Political Science helps students drive their career with a multitude of exciting opportunities. The study of political science is an ideal choice for students keen on understanding and evaluating the functions of politics, the government, and society. Political Science is a perfect subject for anyone interested in learning how political systems function, as well as those who aspire to develop essential critical thinking and analytical skills. Check out our free courses to get an edge over the competition.
These reasons make political science among the most sought–after majors among humanities students today. Listed below are some great career options for a career in Political Science that students can explore. Let’s discuss some political science courses after 12th.
Learners receive an average Salary hike of 58% with the highest being up to 400%.Career Options in Political Science
1. Civil Services
Civil servants are the steel frame of India. They are behind the successful implementation of policies and administration. They work from the ground level to develop the country and take it forward through their efforts and vision. Becoming an IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), or IFS (Indian Foreign Services) officer is considered one of the most respectable professions in India.Â
A career in civil services also offers a chance to bring about radical and positive changes in India’s fabric, since officers play an important role in the execution of law and order in the country. You can also consider doing our Management Essentials Bootcamp if you are interested.
Interestingly, Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) is one of the optional subjects for the UPSC exam, the aspiring bureaucrats who already have an education background in political science grab the PSIR concepts quicker than the rest. For anyone considering appearing for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam, a thorough knowledge of Political Science is a must, and studying the subject at the undergraduate level can immensely help aspirants.
Skills requiredÂ
- Responsible
- Accountable
- Patriotic
- Transparent
- IntegrityÂ
- Hard work
- Committed
It is one of the sought-after political science career options; the basic salary for an IAS officer is INR 56,000 per month.
Must Read: What to do after 12thÂ
2. Policy Analyst
Political Science majors develop strong critical thinking, writing, and research skills, along with an in-depth knowledge of public policy, all of which are essential requirements for applying for the role of a policy analyst. The job of policy analysts is to evaluate the impacts of adopting a policy and use the analysis to devise arguments that either support or discredit the implementation. They do extensive research on the existing situation, identify the problems, and come up with solutions. They should be having strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
This is a great career option for Political Science graduates, as students possess the necessary proficiency in the political and legislative processes of the country and are an excellent fit for the job.
The political science scope in India is good. The role of the Policy Analyst is an example.Â
Skills required
- CommunicationÂ
- Research
- Political aptitude
- Data managementÂ
- Critical thinkingÂ
- Reports generation
It is one of those government jobs after ba political science, where one can get an opportunity to work with the government as well. The average salary of a Policy Analyst is 7.0 lakhs per annum.
Featured Program for you: Business Analytics Certification Programme
3. Law
The laws of the Indian state, as well as the Indian Constitution, form a significant component of the syllabus of Political Science. This makes the students of the subject ideal for pursuing law following the completion of their studies, given how they already have an in-depth knowledge regarding the fundamentals of the discipline.
Although both of them are two different fields of study but having studied political science is an added advantage to law students. A fair understanding of political sciencegives a good perspective of political behavior, political activities, and theories.Â
It is one of those reputable political science honours career options one can pursue.Â
Skills required
- Law aptitude
- People handling
- Communication
- DocumentationÂ
- ResearchÂ
- Time Management
The scope of political science is high, and law professionals do get a good salary. The average salary for a law professional is 6.0 lakhs per annum.
4. Legislative Assistant
Most people are unaware of the fact that Members of Parliament and other elected representatives and officials often hire assistants who can help them with their legislative duties.
These hires are professionally known as legislative assistants, who work in close collaboration with our MPs to research on policy issues, pending legislation, inquire into the problems of citizens within the jurisdiction of their employers, and coordinate and communicate with other officials of the jurisdiction.
The legislative assistants also prepare reports and maintain data on the undergoing issues, development, and implementation of the policies for the MPs. This data is not generic but rather related to the constituency of these ministers. This gives a rational perspective to the ministers so they could do the work effectively. It is one of those sought-after BA political science jobs.Â
Skills required
- Paralegal
- Law ClerkÂ
- Legal SecretaryÂ
- Legal Assistant
The average salary for a legislative assistant is 32,689 per month.Â
5. Social Media Manager
From political candidates, officials, and parties to interest groups, every individual or organisation in the public eye needs a strong social media presence. Their presence further needs to be managed by social media experts who understand politics and current issues well.
This is where political science graduates can leverage their knowledge of what constitutes a positive public image and opinion, and formulate and implement plans to shape and enhance their clients’ social media campaigns.
