Anyone have a political science degree?

[Paxton_Free]

I posted this in the lounge, so forgive me if you've seen it.

I was just wondering what you were able to with it. I am going back to school and at the moment this is my choice of majors.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Rock it.

[Lady President]

1. Yes

There's an old joke that with a political science degree you have two choices: unemployment or law school. I went to law school. Actually, it depends where you live and what connections you have. If you live in a capital city or have political connections, you can find a job with the government or work for an elected official.

It's a fun major, but a tough field.

[fairfaxvadem]

7. yes, me too...

Opted for law school over masters. However, if I were "younger", I would have done masters then PhD and then teach. Loved the program though, and the thing is, if it's what you love and what's most interesting to you (as opposed to, say, accounting-no offense to any accountants) then you'll get good grades and you will get in to grad school or law school, etc.

Get a related job if you can though, especially if you don't mind starting out at some lower pay.

[MattNC]

2. getting one in may

but i'll be going to grad school instead of into the job market.

armatt is right though. you need to start 'networking' now, or at least line up an internship at some point.

[Paxton_Free]

3. Excellent.

Thanks for all the advice, guys.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

4. i know a poli sci major or two

they are all degenerates who get used to feeding from the bureaucratic trough at an early age. Seriously though, one of my good friends is a poli sci and he told me that in politics you need A)money. If you have money then you have connections, if you have connections then you are able to put your poli sci degree to use. If you have not money, however, at the end of the day you're just a guy with a poli sci major working for the homeowner's association.

[buycitgo]

"degenerates who get used to feeding from the bureaucratic trough..."

heh

you mean like Cheney, Perle, Wolfowitz?

guys like that?

[CalebHayes]

5. I hope to someday

[mmonk]

6. B.S. in Liberal Studies

with concentrations in political science and economics.

[Stuckinthebush]

8. I'm not a political scientist

but I play one on DU.

:D

Go for it. I hear that the polysci classes were some of the best.

[Melodybe]

9. I have a degree in anthropology, but i guess that doesn't count.

[Furity]

10. Yes, I do

I loved all my classes. Its a great major. When I graduated in the early 80's, jobs were hard to come by. Was underemployed for awhile, but ended up in a job as an environmental engineer(!?!). I was hired for my "critical thinking" abilities. Industries need people that understand how goverment works and have the ability to decipher federal (state, local) regulations. Best of luck to you, there are many options available!

~Furity

[Nazgul35]

11. getting my PhD

at a midwestern university....

My areas of study are Comparative politics with an emphasis on Political Parties and legislatures...

If you want your degree to mean anything, you have to get past a BA, that route is quickly becoming the second high school...

If you want to get your PhD...take as much math as possible...be able to do integrals, know probability theory, understand statistics and you'll go far....other than that...most poli-sci theory is pure bullshit...we just pretend what we work on is very very important....

With a BA you can go into law scholl or go straight to working on the fries at wendy's

With an MA you can teach at community colleges....

You can also do Public administration and get jobs working for the state or federal bureaucracies....

You should only go for a PhD if you want to work at a university...there are two routes: 1) Research or 2) Teaching...knowing which you want to do will save you tons of pain in your 4-6 year journey through a PhD program....

good luck...

[Hailtothechimp]

12. Double majored in History and Poli Sci. Enjoyed it tremendously. n/t

[MrPrax]

13. Yes...and nothing

Most poly sci types go into law school...teachers...or bums

[Paxton_Free]

14. Thanks again...

Thanks for the encouraging and non-encouraging advice.

Twas' all helpful.

[htuttle]

15. We have a number of poly-sci graduates at my workplace

I work at a taxicab company, however.

[Ficus]

16. I do

I graduated from University of Northern Iowa with a Political Science major and a International Relations minor.


I have only been out of school for a year, but as of right now, it's taken me to the Iowa Senate, and now I work as a Community Liasion for the Food Bank of Iowa.

Just keep in mind politics is all about who you know - not what kind of degree you have.

on edit: DON'T go to law school just because all of the other poli-sci majors do. And set up an internship ASAP. I did one for Tom Harkin and it has helped me tremendously!

[wyldwolf]

17. Yes...

I've taught school and been a leader in my local democratic party.

Considering a run for office now.

Actually, I have another degree in journalism which compliments it.

[ma4t]

18. important clue to remember

It is well known that any degree program with the word "science" in it has nothing whatsoever to do with science. (Having a degree in "computer science" I can attest to the truth of this.

Likewise any program with the word "studies" in it has nothing whatsoever to wo with actual academic study worthy of the name.

[Paxton_Free]

19. Rock it. All the advice is awesome.

[Wetzelbill]

20. I have an Associates in Video Production and will be getting

bachelor's in Creative Writing and Political Science in a year or two. So, yeah, I'll be smart but useless. Or maybe a miniature Michael Moore.

[Jack Rabbit]

21. San Francisco State University 1975

:hi:

[JanMichael]

22. BA 1991.

It was interesting. Sadly though I've come to learn that much of what I was taught was right-wing corpo BS.

cest la vie.

[kiahzero]

23. I'm working on one right now (n/t)

[dreissig]

24. I Would Do It Again

A political science degree won't give you job security the way a degree in accounting will, but I haven't regretted being out of work. Accounting is boring. I regret not taking more history courses. If I had to do it over again, that's what I'd do.

There are lots of ways to live your life. Majoring in political science gives you options. If you want to be a smash success in business, a degree in poli sci won't hurt you.

[tedoll78]

25. I do.

I got it from the University of Mississippi in 2000. Minor in Mathematics.

My first job was as a Bill Clerk for the Texas Senate in 2001. Not a bad job.
My second job was as a pollster for the Gallup Poll after being laid-off at the Senate.
When Gallup shut its offices in Austin, I got a job at the IRS. Data transcription. Utter crap.

So now I'm back in school for a two-year Diagnostic Medical Imaging degree. The PolySci degree is nice, but it doesn't get me very far. At least I'll pretty much have a job guaranteed when I get out. And it'll pay much, much better.

Best of luck!

[LuminousX]

26. I do

BA in PoliSci and a BA in Philosophy.

I specialized in U.S. Foreign Policy, International Institutions, and in Philsophy, Logic and Political Philosophy


What can I do with it? Jack. I am in tech support at the moment. Sure, I can take a chaotic group and codify the social structure, forming constitutions, charters, etc. that work with the customs and social framework that the people are already used to, but nobody pays for that.