We’ve all heard it a hundred times. 

“What are you going to do with an English degree?” 

“What are you going to do with a history degree?” 

Or “What are you going to do with an art degree?”

Frankly, regardless of what degree you get, you’ll get asked this a dozen times. It often feels like people want to pigeon-hole you based on your major before you even get out the door. 

This new series is designed to highlight what you can do with your degree–especially outside the box jobs and sectors that may not be the “obvious answer” for what you can do with your degree. 

In this article, we’re featuring five political science majors–none of whom are pursuing political office at this time,  like so many people expect. Stay tuned for features about history majors, psychology majors, and more. You can read our previous piece on English majors here. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming piece of the series, please fill out this form. 

Natalia

I am a policy associate on the government affairs team at a law firm. My law firm represents professional associations. Lawyers in my firm represent association members in legal matters and the government affairs team represents their interests on Capitol Hill. My political science degree gave me important foundational knowledge about how the government functions and tools for advocating for legislative change. Knowing how to lobby Congress, write legislation, and ensure proper implementation through the executive branch can be applied to a wide array of policy areas. I chose to focus my studies on public administration to understand how the structure of our bureaucracy impacts policy outcomes. I use that knowledge every day in my work representing senior government employees and federal law enforcement officers.

RELATED: What Can I Do With an English Degree? 5 English Majors Weigh In

Katie

I got a degree in political science and now I work in digital political consulting! By understanding the political landscape and how campaigns work, I can better help my client’s digital needs by understanding where they are coming from, who their target audience is, what type of messaging would work best, etc. Through the connections I made in a college class my senior year, I was able to land this job! So my best advice is to always network and KEEP IN TOUCH! 

Haley

I have two degrees: one in political science and one in international studies. I work as a paralegal at a personal injury law firm. Most of my days are spent drafting documents and filing things with courts. But I also spend a lot of time reading medical documents and bills. In college I learned a lot about policy/government which hasn’t been helpful in the real world. But thanks to the hundreds of papers I wrote in undergrad I am great when it comes to writing and drafting legal documents. 

Kristie

I graduated with a degree in government and international politics. Throughout college I was working for my Congressman and on the path to law school until I landed an internship with the Dept of Defense as a Logistics Management Specialist. Most people in my profession have business or systems engineering degrees but having a strong research and writing background with experience in debate and public speaking helped me stand out. Understanding how the government functions helps me with my job as well. I am now a lead logistics planner for the Army and analyze the efficiency of supply chain and transportation systems. 

Elizabeth

I work in marketing/community outreach. I had managed state legislative campaigns before this job. The owner of the company I work at now is a state representative so I still do get to be involved with her campaign. My background in political science has helped me communicate, understand how to make deals, and sell my company’s services, not to mention the connection I made with my boss was through politics. My company does senior care so having an understanding of politics and how the medicare system works has been beneficial as well.  Understanding voter demographics translates well into marketing, while the numbers may be different it’s the same principals in a different application. Honestly having a background in political science or really any social science just makes you a more intelligent, well rounded person.

Aryssa D

FFL Cabinet Member

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