College of the Pacific
What to do with a Political Science degree?
“Political Science helps develop critical thinking skills and enables an individual to better speak their mind.”
—Austin Webster
Pacific Political Science Major
According to the American Political Science Association,
“Political science majors gain analytical skills, administrative competence and communication abilities that are valued in a wide spectrum of potential career areas.”
“A bachelor's degree in political science can lead to exciting careers in federal, state and local governments; law; business; international organizations; nonprofit associations and organizations; campaign management and polling; journalism; precollegiate education; electoral politics; research and university and college teaching.”
Famous Political Science Majors
It’s no surprise that many prominent political figures and government leaders were Political Science majors. Condoleezza Rice, Madeline Albright, Richard Cheney, and the late senator from Minnesota, Paul Wellstone, were all Political Science majors. But did you know that these people also majored in Political Science?
- Mia Hamm—Soccer Superstar
- Jane Pauley—Television Journalist
- Steve Case—Founder of AOL
- Kevin McClatchy—CEO of the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Ronald D. Moore—Creator and Executive Producer of the new Battlestar Galactica
- Jerry Springer—TV Trash host (Every family has a black sheep)
Our Graduates
Many of Pacific's Political Science graduates practice law in a variety of settings, including prestigious law firms, district attorneys offices, and the state and federal judiciaries. In fact, the relationship between studying Political Science and pursuing a law degree is so close that the Political Science Department administers Pacific's Pre-Law Program.
Our graduates are fully prepared to enter graduate school, and many go on to earn a master's degree in Public Policy or pursue a Ph.D. in Political Science.
Other graduates run congressional and state legislative offices, lobby for interest groups, run political campaigns, serve in federal, state, and local government agencies, report on politics for major newspapers, and teach at the high school and university levels.
Click here to learn about the career paths of a few of our alumni.
