In order to help you determine your answer to the question posed in the title of this article, we will explore the political science major and the careers associated with it. Our goal is to present you with a clear understanding of the major, the field, and the opportunities that will be available to you upon graduation. We will also suggest a variety of combinations of majors and minors at the undergraduate and graduate levels that can help you achieve your goals.
Political science is a field that can make use of a huge variety of skill sets. Politics incorporates elements of economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, science, rhetoric, history, and law. Some of the jobs available to political scientists are campaign manager, speech writer, lobbyist, political analyst, academic, author, pundit, journalist, and political strategist. Every major think tank, campaign, grassroots activist movement, and corporation needs people who understand politics and the political system. Every politician needs staff to help shape their policy positions and craft their message. And these are just the jobs directly related to the degree. A political science degree enables you to develop a great number of skills that are immensely attractive to employers. The ability to gather, collate, and interpret data, and then create and communicate a compelling narrative using that data, is invaluable in many industries.
Did you notice that the list of jobs for political science majors didn’t include “politician” as one of the main jobs? Political science is not necessarily the best path toward becoming a politician. It can be part of the path for some, but it isn’t a part of the path for most politicians. Most people who aim to become politicians major in areas related to public service or the law. Many people don’t plan to go into politics, but later in life find themselves in a position to advocate for their communities. There is no direct path into politics for most people.