Political Scientists
Additional Information
Duties
The following is a common procedure for political scientists:
- Investigate a variety of political issues, such as the American political system and international affairs.
- Analyze public opinion polls and other data sources.
- Test political hypotheses.
- Evaluate government, business, and individual consequences of policies and legislation.
- Maintain a close eye on current events and other relevant problems.
- Trends in government, business, and society are all part of the forecast.
- Give talks and write publications to disseminate your findings.
- National politics, comparative politics, international relations, or political theory are among the most common subjects of study for political scientists.
Researchers in the field of political science frequently employ qualitative approaches to collect data from a wide range of sources. The study of former government structures and policies, for example, might be done with the use of historical documentation. Quantitative approaches are used by political scientists to create and test their hypotheses. They may, for example, look at voter registration records to see if any similarities emerge. Political scientists investigate a wide range of issues, including U.S. political parties, political institutions in other nations, globalization, and the history of political thinking.
The government, labor unions, and political parties are all examples of organizations that employ political scientists to do policy analysis. They use public opinion surveys, economic statistics, and the outcomes of recent elections to analyze current policies and events. They try to predict the effects of new policies based on information from these sources.
Researchers in the field of political science are frequently interested in the effects of government policies on a specific region or population, both domestically and abroad. Thus, they give information and analysis that aids in planning, creating, and implementing policies.
People with a degree in political science often go on to teach at the secondary and postsecondary levels.
Education
A master's or doctoral degree in political science is normally required to work as a political scientist. To be considered for a master's degree in political science, you must have taken political science, writing, and statistics courses in college. They may also benefit from prior work or internship experience in the relevant field.
Master of public administration (MPA), Master of Public Policy (MPP), or Master of Public affairs (MPA) degrees are common among political scientists. Students can choose to focus on a certain field of study in these programs, which normally include a wide range of academic subjects. Research methodologies, policy formulation, program assessment, and statistics are all standard fare at the majority of these establishments. Master's degrees in political science, international relations, and other areas of applied political science are also available at several institutions and universities.
In addition, some political scientists pursue a Ph.D., which entails many years of study followed by a dissertation project requiring independent research on their part. National politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory are all subfields of political science that most Ph.D. candidates opt to specialize on.
Entry-level work in research groups, political campaigns, and nonprofit organizations are common for those with a bachelor's degree in political science. Some government posts may also be open to them. Others, such as in business or the law, are not involved in politics or policymaking.
Additional Experiential Information
Those looking for their first career might get valuable experience through internships or voluntary work with civic or political groups. Students who participate in these activities will have the opportunity to put their academic talents to use in a real-world situation while also honing their analytical, research, and writing abilities.
Qualities that are critical to success
Analytical capabilities. Researchers in political science frequently employ both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data collection, evaluation, and interpretation need analytical abilities.
The ability to communicate. When it comes to drafting papers or presenting presentations, political scientists frequently work together with other academics. They need to be able to convey their results to a broad range of people.
Creativity. To generate fresh research and articles, political scientists must constantly seek out new ideas and facts. Maintaining an awareness of the latest developments in politics is a need for those in the political arena.
The ability to use critical thinking. To be a political scientist, one must be able to analyze the relevant data and develop logical conclusions.
Pay
A political scientist's annual salary in May 2020 was $125,350. It is the salary at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. One-tenth of the population made less than $62,840, while the other tenth made more than $170,800 a year.
Job Projections
Political scientists' jobs are expected to expand by 9% between 2020 and 2030, which is roughly the same rate as the overall job market.