Careers in Political Science

Employment

Political Science majors traditionally enjoy careers in law, government, diplomacy, campaign management, media, public advocacy, and public policy. Political Science majors also work in the private and nonprofit sectors as policy analysts, program managers, journalists, consultants, and researchers.

    • Campaign manager
    • Lobbyist
    • Legislative Aide
    • Public Opinion Analyst
    • Pollster
    • Attorney
    • Judicial Clerk
    • Paralegal
    • Civil Rights Advocate
    • Consumer Advocate
    • Intelligence Officer
    • Foreign Service Officer
    • Urban Policy Planner
    • Government Relations
    • Public Affairs Adviser
    • Survey Analyst
    • Corporate Analyst
    • Banking Executive
    • Consultant
    • Teacher
    • Journalist
    • Communications Director
    • Political Commentator
    • Journal Editor
    • Opinion writer
    • Research
    • Advocacy
    • Public Relations
    • Fund Raising
    • Management

A useful resource is the Careers in Political Science page of the American Political Science Association website. Students who are interested in learning more about career opportunities in Political Science are also encouraged to visit the Fordham Career Center and sign up for Handshake and LinkedIn.

Advanced Degrees

More than half of all Political Science majors go on to earn advanced degrees. Of those who earn graduate degrees…

  • 25% earn a law degree (JD or LLM)
  • 25% earn a Master’s in a business-related field
  • 16% earn a Master’s in Political Science
  • 12% earn a Master’s in Public Administration
  • 4% earn a PhD (40% of these are in Political Science)

Political science majors also go on to top-ranked graduate programs, including:

  • American University
  • Cambridge University (U.K.)
  • Carnegie-Mellon University
  • Columbia University
  • Harvard University
  • Georgetown University
  • George Washington University
  • London School of Economics and Politics
  • New York University
  • Sciences Po (Paris)
  • Trinity College (Dublin)
  • Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • University of Southern California

Prestigious Awards and Fellowships

Fordham Political Science majors received or been nominated for Fulbright Fellowships, Truman Scholarships, Gilman Scholarships, Marshall Scholarships, and a host of other highly competitive awards and fellowships allowing them to travel, study, and conduct research around the world. 

A useful resource is Fordham’s Office of Fellowship Advising.