Only about a third of our graduating seniors in Political Science go on to law school. A much smaller number choose a career in politics. Most are recruited for positions ranging from consulting to public policy, from foreign-service in the State Department to planning agencies in local government, from non-profits to big, for-profit corporations.
We’ve had visits to campus from IU Political Science alums that include the former deputy spokesperson for the U.S. Secretary of State, the director of Governance Studies of the Brookings Institution, the COO of a California nonprofit that makes Internet videos for various causes, and an attorney for the Federal Trade Commission.
Why do these Political Science grads land great jobs in these important fields? Because liberal arts training, and Political Science training in particular, prepare people for careers. Most employers seek someone trained to think, to analyze, to read critically, and to write effectively – exactly the skills taught in Political Science courses. These skills will never be obsolete. A student graduating with four years of experience in analyzing material, doing research, breaking down an issue into its components, and presenting ideas in writing – training our students receive – can move into any specialization, confident that their skills will serve them well as conditions change.
The College of Arts