With the advent of social media, having a positive social media presence and image is pertinent. Social media is working as a tool to bridge the gap between legislators and citizens. It is a good career scope in political science because the manager can do a need analysis basis their educational background and strategise relevant content on the page. Relevancy of the content enhances the connection and thus creates popularity among the people.
It is one of the in-demand career in political science.Â
Skills requiredÂ
- Communication
- Social Media
- SEO
- CreativityÂ
- EfficiencyÂ
- Customer Care
The average salary for a social media manager is 4.5 lakhs per annum.
Read: Top Career Options after BAÂ
6. Journalism
A good political journalist is someone who has profound expertise in politics and aspires to use it to increase public awareness about the same across different media. Political Science graduates make excellent political journalists, reporters, and correspondents, given their competence in politics and their understanding of the political environment.
Whether students choose to supplement their undergraduate degree with a degree or diploma in journalism or mass communication or start working directly after graduation, journalism is a fantastic career option for Political Science graduates. Political science students can choose to upskill themselves by doing a degree or diploma in either journalism or mass communication. They could choose to work in the industry right after they complete graduation. journalism is a fantastic career option for political science graduates.
There are various political science job opportunities in the field of journalism, one can go ahead and pursue any field of their interest.Â
Skills required
- CommunicationÂ
- Attention to detailÂ
- Research skills
- Problem-solvingÂ
- Digital LiteracyÂ
7. Marketing Research Analyst
Therefore, they develop a knack for marketing jobs, which provides another career option in Political Science, since they can quickly and effortlessly analyse how consumers of a specific demographic will respond to the product through their knowledge of research methodologies. Students can pursue an MBA or enter into the marketing industry right after their graduation.Marketing has a process of STP (Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning), it plays a very big role in making a product successful. In order to market a product correctly in the right demography, with right pricing makes or breaks the demand for a product.
It is one of the in-demand jobs after BA political science where individuals can go ahead and kick-start their careers.
Skills requiredÂ
- Market research
- Communication
- Critical thinkingÂ
- Data Interpretation
8. Teaching
Students who enjoy gaining more knowledge about the subject can consider teaching at the school or college level as a career option in Political Science. At the school level, teachers are required to hold a B.Ed. degree, along with an MA in political science, while at the college level, teachers need to qualify examinations such as UGC NET/ SET and/or hold a Ph.D.
For graduates who are inclined towards academia, teaching is a suitable career in political science. Based on their preference they could either choose to teach in the school or for higher education.Â
It is one of those jobs for political science students where they can get recruited by eminent institutions and fulfil their minds with extensive knowledge.
Also Read: Career Options for Commerce Students
9. Intelligence Analyst
Intelligence analysts work for government agencies like the CBI. They utilise their knowledge of political science to analyse all levels and parameters of development in the country’s volatile regions, which requires their specific knowledge and skill set.
Their work also includes making reports on groups that may pose a threat to national security, study patterns of leadership and public response, and present their findings in a conclusive manner. This opens a good career scope in political science.
10. Political Campaign Staff
A political campaign staff’s job profile is the same as that of a social media manager, except that this work is done mostly offline. Political campaign staff members prepare press releases and draft speeches for their clients, design and execute campaign strategies, analyse current political issues, study public reactions to cultivate their client’s image, and organise fundraisers for the campaign.
11. Public Relations Representative/ Specialist
Public relations representatives or specialists are people who act as mediators between their clients and the public through various platforms of the media. From organising press releases and conferences to managing campaigns, events, and public appearances, the profession requires astute critical skills of researching, writing, and analysing to promote their client’s image, something that political science majors possess in abundance.
Also visit upGrad’s Degree Counselling page for all undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
12. Political Scientist
Lastly, for students who are deeply passionate about the study of political science, academia is an industry that is always open. Students can pursue their MA and PhD in Political Science following the completion of their graduation, to become thinkers and subject matter experts.
Our Top Management Programs & Articles
Conclusion
All of these disciplines can be of service in various industries and fields. The choice of opting for the subject will undoubtedly be easier if you know of the brilliant career options in Political Science that lie ahead after studying the same.
The above-mentioned political science job opportunities are an example of various interesting paths one can choose for themselves. Depending upon where the interest lie, one can choose a path for themselves. As we saw that application of political science education is not restricted to a few opportunities rather it has wider relevancy.
Does political science offer secured secure jobs?
