Foreign Service Officer

Foreign Service Officers, or FSOs, are U.S diplomats who protect American citizens overseas. They implement American foreign policy and work with other governments while promoting U.S. businesses. FSOs generally rotate to a new country every 2-3 years, so this would be a great career for someone who loves to travel.

Government Relations Specialist

A government relations specialist is someone who communicates information between a company and government agencies. They analyze policies, monitor legislative trends or developments, campaign for their employer’s policy interests, and help secure funding or grants for the government. They are the company’s official voice of government agencies.

LAW:

Paralegal

Paralegals are assistants who support attorneys by performing legal research behind the scenes, drafting documents, interviewing clients, and managing case files. They are considered the backbone of a law firm.

Court Clerk

A court clerk acts as a bridge between the judge, lawyers, and the public. They manage officer records, process legal documents, and organize all official case files and documents. They also coordinate the timing of court appearances, and can swear in witnesses and juries. They also take notes on what happens during the trial and handle the evidence.

Compliance Officer

A compliance officer ensures that a company follows all governmental laws, industry regulations, and internal policies. They protect the company from legal trouble, fines, and damage to their reputation by identifying potential legal risk and developing risk management strategies. They also train the employees to act ethically.

POLITICS:

Campaign Manager

A campaign manager is the glue that holds a campaign together. They direct the daily operations, strategy and staff of a political or marketing campaign. They give the candidate or business leader freedom to focus on being the public face. They are responsible for staying on budget, making plans, ensuring everything stays on track and meeting their goals.

Lobbyist

A lobbyist is a professional who is paid to influence government laws, regulations, and policies that benefit organizations, nonprofits, or trade associations. They educate lawmakers by providing research, data, and real-world impacts to help shape legislation.

Pollster

A pollster is a professional who designs, conducts, and analyzes public opinion surveys to figure out what the public opinion is. They use statistical methods to gather data on the public and behaviors of specific populations. They design questionnaires, collect answers from the public, and use that data to guide decision making and track changing trends.

Political Risk Analyst 

A political risk analyst is someone who evaluates how geopolitical events, such as elections, wars, or new government regulations impact businesses investments, and supply chains. Their goal is to prevent companies from losing money. They act like the weatherman for global events. They use the information they see to avoid threats and protect companies.

Where will your political science degree take you?

Getting a bachelor’s in political science is more than doing something in politics. Based on the skills that political science students gain, like problem solving, critical thinking, and communication, there are a wide range of careers. No matter what career a political science student chooses, having the degree provides them with the knowledge and versatility to help them succeed in today’s world.

Students majoring in political science take classes such as American national government, international relations, Christian political thought, comparative politics, and more. Beginning with the junior year, students will have the option to serve as interns in governmental offices, law firms, and more.