Politics are everywhere, the jobs we do, the classes we attend, the communities we live in and many other aspects of our lives. Do you find yourself actively involved in student government? Are you the political guru of your friend group, always up to date on current events? Political science majors differ from being conservative or liberal, cynical or idealistic, but one common characteristic is their passion for politics. If active engagement in the political system is for you, a political science and government major is for you.
Education
The political science and government major offers not only a wide variety of classes but also encourages active volunteering, involvement with the community and local government and national or global internship opportunities. Majors should be ready to join a political science club or campus political organization in order to stay up to date on current campus events as well as ones in the community. They will also start with ancient political philosophy and cover everything leading up to modern politics. Writing papers and conducting research is a main component of the major and students will find that they write about everything from Plato to modern homeland security. All of this typically leads up to writing a senior thesis, a long research paper where they will spend a lot of time conducting research, forming their own arguments and supporting those arguments.
Majors will have opportunities to work and campaign for local or national candidates, offer political commentary, and come up with their own ideas to modify government.
What to know before you apply?
Students will find that it’s good to be able to argue and support their points because there are many controversial topics in political science and these can often delve into heated discussions. Debate skills are crucial and it’s important to be able to support your beliefs.
Knowing a foreign language can also prove to be useful when it comes to understanding anything from ancient text or choose to study international relations.
Questions to ask before deciding
Will you have the opportunities to study politics abroad? Does the program offer a semester in Washington, D.C.? How helpful is the department when it comes to helping you find internships in government or public policy offices? Will you have the opportunity to pursue your own research and thesis for a capstone project? Does the program require a minor in a related field such as economics or history? Are there specializations in studies such as international relations or political economy? Finally, does the department, professors, or schools itself have a particular political leaning? Is this leaning compatible with your own views?
Colleges offering this major
SUNY Fredonia — Fredonia, N.Y.
Hofstra University — Hempstead, N.Y.
Quinnipiac University — Hamden. Conn.
Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, political scientists make $102,000 per year and political science teachers and professors make anywhere from $64,000 a year to $84,000 a year.
> For more advice on majors or career choices, visit NextStepU.com.
