Political
Science market tougher
By Jill Thomsen
Daily Forty Niner
For
many lawyers, small business owners, corporate
managers and political candidates, the road
to success begins at the undergraduate level
studying political science.
Under the College of Liberal Arts, political
science majors pursue many different avenues
after graduation.
Events such as the Job Fair offer an opportunity
for political science students to market
themselves, according to Carol Brown-Elston,
career counselor at the Career Development
Center. Although no companies coming to
the career fair specifically listed political
science as a major they are recruiting from,
Brown-Elston said a lot of companies are
looking at students from any major. The
field is very much open, noted Brown-Elston,
and really depends on what the individual
wants to do.
Cal State Long Beach’s political science
department has approximately 370 students
in the major, with approximately 100 scheduled
to graduate over the coming year. The six
areas of specialization within the department
include comparative politics and public
policy and administration.
Political science senior Katie Totoonchie
plans to continue in academics and go into
a doctorate program. Totoonchie, like many
other political science students, has participated
in an internship in Washington, D.C. as
well as worked on a political campaign.
Totoonchie’s international relations concentration
within the major has prepared her for work
within an institution such as the State
Department.
Professor Ron Schmidt, an academic adviser
within the department, said he expects the
job market to be a little tougher than it
was three or four years ago, but that it
will affect all majors. Political science
teaches students how to make sense of social
and organizational environments in a strategic
way, therefore the students have a broad
education and tend to do better over the
long run in careers involving business and
management, Schmidt said.
Another path common to political science
students is law school. Political science
senior Chris Ticknor is taking the LSAT
Saturday along with other students. Ticknor
said he is waiting to see where he will
apply until after he receives his scores.
He is looking forward to law school and
is excited about the prospect of “studying
something I am really interested in.”
Department Chairman Charles Noble said the
key to a successful career path for political
science students is to think along the way
about what they want to do. Noble said that
internships, service learning, working on
campaigns and other experiences can provide
networking opportunities for the future.
Other career paths taken by political science
majors include teaching at the secondary
school level, working at nonprofit organizations
and working in public affairs and policy
fields. Though the jobs market is tight
for all majors, success can depend on networking,
contacts made and experience, said Brown-Elston.
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