Political Science

As a Political Science major, you have probably asked yourself this question at least once since you’ve declared. Well, for those of you who still aren’t quite sure, there’s good news. There are a variety of options out there awaiting you… OPPORTUNITY.

“Political Science is the study of government, political systems and public policy, as well as the political behavior of individuals and groups.” How does that translate into jobs, you ask? Well, it means that the skills you learn in this major can not only lead to governmental jobs, but it can move towards private-sector jobs or other alternatives, such as non-profit, as well.

Some Careers in Political Science

• Government Employment: Many students prepare and go into local, state, and federal government positions. Various examples include congressional positions, think tanks, state representative/legislative members, and city or county officials. There are also a number of governmental agencies where grads can find jobs.
• Law: Of course, an ever-popular choice for Political Science majors is going into a legal profession. Law is an obvious choice for many students in the major because of its emphasis on conceptual thinking and public affairs, even though it is not a requirement to be in the major to enter law school.
• Education: Teaching is another attractive option for students. Some opt to go on and obtain a teaching credential in social sciences to become secondary school educators, or earn either a Master’s or Ph.D. to teach at community colleges or universities. Other examples include K-12 instructors, school administrators, and research assistants.
• Business: More than one half of political science majors with a bachelor’s degree work in private, for profit businesses. An additional few are self-employed, owning businesses and consulting services. International trade and banking are also popular options.
• International and National Organizations: There are many opportunities working in domestic and worldwide interest groups. Some examples include working as lobbyists for environmental groups or getting involved with the UN. An additional skill that would be helpful to learn would be a foreign language for students going into this area. There are a variety of fields like consumer rights, diplomatic agencies, foreign service relations, human rights, and international policy.
• Communications, Media, and Journalism: Political Science majors generally enjoy being curious, innovative, and have excellent public speaking and communication skills. This is an alluring option, and is especially attractive to students who are doubling in Communication Studies. Some careers include announcer, commentator, and news reporter.

Advanced degrees:

• Most students end up going on to obtain an advanced or professional degree
• A low percentage of those go on for a doctorate (close to half of which continue studies in Political Science and a few go into education)

Employment Outlook for Bachelor’s degrees:

• Demand for managerial and administrative, high-level sales occupations in insurance and securities are increasing and will continue to in upcoming years
• Creative fields such as broadcasting and writing will also increase a good amount

According to The College Majors Handbook (JIST Works, Inc.), Political Science grads with a bachelor’s degree rarely end up in positions directly linked to their field of study. This is due to the fact that jobs in business and upper-level administration and sales and the like offer better pay and opportunities to move up. These jobs are also easier to find!

Helpful Resources You Should Check Out! On Campus:
UCLA Career Center / Internship & Study Abroad Office		Ph.D. Program in Political Science
Strathmore Bldg., Second and Third Floors		Glenda Jones or Nancy Huynh
501 Westwood Plaza		4269B Bunche Hall
Los Angeles , CA 90095-1573		Los Angeles , CA 90095-1472
310.206.1915		310.825.3372/310.206.7669
career.ucla.edu		nhuynh@polisci.ucla.edu
*The Alumni Network database at UCLA documents over 400 alums with degrees in Political Science and about 90 in the L.A. area alone, many of whom would be available for you to contact.

Publications:
THE COLLEGE MAJORS HANDBOOK by Fogg, Harrington and Harrington
OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK, by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
GREAT JOBS FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJORS, 2nd ed., by Mark Rowh
CAREERS AND THE STUDY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE: A GUIDE FOR UNDERGRADUATES, 6th ed., by the American Political Science Association
EARNING A PH.D. IN POLITICAL SCIENCE  by the American Political Science Association
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN POLITICS, GOVERNMENT, AND ACTIVISM, by Joan Axelrod-Contrada
CAREERS IN BUSINESS, by Lila B. Stair
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CAREER DIRECTORY, by Bradley J. Morgan & Joseph M. Palmisano, eds.
100 JOBS IN SOCIAL CHANGE, by Harley Jebens
INTERNATIONAL JOBS: WHERE THEY ARE AND HOW TO GET THEM, 6th ed., by Nina Segal & Eric Kocher

Internships:
Franttzich, Stephen, Studying in Washington : A Guide to Internships in the Nation’s Capital, 5 Ed. (2002)
Reeher and Mariani, The Insider’s Guide to Political Internships (2002)
Career Education Institutes, Internships in International Affairs (2003)
Career Education Institutes, Washington DC Internships in Law and Policy (2002)
Career Education Institutes, The Human Rights Internship Book (2001)
Career Education Institutes, The Media Internship Guide (2000)
(Be sure to visit the Career Center for this and other helpful library resources!)

Web Job Sites:
The American Political Science Organization: www.apsanet.org/jobplc/onlinejobs.cfm
BruinView™: career.ucla.edu/BruinView
The Moving Ideas Network – Jobs in Policy: movingideas.org/jobs
Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm
What Color is Your Parachute: The Net Guide: www.jobhuntersbible.com
Federal Jobs: www.fedworld.gov/jobs/jobsearch.html
A Call to Serve: www.ourpublicservice.org/info-url3739/info-url_list.htm?cat_id=43
For Internships: career.ucla.edu/BruinView

Prepared by Nancy Huynh, UCLA Political Science & Don Spring, UCLA Career Center. 05/04.