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What would I have to do to prepare for political science?
I have a big sense of justice so I thought taking a career path to become a lawyer would suit me and I could do good on that field.
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3 answers
Paul Goetzinger MPA
Academic and Career Consultant and Freelance Writer, TRIO Program Administrator
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Paul’s Answer
You are going to need to establish a good background by taking a lot of foundational courses, and completing your General University Requirements in preparing for your future major.
You can prepare for the major by reviewing your social science university requirements and attempting to put as many Political Science courses into this section, and also into your electives section. This will include your introductory Political Science classes, Constitutional Law, Foreign Affairs, classes on the various parts of the government, and others in the 100 and 200 freshman and sophomore levels
with the political science major, you will need develop critical thinking and strong reading/writing skills. So, you can develop these by taking English and History courses, and also consider introductory courses in economics, sociology, and foreign languages. So, developing a good background in the social sciences subjects is very helpful, with this particular degree.
Since Political Science is a social science you will also need to develop research and data analysis skills by taking statistics and methods courses, and gain real-world experience through internships or volunteering in political campaigns or with government agencies or officials.
Each university is different, in their specific requirements and university programs, So, review the university course catalog to understand their particular course and admission requirements early in your preparation.
You can prepare for the major by reviewing your social science university requirements and attempting to put as many Political Science courses into this section, and also into your electives section. This will include your introductory Political Science classes, Constitutional Law, Foreign Affairs, classes on the various parts of the government, and others in the 100 and 200 freshman and sophomore levels
with the political science major, you will need develop critical thinking and strong reading/writing skills. So, you can develop these by taking English and History courses, and also consider introductory courses in economics, sociology, and foreign languages. So, developing a good background in the social sciences subjects is very helpful, with this particular degree.
Since Political Science is a social science you will also need to develop research and data analysis skills by taking statistics and methods courses, and gain real-world experience through internships or volunteering in political campaigns or with government agencies or officials.
Each university is different, in their specific requirements and university programs, So, review the university course catalog to understand their particular course and admission requirements early in your preparation.
Updated
Natalie’s Answer
Hi Franco! Building off of Paul's answer, to prepare for your political science program, I would recommend exploring books, podcasts, news sources, etc. that you find interesting and exciting, and really hone in on your "why" for choosing political science as your major. Even if this answer changes over time, asking yourself this question now will help you later on when you're making other decisions - from classes and specializations, to deciding about law school programs and jobs you'd like to take!
Also, I was a political science major and pivoted into the business field, and now work in Marketing. My political science degree has been super helpful for navigating the business world - understand how to synthesize and process information, create a compelling argument, research different topics, and creative problem solving, and much more. Keep an open mind as you explore this major and future career paths - you never know where you'll end up!
Also, I was a political science major and pivoted into the business field, and now work in Marketing. My political science degree has been super helpful for navigating the business world - understand how to synthesize and process information, create a compelling argument, research different topics, and creative problem solving, and much more. Keep an open mind as you explore this major and future career paths - you never know where you'll end up!
Updated
Alex’s Answer
Hey Franco! You asked a great question, and there are a few things to think about as part of it. One question I have for you is whether your main goal is to go into law as a career and you see political science as the most direct path there, or whether
Going into law:
One of the great things about law is that you can become a lawyer coming from many different backgrounds! Political science is a great one and very common, and I'll discuss my thoughts on that next. But it's also important to say that law schools and legal employers value people who have all different kinds of academic and career backgrounds. You mentioned you have a strong sense of justice, and that's a wonderful starting point. It's worth taking some time to reflect for yourself on what kinds of justice you feel the most passionate about: public defense (being a hardworking, committed lawyer for people who are depending on the government to provide legal representation, often because they cannot afford their own lawyer), criminal justice (helping to bring bad actors to justice), criminal justice reform (making sure the parts of the legal system dedicated to criminal justice are designed and carried out in a fair way to everyone), environmental, national security, family law, or something else! Maybe a few of those appeal to you -- keep in mind that you can try to combine your interests when it comes to law.
Law school also appeals to many people who gravitate toward political science because they can use some of their same strengths in both areas, like strong writing, critical thought, and relying on evidence to build arguments.
Political science (PSCI): That said, political science is a great field to study if you're interested in law. It's common for a reason -- many people who go to law school are interested in how the government works, why it works the way it does, and how to solve relevant problems with it to help it do a better job.
It's important to say that if you study political science, you might find a different career path that appeals to you! You might become interested in working in an executive government agency like the EPA, Commerce, or FBI (the Department of Justice might be a great way to combine your interests). You might find you want to work as a staff member in Congress. You might become interested in doing research on a specific academic topic that's of interest to you, which could take you into academia, working at a think tank, or joining the private sector. There are subfields within political science that you might consider exploring: domestic politics, international relations, comparative politics, political theory, etc.
So, how to get into political science? The great thing is that you don't need to have taken any classes in the field before college. But you might want to think about why the subject appeals to you -- is it a philosophical appeal? An interest in history? Interest in how systems of government work? Justice itself is a relevant concept, but if that's really the one topic motivating you, you might also consider majors like philosophy or criminology.
Going into law:
One of the great things about law is that you can become a lawyer coming from many different backgrounds! Political science is a great one and very common, and I'll discuss my thoughts on that next. But it's also important to say that law schools and legal employers value people who have all different kinds of academic and career backgrounds. You mentioned you have a strong sense of justice, and that's a wonderful starting point. It's worth taking some time to reflect for yourself on what kinds of justice you feel the most passionate about: public defense (being a hardworking, committed lawyer for people who are depending on the government to provide legal representation, often because they cannot afford their own lawyer), criminal justice (helping to bring bad actors to justice), criminal justice reform (making sure the parts of the legal system dedicated to criminal justice are designed and carried out in a fair way to everyone), environmental, national security, family law, or something else! Maybe a few of those appeal to you -- keep in mind that you can try to combine your interests when it comes to law.
Law school also appeals to many people who gravitate toward political science because they can use some of their same strengths in both areas, like strong writing, critical thought, and relying on evidence to build arguments.
Political science (PSCI): That said, political science is a great field to study if you're interested in law. It's common for a reason -- many people who go to law school are interested in how the government works, why it works the way it does, and how to solve relevant problems with it to help it do a better job.
It's important to say that if you study political science, you might find a different career path that appeals to you! You might become interested in working in an executive government agency like the EPA, Commerce, or FBI (the Department of Justice might be a great way to combine your interests). You might find you want to work as a staff member in Congress. You might become interested in doing research on a specific academic topic that's of interest to you, which could take you into academia, working at a think tank, or joining the private sector. There are subfields within political science that you might consider exploring: domestic politics, international relations, comparative politics, political theory, etc.
So, how to get into political science? The great thing is that you don't need to have taken any classes in the field before college. But you might want to think about why the subject appeals to you -- is it a philosophical appeal? An interest in history? Interest in how systems of government work? Justice itself is a relevant concept, but if that's really the one topic motivating you, you might also consider majors like philosophy or criminology.