What can you do with a Poli Sci major?

[TheWart]

If Government is your thing, then you can do that. I am graduating this may and will be starting work in the intelligence community in the fall. So yea, you can get a real job (hist+psci major). It does depend what you focus on (I did Islam/Middle East)....one of best friends is going to law school with his psci degree (and since he got a near perfect score on the lsat, he's deciding between yale and harvard).

Basically, it depends how motivated you are. No, you are not going to get 60-70k entry level engineering position, but if it is what you like, go for it!

 

[UNCjigga]

Go to law school.

 

[thehstrybean]

I'm a classical history major with a minor in archaeological and linguistic anthropology.

Get a masters.

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: fire400
http://www.politicaljobs.net/

LOL, notice how all the hands in the graphic are white! That was so true in the 90s--but now I know a lot of Indians using poli sci to slack off for 4 years before going to law school and riding the corporate law gravy train.

 

[herkulease]

government jobs, law school, teacher

dental,medical, pharmacy schools. They do not require that you have a science degree, just various science course requirements. bio, chem, ochem, physics, etc

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Estrella
you can always marry a rich chick

My uncle has a masters in poly sci/econ. He married a Ph.D physical chemist and now he's "retired"

 

[Jeff7]

Political science? Shouldn't you be good at convincing people to give you money just because? If you're not, do they even allow you to graduate from that program?

 

[Farang]

I am a Political Science major and there is plenty you can do. If you want to get into politics opportunities are all over the place for internships at various political organizations, if you feel particularly interested in one cause that could be rewarding. Also with this election coming up I'm sure there will be even more available.

The graduate options are better than most liberal arts majors, as you don't have to be a teacher if you master in political science or public administration.

It is one of the higher paying liberal arts degrees with a starting salary at around $32k, but if you're interested in politics the work looks to be very rewarding.

Keep in mind most people on a tech site have computer engineering or science degrees. Personally I don't understand people who get in to engineering or science fields for the money, there are plenty of other of things you can do to make a good income. It's not so much that I want to 'keep my options open' as I know for sure what a few of my options aren't: engineer, scientist, or software programmer. I'm completely fine with that

To be honest if you're going to liberal arts route the best option right now is economics. You can do everything a poli sci major can except you make $10k more and I'd say the study is more useful in understanding the world.

 

[shopbruin]

i work in HR now, but i used to do legal document preparation. my bf is in law school.

it's really up to you. if you want to do work for the federal government, i'd pair it with a language that's "in demand"

 

[Compton]

I know a girl with a poli sci degree who is a marketing director for a hospital. She does pretty well for herself.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

become a HSE Officer (health safet and environment)

you'll get paid a big wad to basically tell people what they already know (because common sense pre-dates the HSE culture) and get hell bent on a crusade to make sure no one even loses so much as an eye lash while at work.

you'll be able to stroll into my office, telling me not to have a cup of tea at my desk incase i get burnt and the computer catches fire. you'll be able to ask me daft questions like "do you feel safe sat at your desk?" to which ill answer " i think i need a harness because i could fall off this sturdy office chair at any moment". you can ban the fridge and the kettle from the kitchen area too for fear of such accidents as letting a bottle of milk go out of date.

it's a great job. you do basically nothing, except annoy the living crap out of everyone else who is actually trying to do something worthwhile, and you'll be rewarded nicely for it. As far as i can see all you need to be skilled at is being able to link things like, ball point pens on a desk to some kind of heart related resulting injury, come up with new ever more convoluted ways to store A4 paper on a shelf and see how many hoops you can get people to jump through before they're actually allowed sit down and commence any kind of useful work.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: txrandom
I've always been into history long before computers. But since I didn't think I've ever get a decent job from majoring in history, I decided to go for a computer science degree, which I like just as much.

If I would of went history, I probably would of switched to poli sci because I like politics. But what exactly can you do with a poli sci degree besides law school and trying to pursue a political goal (if you have lots of money).

would have

 

[fire400]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: txrandom
I've always been into history long before computers. But since I didn't think I've ever get a decent job from majoring in history, I decided to go for a computer science degree, which I like just as much.

