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Time English (United States) Language 2 Action
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At some point years and years ago, we humans began living together in groups. And that’s helped
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us do amazing things like create intricate cultural elements like languages and music
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and accomplish big tasks like putting people on the moon -- but it’s also had its challenges.
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Like somewhere along the way we had to decide who was going to go out and hunt and who was
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going to figure out how to invent the wheel. And then we had to decide where different
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shops were located and how we’d divide up natural resources and how to settle
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feuds over land and how it should be used and collect taxes and...the list goes on and on.
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Yet somehow we’ve created all sorts of different systems to solve these
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problems and, well, make our world work. But that doesn’t mean it’s been easy or that
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there aren’t still a lot of questions to answer. Like, just how do we go about creating these
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systems? What types of systems are there? Which ones work best? How do we know? And
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what happens when a group of people with one system of government clash with a
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group of people under another system? Hi, I’m Erica Brozovsky, and welcome to
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Fast Guides, a Study Hall series presented in partnership with Arizona State University and
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Crash Course. In this episode, let’s talk about what you’ll study in a Political Science degree.
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If you’re thinking about majoring in political science, you’re in good company.
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As of 2022, Political science majors have been getting more and more popular in recent years.
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Political science -- which we often affectionately call “poli sci” -- is the study of politics or
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governments. It’s part of the social sciences, which means it focuses on the relationships
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between people and societies, and brings together topics from history, psychology, philosophy,
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and more to study systems of governance and analyze political activities and laws.
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So we study how current events are playing out on the world stage and all of the different
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factors that might have led us to this point. Like why borders between different countries
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are the way they are, such as the long history behind the different enclaves
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and divisions of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Or how the relationships between different
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governments have made cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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super important to making computers. Overall, political science courses tackle
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issues related to public policy, globalization, terrorism, the environment, civil rights,
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political development, international affairs, foreign policy, resource
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allocation, and theories of ideal government. We explore how citizens like us interact with
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their governments and how all levels of government create policies to serve those citizens.
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So poli sci majors often graduate with knowledge of current affairs and the ability
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to think critically and independently while analyzing different viewpoints.
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Really what political science teaches us is how to be effective citizens of different
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governments and how we can take action and be part of our communities and nations.
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In fact, as we get older and we’re exposed to new ideas and viewpoints,
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many people often find that they’re more interested in politics and current events
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and being civically engaged, which sparks many to choose political science as their major.
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After all, there's a lot going on in the world today.
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Like recent data from the Global Peace Index shows that civil unrest doubled from 2010 to 2020.
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And what we think was the largest protest in recorded world history
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just happened in India in 2020 with more than 250 million people participating. So studying
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political science can help us make sense of what's going on and how we can make a difference.
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To get started, you’ll most likely begin your studies with introductory
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courses that give a general overview of the subject, terminology, and methods.
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You’ll study things like poli sci’s greatest thinkers throughout history and learn how to
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analyze contemporary issues and discuss questions like, “What are power structures and how do they
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form?” and “Which types of governance are best?” From there, you’ll move to more specific courses
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on topics like political theory and ideologies, international relations, and legal studies.
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So things like justice, power, and democracy and what those mean,
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how different nations interact with each other now and throughout history, and how the law works.
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Some programs also require or encourage students to enroll in a statistics course
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to help you understand how to interpret data. And toward the end of your undergraduate years,
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you may even complete an independent study or a research project which allows you to explore
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topics you find interesting in greater depth under the guidance of a professor.
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And from the very beginning, political science courses give us knowledge and
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skills that can be applied to real-world problems, so it’s often recommended that
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students also do internships to expand their learning beyond the classroom.
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These internships may be with local political organizations or in government offices,
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and they provide excellent experience that can help you land a job after graduation.
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Another option for rounding out your studies is to participate in a study abroad program
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which lets you spend time studying in another country. So for political science majors,
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study abroad can be a great way to gain a more international perspective.
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In general, majoring in political science gives students a variety of courses and
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opportunities to study politics and policies at the local, national, and global levels.
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So if you like keeping up with current events,
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you get excited when a presidential debate airs, you have your own political aspirations,
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or you just want to make the world a better place, then political science might be the major for you.
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Political science also pairs nicely as a co-major or minor with things like Global Studies,
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Philosophy, Justice Studies, and History. These are all topics that also show up in
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political science and can help you gain deeper knowledge in a specific area.
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Though some schools or professors say the best double majors are two
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wildly different fields as this gives you experience that really stands out from the crowd.
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So always remember that your studies are your own and talk with your professors and advisors about
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what works for you and your school schedule. Ultimately, anyone can study it, but to do
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well as a political science student, it helps to have good analytical and communication skills.
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A lot of studying political science involves presenting and arguing different
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ideas using evidence and reasoning, and it helps if you have a natural drive to drill
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down to the fine points of a topic or claim. People who are good at organization and planning
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perform well because those skills help with sorting out ideas, completing large projects,
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and making decisions. But interest is the most important qualification for any major,
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so don’t worry if you’re still working on some of these skills.
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The important thing for any major is not to get discouraged and to prepare for obstacles
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that are within our power to control. Like, one of the biggest pitfalls students
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encounter with any major happens when they approach their studies by just going through the
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motions, taking the courses, and not engaging on a deeper level or seeking opportunities
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to gain experience outside of the classroom. But this isn’t the experience lots of poli sci
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students have because these students are often active in different extracurriculars.
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So look for opportunities to join student organizations or get involved with campus
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leadership, or seek out summer internships or jobs that support what you’re learning.
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Or some political science majors volunteer to help with local,
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state, and national election campaigns, or serve as interns or pages for government officials.
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Time is precious, and it can be hard to balance school and extracurriculars and
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other life demands like families. But if you’re able to, getting experience outside the classroom
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helps you connect your learning to the real world and test out different career options.
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And if at some point during your studies, you decide political science isn’t right for you,
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keep in mind that many of the courses you will have taken can
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count toward a degree in a related field. Like you might be able to slip seamlessly
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into lots of other social science majors like American Studies, Ethnic Studies,
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Journalism, Economics, Sociology, Criminology, Urban Studies, and more.
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And studying political science doesn’t mean you have to go into politics,
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though it’s great preparation if that’s something you see in your future.
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The skills developed through political science courses like writing,
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communication, or analytical and data skills are applicable to a wide range of career paths.
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Like, policy analysts might work in governments, think tanks, consulting firms,
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and more examining current public policies, identifying problems, and then possibly creating
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and evaluating appropriate solutions. They look closely at the impact current
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and proposed laws have on specific groups or individuals and are responsible for writing
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up reports that summarize research findings. And talking about salaries is hard because so
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much can change year to year or depending on what location you’re in. But as of 2021, on average,
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policy analysts earn over $60,000 per year. Or if you want to work in politics -- even if
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you don’t want to be a politician -- legislative assistants support legislators by drafting
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different laws, conducting research, offering advice, and monitoring pending legislation.
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They may offer general assistance or help with particular areas of expertise
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such as education or environmental policy. The average Legislative Assistant earns somewhere
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between $40 and $50,000 per year as of 2022. Or if global politics are more your thing,
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diplomats negotiate and mediate our relationships with other governments.
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They often live overseas in the country they’re mediating with and oversee peace deals,
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trade and economics, human rights, and environmental issues. Depending on where
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you are and what you’re doing, diplomat salaries are super variable, but as of 2022