The careers that are discussed in this pamphlet were selected because of their interest to political science students. They do not represent the total range of career opportunities, but they are the most prominent (and the most logical) options available to those with undergraduate degrees in Political Science.  The categories deal with politics, government service, the law and paralegal profession, teaching, broadcasting, newspaper publishing and department store retailing.

Politics in America is a big business and is one of the most accessible of all careers if you are willing to volunteer your services for a short time. Graduates entering the field must be interested in the political process per se, and not necessarily in the process of government. To break in, an internship is highly recommended. It can often serve as the stepping-stone to a paid position in a field where many entry-level employees are hired on a volunteer basis. Jobs are rarely advertised except by word of mouth. College graduates who have been politically active or who have been interns hold an unqualified edge over others looking to enter the political process.

The three areas of access into the political arena are 1) working on staff for a state or national legislator, governor or mayor; 2) joining a campaign; or 3) taking a job with a public interest group or political party.

1) Legislators at the National, State or City Level: The staff has two primary functions: keeping the politician (your boss) informed of his/her constituents' views;  developing legislation or policy to reflect those views.

Entry Level: Staff Assistant Researcher

2) Campaigning: Working on the campaign of a candidate for local, state or national office is the most exciting way to break into the political arena. The campaign committee is responsible for all the public relations  activities that establish and maintain a candidate's image. It also develops policy, raises money, and at election time, gets out the vote.

Entry Level: Volunteer, Fieldworker, & Staff Aide

3) Public Interest Advocacy Groups (Partisan & Non-Partisan): Among the most well-known are Common Cause, Ralph Nader's Citizen Lobby, the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE), Business and Industry's Political Action Committee (BIPAC), the National Wildlife Federation, and the National Organization of Women (NOW). Their goal is to persuade incumbent politicians to vote in favor of or against particular policies. Staffs must carry out extensive research on current issues, assess strategy pro and con, and balance issue importance with the priorities of the administration and the legislature.

Entry Level: Research Assistant, Press Assistant, Assistant Field Representative

Today government is the single, largest employer in the United States. Millions work for Federal, State and Local Governments in an endless variety of jobs. The skills of the political science major are obviously geared to government service. Political scientists are employed to conduct research and analysis in the areas of public policy and public administration, and some work in the legal system. However, graduate degrees are almost invariably required; the comparatively few entry-level positions open to those with only a Bachelor's Degree demand a superior academic record and a background of extensive research.

Three opportunities with the Federal Government that should be of special interest to the political science major are: Intelligence Services, Foreign Service and the Peace Corps. If you are intrigued by any of these, begin your investigation early in your academic career. Each is highly selective and requires specific skills and experience. You must be well-prepared by the time you graduate in order to compete.

Intelligence Analyst/Agent (Central Intelligence Agency - CIA); (Defense Intelligence Agency - DIA)

The Federal Government employs large staffs of skilled people with varied backgrounds, all of whom endeavor to analyze and understand the current world situation. The two main sources of intelligence gathering for the U.S. Government are the CIA and DIA. The CIA reports directly to the President and the National Security Council, providing information on the world situation as it relates to national security. The DIA also investigates international matters, but is responsible for providing information directly to the Department of Defense. Although it serves the military, DIA analysts are non-military personnel. In many respects, both organizations analyze the same data, but the users of this information and their purposes in requesting it are different. The job of the intelligence analyst in either agency is to gather all bits of information, which may be fragmentary or secondhand, and try to create a coherent image of a nation or a particular international problem. Both agencies hire outside the Office of Personnel Management. Each subjects applicants to medical exams and stringent security checks. Many applicants have advanced degrees, but those with Bachelor's Degrees are considered. Each agency has an extensive training program for entry-level personnel.

Foreign Service Officers (Department of State):

Foreign Service Officers staff over 300 U.S. Diplomatic and consular offices around the world, and serve in Washington, D.C. as well. They are assigned duties in the economic, business, political, and cultural areas, and serve as consular officers and in administrative positions. Overseas, they have extensive contact with foreigners, interpreting U.S. foreign policy, protecting the interests of Americans abroad, processing visas, and carrying on intelligence work. Obviously, only U.S. citizens are eligible. You must first take the Foreign Service Exam offered the first Saturday of each December. A broad knowledge of domestic and foreign affairs, with an emphasis on American history, government and culture, is required. If you are accepted into

the foreign service, you are given several weeks of orientation at the Foreign Service Institute, followed by up to seven months of training. Fluency in a foreign language is not a requirement for application but it is an asset.

