What Can I Do With A Major In Political Science

Click here for a printable version of this page.

Overview	Career Titles	Employers	Skills	Salary Information
Graduate Data	Alumni/Intern Profiles	Links of Interest	Additional Information

Overview | Return to top

Political science is the social science that deals with the ways human beings organize and govern themselves. We are social beings, and our lives are inextricably connected with those of other people. All of us as individuals, as members of various groups and as parts of larger organizations, communities and nations, must acknowledge and interact with one another. We all share a common humanity.

The political science program offers students both the opportunity to gain a liberal arts education and prepare for a future career. As a liberal art, political science at St. Norbert College attempts to broaden and enlighten the minds of our students regarding political issues, processes and behavior, serving to free their intellect from ethnocentrism and provide them with the skills and analytical tools to understand the political world around them.

Career Titles | Return to top

Account Executive
Activist
Administrative Assistant
Advisor
Ambassador
Anthropologist
Archivist
Attorney
Banker/Financer
Biographer
Broadcast/Newspaper Reporter
Budget Analyst
Bureau Chief
Campaign Manager/Consultant
Case Worker
Chamber of Commerce Manager
Chief of Staff
CIA Inspector
City Clerk
City Housing Administrator
City Manager
City Planner
City Project Coordinator
Civilian Consultant
Clergy
College Professor
Commentator
Commissioner
Compliance Officer
Congressional Assistant
Consultant to Multinational Corporations
Consumer Advocate
Corporate Legal Counsel
County Council Member
County Treasurer
Criminologist
Curator
Curriculum Developer/Supervisor
Customs Worker
Demographer
Deputy Secretary to the Governor
Deputy Undersecretary
Diplomat
Diplomatic Aide
FBI Agent

Federal Government
Financial Analyst/Manager
Foreign Service Officer/Specialist
Fundraiser
Geographer
Government Intelligence Analyst
Government/Politics Teacher
Health Services Administrator
Historian
Hospital Administrator
Human Resources
Information Manager
Information Technology Manager
Insurance Claims/Examiner
Intelligence Specialist
International Correspondent
International Organization Official
International Research Specialist
International Trade Consultant
Investment Officer
Issue Analyst
Journalism
Judge
Juvenile Justice Specialist
Labor Relations Specialist
Labor Union Official
Law Enforcement
Law Professor
Lawyer
Legislative Coordinator
Librarian
Litigation Analyst
Lobbyist
Management Auditor
Market Research Analyst
Mayor
Media Analyst
Mediator
Military Officer
Newspaper Writer/Journalist
Paralegal
Paratransit Analyst
Parole Officer
Pastor

Peace Corps Volunteer
Penologist
Policy Analyst
Political Consultant
Political Director
Political Reporter
Political Scientist
Politician
Pollster
Preservationist
Press Officer
Program Analyst
Program Director
Program Manager
Public Affairs Research Analyst
Public Affairs Specialist
Public Interest/Consumer Advocate
Public Opinion Researcher
Public Policy Analyst
Public Relations Specialist
Quality Improvement Advisor
Radio/TV Announcer
Real Estate Agent/Broker
Reporter
Research Analyst
Research Consultant
Researcher
Sales Manager
Security Officer
Social Services Administrator
Speech Writer
Staff Aide
State Legislator
State Personnel Officer
Strategic Planning Specialist
Student Affairs Administrator
Survey Researcher
Tax Inspector
Teacher
Television Reporter
Tour Guide
Translator
Urban/Regional Planner
Writer/Editor

Employers | Return to top

Advertising Agencies
Analysis Companies
Archives
Banks/Financial Institutions
C.I.A.
Campaign Management Firms
Chambers of Commerce
City Hall
Collection Agencies
Colleges/Universities
Congress
Consulting Firms
Corporations
Correctional Institutions
Court System
Defense Department
Economic Development Organizations
Educational Institutions
Embassies
Environmental Protection Agencies

F.B.I.
Foreign Service
Government Agencies
Health Care Agencies
Historical Societies
Hospitals
Immigration Services
Import/Export Firms
Insurance Companies
International Organizations
Labor Unions
Law Firms
Libraries
Lobbying Groups
Local, State, Federal Government
Magazines/Newspapers
Market Research Firms
Media Firms
Military

