A degree in Political Science at Glendon will encourage you to grapple with big ideas about how the world works. How do power, authority, law, institutions, and theories produce systems of governance and permeate our lives? By studying various subfields such as comparative politics, Canadian politics, political theory, and international relations, you can amass knowledge on a wide range of important subjects, from the local to the global. Political Science will prepare you for a great variety of professional careers and work environments.
This list is not exhaustive but provides an idea of the options graduates have and what they have gone on to do. Some options are more directly associated with a Political Science degree than others.
- Activist
- Business Administrator
- Community Worker
- Consumer Advocate
- Corporate Trainer
- Editor
- Event Coordinator
- Executive Assistant
- Foreign Correspondent
- Foreign Service Officer
- Fundraiser
- Government Administrator
- Historical Researcher
- Human Resource Specialist
- Immigration Officer
- Institutional Researcher
- International Relations Specialist
- Journalist
- Labour Relations Specialist
- Lawyer
- Legal Secretary
- Legislative Aid
- Lobbyist
- Market Research Analyst
- Media Correspondent
- Mediator
- Non-profit Administrator
- Paralegal
- Police/Corrections Officer
- Policy Analyst
- Policy Researcher
- Politician
- Population Studies Analyst
- Professor
- Public Affairs Consultant
- Public Opinion Analyst
- Public Policy Analyst
- Public Relations Consultant
- Public Speaking Consultant
- Purchasing Agent/Buyer
- Real Estate Agent
- Researcher
- Speech Writer
- Teacher
NOTE: Some of these career choices may require additional education or preparation in the form of graduate studies, experiential education, or professional formative courses and exams. For a more in-depth description and overall background of some of the careers mentioned above, refer to Job Bank’s Trend Analysis tool by typing the job title into the search engine.
Additionally, consider visiting the Career Cruising website. To locate the university’s username and password, you must login to Experience York using your Passport York information. It can be found under the “Career Education & Development” drop-down menu on the left then under “Career Development Tools”.
A background in Political Science ensures that you develop the skills and mindset to tackle many different professional challenges.
Core Political Science Skills
- Strong critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills
- The capacity for the individual to ask the right question, to search for the answer, to consider alternatives, and to provide an original and well-thought-out explanation.
- Comprehensive understanding of the driving forces of social and political change and the critical issues facing our world and the political context in which we exist
- Knowledge of various approaches and perspectives to creatively search for innovative solutions and promote change for greater justice, prosperity, and peace around the world and in everyday life
- The ability to conceptualize and think critically about crucial dimensions of political life, including the values, ideas, institutions, and social structures that shape it.
- Interpersonal and cross-cultural skills
- Ability to examine contemporary development institutions and evaluate the ethical dilemmas they face
- Resource and time management
Communication, Data Gathering and Organizational Skills
- The ability to present your thoughts clearly and intelligently in written statements
- An ability to organize, understand and analyze ideas and sources of information and to apply novel forms of technology or new information and ideas to different professional settings and tasks
- Deduction of information from various sources and the ability to concentrate on relevant resources, and to discern the important from the unimportant, the reliable from the unreliable.
- The capacity to critically analyze problems, think creatively, and make sound decisions while considering different sides of an argument
- The ability to explain complex ideas clearly to others and to apply complex theoretical concepts to everyday practice and professional dilemmas
Management and Teamwork
- The ability to interpret and analyze information presented by peers and efficiently and constructively support or challenge their proposals, theories, ideas and reports in order to achieve a project’s intended and successful result
- Logical thinking skills and the ability to lead and interact with a variety of people with different approaches and personal and professional backgrounds
- Skills enabling you to work effectively in group situations, partaking in decision-making, leading and contributing in various capacities to the ultimate success of the team and task
- The capability to identify priorities and proper courses of action, to plan the execution of tasks and to determine and delegate responsibilities to group members to most effectively carry out projects
Knowing the industry and how to excel in it after receiving a degree are key elements of future success. University study sets up the building blocks you will need to develop and enhance your understanding and knowledge in your career. Being part of a professional organization or network and gaining further insight through training are excellent ways of increasing your knowledge of the field.