If I would of went history, I probably would of switched to poli sci because I like politics. But what exactly can you do with a poli sci degree besides law school and trying to pursue a political goal (if you have lots of money).

would have

it's called job searching.

I met a guy in Minnesota who worked at Best Buy. My brother was like, "what are you doing with your life right now?" (irony to a BB employee, but I think my bro was more curious than making the guy look stupid), he responds, "college, been there done that... English major, now I'm working at the cash register here."

I didn't care for him though. he could be a technical writer or something, but my sister said he was too picky. my bro was like they're paying people to go to china to teach english, he said he was already considering it.

lindsay lohan sez in a movie: when one door closes, two more open.

I guess if you're not creative, then you're not going to be sounding like the X-fi card when someone asks what you do for a living. you might sound like onboard sound, "whatever everyone else does, work, what do you do?"

 

[bozack]

Originally posted by: ScottFern
I got my Poli Sci degree and now I am working entry level IT making less than 30k. :thumbup:

No honestly though anything after a poli sci degree is going to require more schooling. Masters, PhD, or law school. Personally if I had to pick a given field I would take International Relations graduate program at University of Chicago.

I also work in IT with a Poli Sci degree, and everyone else I know who has one does nothing related to said degree.

You could work in DC, but for anything substantive you need more schooling, but that could be said about any BA now.

 

[fire400]

Originally posted by: freesia39
i work in HR now, but i used to do legal document preparation. my bf is in law school.

it's really up to you. if you want to do work for the federal government, i'd pair it with a language that's "in demand"

does HR really suck? I did my taxes with them, and fvuck, the guys that did my sh!t are so damn unprofessional, they started playing the blame game with me and each other. I was like... they had no culture of accountability at their office. man I was pist as hell. it took from early Feb. to the actual date of April for them to figure my shi*t out because of a mistake on their behalf. it came down to the point almost, where they were accusing me of not paying, I was like WTF you bitch*ES, get my fuVKen taxes out!!!

good luck, kids

 

[Toonces]

Originally posted by: fire400

Originally posted by: freesia39
i work in HR now, but i used to do legal document preparation. my bf is in law school.

it's really up to you. if you want to do work for the federal government, i'd pair it with a language that's "in demand"

does HR really suck? I did my taxes with them, and fvuck, the guys that did my sh!t are so damn unprofessional, they started playing the blame game with me and each other. I was like... they had no culture of accountability at their office. man I was pist as hell. it took from early Feb. to the actual date of April for them to figure my shi*t out because of a mistake on their behalf. it came down to the point almost, where they were accusing me of not paying, I was like WTF you bitch*ES, get my fuVKen taxes out!!!

good luck, kids

HR = Human Resources
H&R Block = Tax preparation company
What school do you go to? Damn.

I graduated with a Joint Honours BA in Poli-Sci and Peace and Conflict Studies last year. Did some time in IT support (seems common, eh?) and am now working in the tourism industry running a tram up and down a mountain... Possessions and financial wealth aren't such an overwhelming desire for me right now. I wanted a year off to enjoy while I'm still young. Living downtown Vancouver in the summer, fun (non-stressful) job, time to go out with friends, life is good.

I'm going to Japan this September for at least a year to teach English. Probably stay a few years until I get my Japanese proficiency up to almost fluent then come back to Canada and get a job at DFAIT or CSIS with my three languages. I figure that my 20's should be used for traveling and having fun; the career can wait.

I don't have any regrets taking my Hons. BA in Poli-Sci. Loved the material and am looking forward to the future!

 

[Phokus]

political consultant?

 

[LS20]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer

it's a great job. you do basically nothing, except annoy the living crap out of everyone else who is actually trying to do something worthwhile, and you'll be rewarded nicely for it.

truth.

HSE is sooo worthless :laugh: