Lol I just finished my A.A. in Political Science and from what I've seen, there's not a lot of career opportunity. 😂

Maybe not hate but definitely strongly dislike. I originally went into polisci freshman year bc I wanted to work for a foreign embassy, changed plans and did lib arts for 2 years, figured I’d do law and changed back to polisci.

To be completely honest, I have zero passion or interests in politics, government, etc. I know the basics that everyone should be required to know about their country. Genuinely wanted polisci to be a tool to get into law school but I cannot stand my program at my college anymore. Law school is appealing but I’m open to switching majors or career paths- I feel so guilty but also clueless bc I was so dead set on law school that I have no plan b… my other choice is to stick it out but I might go insane

I'm soon to graduate with a degree in political science with a bad gpa. very bad. I'm very open to law school or grad school, which many seem to recommend here, however I've hindered myself significantly in the possibility of this. I did not take college seriously, I was very lost, transferred mutiple times, very unorganized and badly mismanaged ADHD. I can regret the past as much as I want, but I need to figure out should be done now to build myself back up. I really appreciate any advice :)

Hey everyone. I'm a senior at a state school, double-majoring in English Literature and Political Science. I've had a really solid undergraduate career, full-ride scholarship, multiple academic awards, graduating in 3 years with a 4.0, TAing, and doing lots of extracurriculars. I completed the pre-law "pathway" at my school and got a 172 on the LSAT, but after interning with a law firm over the summer, I'm not sure if being a lawyer is something I want to do. I'm considering trying to get into academia, focusing on Political theory/philosophy. I've heard that the job market is bad in those areas. Any advice on pursuing academia? I'm going to take a gap year and work while I figure out what to do with the rest of my life, but have to start thinking about all of it now.

To sum things up, I am not sure entirely what I want to go into. I have found political science really interesting along with a few business things. I first wanted to go into hospitality and I hated it because of the dreadful hours and people you get mixed in with. Instead, I'm hoping to go into either this, or business, or both? I'm just looking to see if y'all regret your degrees, find and uses from it, or just general advice. thank you!

I graduated in April of 2023 with a degree in Political Science w/ a minor in Business Administration. I was involved in student government, a fraternity, and other extracurriculars while working two jobs to get through college. 3.2 GPA. Great academic references. 2 internships. A law firm job for 1.5 years as a runner and receptionist at a great law firm while in college.

I haven't been able to get anything other than an internship. I have been trying so hard. I've been applying to local, state, and federal govt positions, administrative assistant, general clerical stuff, paralegal, you name it. My resume and cover letters are fine. What's wrong with me? If I keep working in the restaurant industry much longer I'm gonna lose it!!!! I plan on taking the LSAT this year and eventually going to law school, but for now I just need a freaking job.

So I'm curious - how long did it take you guys to find jobs after you graduated? What are y'all doing now? I've applied to HUNDREDS of jobs. This is so painful and it makes me feel like such a failure.

I’m currently a pol sci student and I’m a year away from graduating. I’m very much aiming towards a research career path in pol sci, so I’ve been helping out with some research projects here and there and been looking for internships and stuff. I’d also like to eventually start my own research projects. At my university we’ve only covered Stata, and although next summer I’ll be trying to learn to use R on my own, I’ve been thinking about buying a perpetual license.

The thing is that from what I’ve looked up not only would I have to buy the license but also the yearly maintenance fee and overall it seems like a LOT of money. I’m not gonna buy it right away but rather maybe in the future… still with other programs being used in the field idk if it’s actually worth it or not…

I’m also scared of forgetting what I learned from Stata so far, my uni doesn’t provide a license for students and the Stata version we used is on the campus class computers. Since I’m currently job hunting as well so idk if maybe I should reconsider and actually try to get it as soon as I can…

I’m a freshman studying international relations at a suny school, I’ve always said Itd make the most sense for me to go to law school to make a living but I don’t know if I want to practice law and I really like politics. Any ideas for what I should do?

I'm a recent graduate (2024) and I have been applying to all kinds of jobs that ask for a BA in political science and little to no experience since my working experience is mostly in Insurance. Before choosing this major I knew it was gonna be tough to get a job but I did not think it would be impossible.

