to you about how to prepare for grad school and what is involved in a typical program.

Government-industry relations: larger corporations have entire staffs devoted to tracking legislative activity and bureaucratic decisions from the headquarters, since changes in DC and state capitals can affect their bottom line. The higher-ups in these departments often double as corporate lobbyists.

Political journalism: obviously, reporting for newspapers, magazines and other media is mainly in the orbit of journalism majors. Still, the larger papers, TV networks, etc. need support personnel to collect information and analyze/archive it. Internet journalism is changing things as well, offering more numerous and more varied opportunities for political reporting.

See what some political science grads have done with their degrees.