Introduction to American Government: What Political Scientists Do

Introduction to American Government What Political Scientists Do

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Scholars of American government are known as political scientists. A background in political science generally and American government specifically is useful in many different fields.

Public Policy

Government policy affects nearly everything that we do, so public policy experts can work in a variety of areas:

Issue advocate
Government official
Activist
City planner
Legislative analyst

Campaigns

Many political science majors spend time working on campaigns, which can lead to one of several careers in politics:

Pollster
Event organizer
Public opinion analyst
Communications director

Law and Law Enforcement

Many students of political science go on to choose one of the following careers in law and law enforcement:

Attorney
Judge
Police officer
Parole officer
FBI or CIA agent
Prison administrator

Business

Although political science does not deal directly with business matters, it does teach the analytical and data interpretation skills needed for many careers in the private sector. Political scientists interested in working in business might take the following kinds of jobs:

Bank executive
Career counselor
Corporate economist
Government relations manager
Management analyst
Systems analyst

Education

Many political scientists earn a PhD and do specialized research and scholarship at a “think tank.” Still others may choose one of the following jobs :

Professor
High school teacher
Educational curriculum developer
Journal editor

This list covers just a few of the careers open to students of political science majors. As you will see in your studies of political science, the discipline teaches many skills, including critical thinking and analytical reasoning, which can be applied in many fields.