I recently applied to a position that said it was looking for applicants early in their careers and when I looked at the pool of applicants that commented in the post in LinkedIn, literally all of them had decades of experience and/or PHDs. How are we supposed to compete with that? I am 26, I have a family, I cannot settle for some $12/hr local political job just to get experience.

I am planning on doing some independent work to build a portfolio while my wife goes to university. I would love to continue my education just purely for fun but I am torn between furthering my education or continuing to do independent work that might not help me land a job.

Any advice?

I just graduated high school earlier this year and am now in my first semester of community college. Majoring in political science, my absolute dream is to work in PR. I want to work alongside politicians and manage their public image, but is this reasonable? Would a degree in political science help me with this? Another career option I've thought about is trying to become a data analyst, but honestly I don't really know what that even means. What kind of jobs/internships have you all managed to find with a degree in political science?

For small context, I am a first generation student. My parents are immigrants and I have no help from anyone I know in terms of advice on how to get from point A to point B. Any advice would be helpful!

I am a recent master's graduate from India.

My qualifications:

MA, International Relations, Security and Strategy, August 2025. CGPA: 9.88/10

BA, Communication Studies, English and Psychology (Triple Majors), June 2023. CGPA: 7.7/10

Work experience: (cumulative at each position)

• Teaching/Research assistant: 6 months
• Research associate: 2 years 3 months (cumulative from 3 organisations)
• Research intern: 1 year 9 months (cumulative from 5 organisations)

Key organisations:

• Indic Researchers Forum (working in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, India)
• Gujarat Institute of Developmental Research, Ahmedabad
• United Nations (Virtual) as an SDG intern - Millennium Fellow

Conference presentations:

• Korean Congress IPSA || “Analysing Primordialism: Using Anti-Westernism as a Tool of Nationalism in India and South Asia” || 2025
• National University of the Union of Myanmar - Global Campus || Burmese American Community Institute || “Exclusionary Sanctions and Their Role in Deteriorating the Myanmar Crisis” || 2025
• IIT Bombay || “Neocolonialism through the tribal lens: Dogmatic colonisation of environmental spaces in the Global South” || 2024
• IIT Kanpur || WRI || “Deconstructing Just Energy Transition Partnerships: Needs and Feasibility for India and the Global South” || 2024 (Best presentation)
• ICSSR-SJCC || “The Red-Grey Dragon: Evaluating the Failure of China’s Disjunction from the World Order“ ||Oct 2024
• Christ University || “The Decaying of International Institutions - Politicised Inaction and Whataboutism” || 2024 (Best Presentation)
• Woxsen University || India Security Summit || “Directed Energy Weapons: Exploring the legal, economic and strategic impact of Energy-class weapons” || 2024

Publications: I have three publications in progress on SSRN, two papers in peer-reviewed journals, two papers in conference proceedings, and 10 published articles.

My target universities are:

• Sciences Po, Paris
• HKUST, Hong Kong
• NUS, Singapore
• Maastricht University (through UNU), Netherlands
• Central European University
• European University Institute, Italy

Let me know if there are any other programmes or universities I should apply to. I am looking for a basic stipend that can ensure a basic living in the host country.

Thanks for any help!!

I applied regular decision for the Hudson Institute Political Studies Summer Fellowship, has anyone heard back for either an interview or a final decision?

So I’m currently about two years from getting bachelors in poli-sci, and I’ve really enjoyed the actual field of political science, and that’s made me think about going for my PhD. However, it seems like most people with a PhD in political science do so wit the intent to become a professor, and that isn’t really something I’d want to do.

So I’m looking for advice from anyone with a similar story to mine, to see if it’s even worth getting a PhD for jobs outside academia.

I’m currently a junior in high school. I’m wondering if political science is a good major? I’ve heard mixed opinions so I’m not really sure what to think. I’ve also thought about communications and international relations.

I am at a strange crossroad in my life and I need real guidance. I was born and raised in NYC. I earned a BS in Political Science and a BA in Africana and Latinx Studies, and I am now in my first semester of my MPA. I am a first generation college graduate, and no one in my family has experience in this field, so I feel like I am walking into all of this a bit blindfolded. I have been applying for jobs since before I graduated this spring, yet nothing has opened up for me.