Political science is a field that offers a great deal of job security. Unlike many other fields, graduates of a political science program will likely be able to find a job right away. This is because political science is a field that focuses on the workings of government and politics. While there are many career paths in political science, the field offers some of the best job security in civil services and law. Most jobs in the field are permanent and not temporary, which means that once you are hired, you have a guaranteed position and job security. The Job security also helps to reduce the amount of job hopping in the field.
How to enter civil services in India?
The civil service domain in India is not easy to enter into. India’s Civil Services exam is one of the toughest exams in the world. The recruitment process for the exam is difficult. The different examinations test the candidate’s basic intelligence, ability to think logically, communicate effectively, and work well in a team. The civil services in India offer a variety of benefits, such as a government salary, pension, and insurance. The civil services also offer many opportunities for advancement, such as promotions, career advancement, and transfers between jobs. This means that the civil services provide a stable income for the majority of candidates, regardless of background or education.
What is the scope of political science in India?
There is growing scope for political science graduates. The discipline of political science is large and diverse, with many sub-disciplines and specialised areas of study. Over the years, political science has evolved and expanded to encompass new areas of research such as international relations and comparative politics. It is a multidisciplinary field that draws on many fields of knowledge and expertise including theory, methodology, and measurement. The field of political science is expected to continue to expand in the future, as scholars continue to find new ways to analyse and understand the social, political, and economic behaviors of people around the world.
What can I study after BA political science?
The choice of the subject would be guided by what is the aspiration. As discussed above, there are many political science jobs available, basis that their studies can be strategised For example, if someone is interested to pursue a career as a social media manager, they should upskill themselves by doing a degree/ diploma in digital marketing. Similarly, if the interests lie in law, then one should get a degree in law.
Is political science hard?
The level of difficulty depends upon how one approaches the subject. It is not hard but is different from the other subjects. The skill of analytical skills, critical thinking, and the ability to research is given importance. If all of these interest you then you will not find this subject hard.
Is political science good for future?
It is a degree that has applicability in almost every domain. If one strategises well and focuses on constantly upskilling themselves they will never find themselves questioning the redundancy of the degree. The political science career options have demand from civil services, legal, marketing, journalism, academia, strategy, analysis, etc.
What does a political scientist do?
Political scientist devotes their time to doing research, interpreting, and creating theories on relevant topics. Their scope of studies is from the village bodies to national and international. They not only focus on politics but how policies can solve existing pertinent problems.
Does political science offer secured jobs?
Political science is a field that offers a great deal of job security. Unlike many other fields, graduates of a political science program will likely be able to find a job right away. This is because political science is a field that focuses on the workings of government and politics. While there are many career paths in political science, the field offers some of the best job security in civil services and law. Most jobs in the field are permanent and not temporary, which means that once you are hired, you have a guaranteed position and job security. The job security also helps to reduce the amount of job hopping in the field.
How to enter civil services in India?
The civil service domain in India is not easy to enter into. India’s Civil Services exam is one of the toughest exams in the world. The recruitment process for the exam is difficult. The different examinations test the candidate’s basic intelligence, ability to think logically, communicate effectively, and work well in a team. The civil services in India offer a variety of benefits, such as a government salary, pension, and insurance. The civil services also offer many opportunities for advancement, such as promotions, career advancement, and transfer between jobs. This means that the civil services provide a stable income for the majority of candidates, regardless of background or education.
What is the scope of political science in India?
There is a growing scope for political science graduates. The discipline of political science is large and diverse, with many sub disciplines and specialised areas of study. Over the years, political science has evolved and expanded to encompass new areas of research such as international relations and comparative politics. It is a multidisciplinary field that draws on many fields of knowledge and expertise including theory, methodology, and measurement. The field of political science is expected to continue to expand in the future, as scholars continue to find new ways to analyze and understand the social, political, and economic behaviors of people around the world.
![22 Best Career Options after MCA: What to do After MCA? [2023]](https://prod-eks-app-alb-1037681640.ap-south-1.elb.amazonaws.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/889-300x170.png)
![Career Options for Maths Students in 2023 [Top 10 Courses For Maths Students]](https://prod-eks-app-alb-1037681640.ap-south-1.elb.amazonaws.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/887-300x170.png)
![Top 9 Highest Paid Science Jobs in India for Freshers & Experienced [A Complete Guide]](https://prod-eks-app-alb-1037681640.ap-south-1.elb.amazonaws.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/334-300x170.png)