Museums
Newspapers
Peace Corps
Political Interest Groups
Political Parties
Polling Organizations
Professional Journals
Public Relations Firms
Public/International Affairs Offices
Publishing Firms
Radio/TV/Film
Research Organizations
School Boards
School Districts
Social Service Agencies
Special Interest Groups
State Legislature
Travel Agencies
Workforce Department Agencies

Skills | Return to top

Ability to relate and communicate to people of different backgrounds
Able to develop and market ideas
Achievement/prestige oriented
Analytical thinking
Computer literate
Conduct research and analyze and explain results
Decision-making
Desire to make a social contribution
Diplomacy and integrity

Flexibility
Goal setting
Interact with diverse populations
Leadership abilities
Oral and written communication
Organizational skills
Persuasive/ability to influence others
Pragmatic
Problem-solving

Public speaking
Responsible
Sensitivity to social differences and needs
Statistical analysis
Team work
Time management
Understanding of community needs
Willingness to deal with society's real problems
Work well under pressure

Salary Information | Return to top

NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Summer 2012 Average Starting Salary:

Political Science/Government Bachelor's Degree: $38,400

Average Salary of SNC Political Science Graduates:

2009: $10,001 - $15,000
2010: $20,001 - $25,000
2011: $25,001 - $35,000

For additional salary information, please visit salary.com

Graduate Data | Return to top

The job titles and employers listed below are a sample of the results from the annual St. Norbert College Career Services graduate follow-up survey for the Classes of 2003-2011.

Job Titles

2nd Lieutenant - Military Intelligence
Adjunct Faculty Member
Campus Saftey
Community Service Officer
Department of Legal Services Assistant
Divisional Administrator
Economic & Workforce Development Coordinator

Education and Research Assistant
Financial Planner
GED Coordinator
Human Resource Cordinator
Inside Sales Representative
Insurance Sales
Judgment Analyst
Loan Officer
Marketing Coordinator

Paralegal
Press Assistant
Public Policy Associate
Recruiter
Residence Hall Director
Staff Assistant
Social Worker
Teacher
VISTA Volunteer

Employers

American Senior Communities
AmeriCorps
AmeriPrise
APSE
Archdiocese of Chicago
Daily Chronicle Newspaper
De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Festival Foods

Gray and Associates
JP Morgan Chase
Kohl's Corporate
National Republican Congress
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
Northwestern Mutual Financial

Northwestern University Police
Republican National Committee
Saint Norbert College
State of Wisconsin
The QTI Group
U.S. Army
U.S. House of Representatives
Wisconsin Department of Justice

Grauate Programs

Full-time J.D. Program
International Affairs
Liberal Studies
Political Science
Public Policy

Graduate Schools

The George Washington University Law School
University of Connecticut
University of Minnesota
UW Madison

Alumni/Intern Profiles | Return to top

Alumni Profiles
Brian Bunkelman
George Ermert
Carrie Haverfield
Michael Kolloway
Steve Zach

Intern Profiles
Caroline Alvarez
Stephanie Birmingham
Justin Kluesner
Mike Lipina
Eric Ming
Adi Redzic
Katie Trzaska

Links of Interest | Return to top

Federal Government
USAJobs
Government Departments and Agencies

State & Local Government
State and Local Government
State of Wisconsin Government Jobs
U.S. Conference of Mayors

Nonprofit Organizations
AmeriCorps
Peace Corps

Campaigns and Polling
American Association of Political Consultants
American National Election Studies
Democratic National Committee
National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee
Political Resources on the Net
Project Vote Smart
Republican National Committee

Law
Association of American Law Schools
Association of Corporate Counsel
American Association for Justice
Attorney Jobs
Counsel.net
FindLaw
International Lawyers Network
LawForum
LawInfo Career Center
LawJobs
Legal Employment
National Association for Law Placement
National Bar Association
National Federation of Paralegal Associations

Public Policy
Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Global Policy Forum
Care2
Public Agenda
Think Tanks (University of Michigan)
Think Tanks (University of Pennsylvania)

Additional Information | Return to top

SNC Political Science Department
Major Requirements
Academic Advising
Career Services Job Search Links

Disclaimer: The information included on this page is not all-inclusive. You are encouraged to utilize additional online and print resources when researching majors and careers. Some of the careers listed may require additional education, training, development, licenses and/or certifications. If you feel something should be added, changed, updated or removed, please contact Career Services. The content included on this page will be updated annually each summer. Please contact Career Services if you have any questions about the information on this page or to schedule an appointment.