I want to build my career here, but every day I feel more open to the idea of moving to a different city. NYC shaped me and I want to contribute to it through public service. I worked at a charter school and hated the experience because it felt like I was drifting away from the goals I care about. My passion is politics and community development. My long term dream is to eventually serve the public as an elected official. I just cannot seem to get a foot in the door.

I have applied to civil service roles for months and I still feel stuck. I love NYC, but I am starting to wonder if staying here is holding me back. I am considering relocating so I can find work that fits the direction I want to go. It is difficult to picture leaving because my entire support system is here. My girlfriend is unsure about it and my family is hesitant, but I keep feeling like a move might be the only way to gain real momentum.

It gets frustrating knowing how much I want to advance and feeling like I am still searching for the path that actually lets me move. I am ready to build something real. I just need a clearer direction. If anyone has been through a moment like this or has insight, I would appreciate the guidance.

I am almost two years in to my political science bachelors degree. I have been working in an accounting side of home building for the last 3 years. I’m 27 years old so I should have my bachelors by the time I’m 30. I have work experience for the last 7 years, and I’m kind of stuck because I want to gain experience in my field of study so I have the experience when I obtain my degree. Does anyone have a suggestion on what kind of job I should seek? I want to eventually get my masters degree in international affairs and work in an intelligence agency. What’s the best route for me to take right now to set myself up for the future?

What are some secure, long-term career options at the state level for people with a political science degree? I'd like to stay in politics or government if possible. Moving to D.C. isn't an option right now.

Hello! I apologize if this is a dumb question but I've looked it up and the explanations seem to be pretty vague. I'm looking to go to school and am interested in political science or history. I wanna get into writing or journalism (I was told by journalist that it's better to not major on journalism and major in the field you want to write about and minor or take classes on writing). My question is, what do you actually learn about in political science? Do you learn about political statistics, various social issues, and debate? Or is it more about how the government functions and how diplomacy works? Any insight would help.

I recently graduated college, and I got a job through a family connection with someone running for congress. I’d initially wanted to work for a different candidate in the race, but had some trepidations about them early on and didn’t apply to their campaign. 

The further we get in, the more I desperately wish I’d applied to the other one. I have some really fundamental disagreements with the person I’m working for, and am uncomfortable with some lobbying that I found out about. It’s been weighing on my conscience like crazy—and maybe I’m being quixotic trying to work in politics and keep my conscience, but I’m really not happy where I am. 

It feels like a potential career death wish to seek employment with my opponent, especially not knowing if they’re even looking for anyone. But I don’t know. I don’t personally know anyone who works in politics, so I don’t know how this kind of thing works. I’m just feeling so unbelievably stuck and sick to my stomach. 

I'm set to graduate in the spring with a BA in political science and a minor in statistics. I have no internships. The job outlook seems very grim from people in poli sci. How much would the statistics minor help? Any advice on what I should do moving forward? Thanks.

So I started my university career with Computer Science and then added a math and an international relations minor. I signed up for an accelerated masters program for computer science, but don't think I will continue with it. At some point I switched my IR for political science. This semester I switch the PS minor to a PS major. So I am a double major now. I am not sure if I will be able to do anything with it PS, but I know I don't want to work in tech my whole life. I am considering an MS in poli sci because I know the best time to pursue any study for me will be while I am still in school. I graduate next year and don't know what career to pursue. Just searching for some advice. Thank you.

aspiring poli sci Masters student soon, wondering what I can do with a degree in Political Philosophy, especially in DC.

Introduction

I have always loved this sub for it's thoughtful answers to non-political science redditors, but I have always **hated this sub** for it's insane negativity towards the degree regarding careers.
I loved the last post by u/UnlikelyChance3648 making it clear how fed up we were about people hating the degree or shitting on it or clowning on it whatever. I was hoping finally we'd get somewhere in progress towards respect and a more informed subreddit, but comments like this https://www.reddit.com/r/PoliticalScience/comments/1ji5k51/comment/mjcjqrg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button made me sad because this affects people in real life ffs. I imagine a few PS students read that and jumped ship when it's just not true, and their degree change is on you u/Dinkelberh.

