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I have a BA in political science from a solid state college . My experience includes a job as a coldcaller at a brokerage firm, basically getting potential clients to attend investment seminars. Also during this time I studied investment such as securities, bonds, annuities and options contracts so that I would have some basic investment knowledge when I talked to potential clients. I have also worked on several political campaigns on the east coast , with the work varying from grunt level to calling
big contributors. I have 2 real estate licenses, those being the basic salesman's license and a broker's license. Right now I am working part time in real estate but I would like to find something else. I loved politics but there are so few jobs that pay well and there is a lot of competition. I would like to hear from others with history /political science degrees how you used your degree or if you are still looking for a satisfying job and your ideas about what that job might be. Part of me would like to write about politics and economics .I have long been interested in the interconnectedness of politics and economics but I am not sure I have enough economic knowledge to write confidently. Has anyone here done this type of writing?
I have a cousin who graduated with a poly sci degree in the early 2000s He did actually work /intern a bit for a few minor campaigns but as you said the pay is not that great and the jobs never last that long. His "real" job, the job he is doing right now is a sales/marketing representative for a certain company.
I got my PhD in American history in the 1970s. Luckily, I doubled majored and had a teaching certificate that saved my butt. Finally, I took some computer classes part time at the local state university, got a certificate in "business programming" and launched a career in IT. I've been doing that for the last 26 years.
History, especially local history, remains my avocation, and when I retire in a few years, I will devote much more time to it. I don't regret majoring in history because the critical thinking, writing, and logic skills that I learned have proven invaluable, but I would recommend that anybody thinking of going into history do a double major to add some "hard" skills to your resume.
How I used my BS Social Studies Education/Political Science/Econ:
Factory laborer
Management in above factory
Management for a short-line railroad
Naval Aviator
Teacher
Linda_d mentioned a teaching certificate. I would highly recommend that rather than a generic BA in almost anything. What can you do with a BA in Math? Or Econ? Except get a Master's? I've lost count of how many new teachers I've worked with over the years with degrees in those examples, plus English and other disciplines, who had to teach on a Provisional Certificate while taking courses for certification. What has been mind-boggling is that many had wanted to teach all along but still got a BA.
I'm currently studying political science and history at a liberal arts college. I plan to become a journalist and a middle or secondary school teacher either in the US or abroad.
I've known several poli sci majors who went on to be quite successful in finance. People with master's degrees in IR-type programs in particular seem to have done well.
A little more background about myself. I was in a grad program (MA in poly sci ) at a large university. After 1 semester I dropped out. I think I was overwhelmed by the difference between undergrad and grad study and the academic politics that went with it. To top it off I didn't think my grad profs were better than my undergrad profs and I was paying a lot for this. Over the years I have learned so much about poly sci on my own.I have read a lot of history(much more than in school) since I was a kid. When I was about 11 or 12 I remember my brother talking a lot about studying the war between Germany and Russia(WW2) in a college history class and I was fascinated by how big the conflict was. I have studied this area a lot since. If money for travel wasn't an issue my dream occupation would be to travel Russia and interview people about what they remember about the war. Off the wall I know!! but I would love to hear from those with history and poly sci degrees who are doing things a little outside the box. More realistically(since I can't speak Russian ha!) I think a lot about writing about politics. With the internet anyone can write about politics and have it seen. So far I haven't had the courage to try.
BTW all the responses have been great. Thank you and please keep them coming.
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