Career Options
Government Service
International
The arena of international affairs can be extremely complicated but with the analytical tools of Political Science, these dilemmas are rendered very understandable. From reading the newspaper to employment in the United Nations, with its many specialized agencies, Political Science is a strong background. Americans employed in foreign lands by the U.S. government include positions that range from the foreign Service and Peace Corps to serving as a travel and tourism expert for the US Travel Service, to working as international economists for the Export-Import Bank.
Federal
There are a myriad of job types in the various branches of the US government for which Political Science is an appropriate background. Such career opportunities might range from intelligence specialists in the CIA to program analysts in various regulating agencies to research assistants on Capitol Hill. The US Civil Service publishes a Federal Career Directory: A Guide for College Students.
State and Local
Job opportunities for political science students have increased substantially in the state and local sectors as a result of the expansion of executive and legislative responsibilities in such areas as pollution control, consumer protection, and industrial development.
Other Professions
Law
Many students who intend to go to law school see Political Science as an appropriate stepping stone. The Political Science curriculum offers a number of courses which expose the student to important social issues of the day, as well as public law courses. The Pre-Law program at UW Oshkosh, directed by Dr. Martin Gruberg of the Political Science Department, features a Pre-Law society to help guide students with choices on law schools.
Business and Industry
Undergraduate training in Political Science provides you with analytic skills that are transferable to the world of business. Political Science graduates can benefit from a background in the interrelationships between government and business. Work in public administration, organizational theory and international politics may be particularly helpful to those interested in business careers and are often sought in middle and top-level management.
Journalism
A background in Political Science provides an excellent complementary field for Journalism. Much of Journalism deals with government and politics, and reporters need to be politically literate.
Interest Groups
Interest groups are major agents in the political process, representing virtually all sectors of American society. Increasingly, such groups have a need for specialists with backgrounds in political science.
Political Science as a Career
For those who wish to pursue a career in political science, a major in political science at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh offers excellent preparation for continued study in graduate school. Students who aspire to earn either a Master's Degree (M.A.) or Doctorate (Ph.D.) in political science have a number of career opportunities open to them. While most people with advanced degrees in political science are employed as college and university professors, graduate training in political science can lead to employment in professional research organizations, survey research institutes, government, or interest group organizations. For more detailed information the opportunities and advantages of a career in political science, read the American Political Science Association brochure entitled "Earning a Ph.D. in Political Science," available at the Political Science Department located in the Clow Faculty building or call (920) 424-3456 and the program assistant can mail you a brochure.
Related Professions:
Careers in a host of other fields, such as criminal justice, social welfare and communications are also supported by a background in Political Science.