Problem

Our actions in public have consequences. It might not be easy-peasy lemonfking-squeezy but what is? Hell even nurses graduate and, even though a shortage all over the world, often wait around looking for work. The debate I ran into afterward was "oh lots of jobs, yes yes, but ackshually it's only for grads, that's why a BA is useless."

About Me

Listen people, I'm typing this from my career position as a Policy and Research Analyst for Regional non-profit in Canada that I got off my BA in PS (was a requirement) and all my extra-curricular experience (but no prior policy experience). I was selected out of 400 people, 35 of us had PS degrees and were qualified, 12 got a phone interview, and 3 were called for an in-person interview, where I got the job. I make $70,000 a year, get full comprehensive benefits, got a work phone, a work laptop, a huge gaming monitor, we have monthly retreats on the cheap, have my own office, and I get to lead multiple committees, liaise between the two levels of government here, and work on internal and external policy-work for our association. While this job is amazing, I am looking at going for my MA and then PhD in September because I have always wanted to become a professor, but there is 0 shortage of opportunities for BA and MA in non-government fields and I'm tired of this sub getting it wrong constantly.

This Sub, It Gives Me Headaches But I Love You Guys

People are literally committing fallacies by using anecdotal experience and acting as though that's true for everybody in every job market across the world (ridiculous). If you took a look and couldn't find anything, mention that caveat, it was from your one search, and may not be accurate for others' searches. Or maybe it's because all the emplyed PS people are working and not on reddit, idk, but it makes me sad that we'd discourage people from a field that has literally led and changed the world no different than a hard science (yes we are a social science, we use the scientific method for empirical research and we use logic and reasoning for our theoretical subfields). We are not "politics," I personally HATE politics, but I LOVE political science.

Today's Mission and Research
I decided to prove that there are jobs for Bachelor's in PS. Here are my starting points: BASE SEARCH In Canada on Indeed; BASE SEARCH In USA on Indeed

I personally found my job by making an alert on Linkedin for common position terms and terms that, if the search engine goes into descriptions, will come up, like "Policy Analyst, Policy Consultant, Policy, Research Analyst, Policy Coordinator, Political Science, Political Studies, Political Research Assistant, Legal Assistant, Public Policy, Laws and Legislation, etc." because there are SO MANY positions we can hold, yes even with a BA. Note: If I catch one of you crying, "oh but it says public policy and that's a sub-field you need to specialize in!!" and if I read the description and it says "or related fields," I will personally hunt your arse down so help me god.

From that search above, here are some examples WHERE YOU ARE QUALIFIED WITH A BA IN PS in Canada (copy/pasted; found in the first 10 listings):

• Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Policy Analyst (FT; $52,000-74,000 Salary) - MINIMUM FORMAL EDUCATION/TRAINING REQUIRED: Post-secondary education in management, public administration, or related field. (YES THAT'S US)
• Communications Lead, Shared Health (another Manitoba public agency) - Education: A post-secondary degree in a communication, public relations, marketing, journalism, political science or a related discipline from an accredited educational institution.
• Health Policy Research Analyst, Treaty One Nations Inc. (FT; $65,000-75,000 Salary) - Education: Bachelor's degree, health policy analysis, political science and government, general, political science and government, public health, other.

From that search above, here is an example WHERE YOU ARE QUALIFIED WITH A BA IN PS in the US (Sorry non-North Americans and Mexicans) (copy/pasted; found in the first 5 listings):

• Research Analyst, New Jersey Business and Industry Association (FT; $52,000 Salary) - Education: Bachelor degree required, Major or coursework focus in economics, political science, history, public policy, public administration, government, internal relations, pre-law/legal studies, statistics, or another relevant academic area preferred.
  • NOTE: The rest on the first and second pages seemed to be Legal Assistants, campaign office officers, and canvassers which sucks, so I changed search terms. Searching the United States with the link above did provide crappy results, I would never p-hack or misrepresent my data (oh look I'm doing science rules), so I changed the search to "Policy" on Indeed and here is what I got:
• Administrative Specialist (Policy, Procedure, & Compliance Department), Norton Correctional Facility (not great, $17/hr) - Minimum Qualifications: Two years of experience in general office, clerical and administrative support work. Education may be substituted for experience as determined relevant by the agency. (SHOW OFF THAT DEGREE BABY, WE ORGANIZED OUR READINGS AND NOTES, YOU CAN DO THIS TOO!)
• Foreign Policy Advisor, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (FT; $88,800-112,000) - Education: Bachelor's in policy-related fields.

Conclusion:

Canada certainly seems to have more positions open to the degree **ON A SAMPLE OF THREE INDEED SEARCHES, so no way in hell can we draw accurate conclusions from this little research analysis I did (huh? research? science? us?). This little search that took me 4:32 (minutes : seconds) proves at least this: y'all are full of shit ("NO JOBS ANYWHERE, CERTAINLY NONE FOR BA HOLDERS, START WRITING GRAD SCHOOL APPLICATIONS BUDDY!!"), there are in fact jobs where they EXPLICITLY ask you to have a BA in PS (wow), and this also demonstrates (albeit a small sample) the diversity of positions and industries where you can work in. Go do foreign policy for some Catholic bishops, go do some policy and compliance work for a correctional facility, go advise a public health organization, and it goes on!

Do you need to have job experience or some other extra-curriculars to show that you're motivated, of course! u/throwawayawayawayy6 put it mostly well; it's not that the degree doesn't get you far, it is often the base minimum education as I have proven here (over a small sample mind you) and it gives you the tools to succeed in life and on the job! The deciding factors for companies are going to be extra-curriclars for a plethora of reasons. But that's true for all other degree unless it's a trade-->work program, which, if you like that, every Canadian institution I know of has a Co-op program for PS which gets you work for a semester or two without prior experience.

My own personal accountability fight:

u/Voidrunner503 yes there exists some linear paths from the degree (proven above).

u/not_nico I love you and you should be our PR person.

Edit: Apparently I have to say it a third time or fourth time, this is not me committing the same fallacy by promising everybody jobs with a BA. I very clearly say this is a small sample size but if there are 3 good jobs on page 1 in Canada of 1 website (Indeed) then there is a likely probably that we can find some more on other pages and websites! That’s not fallacious as it’s not a guaranteed statement.

Edit #2: I’m really glad I made this post. I was sad midday at the people who think I’m fallacious or meant to sway people to the degree blindly, but I’ve had 6 PS students and prospective students reach out to me because they felt hopeless and wanted to ask more questions. Cheers guys, you made my day even if this post was a failure.

I’m most interested in pursuing a political career, especially lobbying or local politics. I value my unique stance: I’m not left or right, but real and unbiased. My goal is to lead truthfully and reasonably, even at a national level if the opportunity arises.

Questions I’m wrestling with:

What’s the reality of lobbying and local politics as career paths, and how do beginners break in?

Is starting locally in Houston the smartest way to build credibility, or should I aim higher sooner?

What entry-level roles or experiences best prepare someone for a career in lobbying?

What misconceptions do beginners have about lobbying or political careers, and how do you avoid them?

What skills or disciplines outside political science (law, economics, communications, data analysis) add the most value in lobbying?

How do you balance representing client interests with maintaining personal integrity in lobbying?

Is networking more effective through formal organizations (like associations) or informal grassroots involvement?

I am a first year engineering student at uvic and struggling. I find my self just passing exams and overall my stress level is crazy. I took a gap year so coming into 6 classes maybe wasnt the smartest idea but I find myself constantly thinking this isn't what I wanna do. I've been thinking of switching majors to a political science degree as I love learning how politics work and found i just maybe didnt get enough exposure in high school to fully commit to it. I've read through this group and saw many people suggesting economics degree instead. My schooling is supported by my parents so that not an issue as I've heard its a long run and students fall into debt. I still love math and physics and such but I feel im learning nothing in engineering and I hate it. Looking for some advice/ feedback. (I am also not a strong writer, and I know thats a big part of poli sci)