Peace Corps Volunteers

Over 5,000 volunteers serve in 58 countries throughout the world to help developing nations meet their needs for trained personnel, and promote mutual understanding between Americans and the people of those countries. All offer their skills as volunteers, making two-year commitments, and serve as guests of the host countries.  Although the personal rewards should be your primary concern, Peace Corps experience can be a valuable asset if you plan a career in the international sector, whether that career is in the foreign service, the United Nations, or other international organizations, or in international business. It is equally valuable if you plan to teach, do research, or write about global affairs.

INTERNSHIPS

The Federal Government sponsors an excellent program of cooperative education for undergraduates. However, for you to be eligible, your college must participate in the program. Students from a wide variety of majors are recruited to work full-time or part-time at a government agency. Most positions are for those with a specific academic concentration, such as accounting and computer science. Students with other

backgrounds can find openings, but opportunities are more limited. For information, consult your school's internship or placement office. The Department of State offers plenty of options for students interested in a foreign service career. You may be a summer intern, which is a paying position, or you may intern during the fall or spring semester, which is not compensated. Applicant for a summer position must be submitted by the preceding November l; applications for fall or spring internship must be received at least six months in advance. Students must be juniors or seniors, have studied some pertinent coursework, and be willing to permit a background investigation before they are accepted. For information, write:

Intern Coordinator, Department of State, P.0. Box 9317, Rosslyn Station, Arlington, Virginia  22209-0317.

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

State and local governments also have personnel departments. The hiring process may be similar to that of the Federal Government, but should be less complicated. Again, the first step is to find out where job information is available, and to whom applications must be addressed. Many state & local governments have residency requirements which could be an important consideration in your job search. We couldn't possibly begin to list the job titles, however, they can be found within the following types of services: Administration & Legislation, Corrections & Court System, Education, Health & Human Services, Highway & Street Construction and Maintenance, Housing & Community Development, Library, Parks & Recreation, Police & Fire Protection, Social & Welfare Services, Transportation

LAW

The practice of law offers a wide variety of career choices for liberal arts graduates. The long arm of the law is an apt phrase not only to describe the law's ability to deal with its violators, but also to point to the fact that the law touches each and everyone of us in our daily lives. Everyday lawyers in our nation's civil and criminal courts argue to protect the rights of society and of individuals, and address the fundamental questions of what is fair and just. The majority of lawyers work in one of the following three areas: corporate practice, government service, or private practice. Other areas of practice include politics, public interest law, and teaching.

PARALEGAL PROFESSION

A paralegal, also called a legal assistant or sometimes a legal technician, is someone who can do everything a lawyer can do, short of arguing a case in court, giving legal advice, accepting clients, setting or accepting legal fees or making legal decisions. They can do all the varied research necessary for the preparation of any legal proceeding, including drafting legal documents, researching points of law, and investigating the facts of a case. Some also deal directly with clients and assist the attorney in court, while others do all their work in the office. Employers include: law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies and public service agencies.

TEACHING

For the past 3 or 4 years, the Office of Career Planning & Placement has noticed a shortage in Secondary Education teachers, and while it is true that Certification is required to teach in New York State, once a school has exhausted every possible means to find a certified teacher, they are allowed to hire someone who is not certified. Political Science graduates, there were some graduates who accepted teaching positions in the public schools of New York State. In addition, private schools often hire non-certified liberal arts graduates for teaching  positions. Some of these private schools offer special first-year training programs for inexperienced teacher candidates which will assist them in obtaining certification.

BROADCASTING

In broadcasting, the best opportunities for political science majors exist in radio and television news departments. The news department is often the largest at a station, but job opportunities are often awarded first to those with a journalism background. However, a good political science background and an understanding of the political, social, and economic underpinnings of the news can be impressive and may give you a competitive edge. As a reporter, and armed with a tape recorder and microphone, you'll go wherever the action is. You will interview people at the scene, take notes, and tape-record interviews and meetings before writing a story summarizing the event, and editing the tape for appropriate quotes to thread into your story. You'll write, edit, and deliver the story back at the station if there's still time before the next newscast; otherwise you'll write the story on the spot and dictate it over the phone into a machine at the station. Most radio stations broadcast the news at least once every hour. Although news jobs are extremely difficult to get, the total number of these jobs has increased because of the growing number of stations broadcasting all news 24 hours a day.

NEWSPAPER PUBLISHING

Becoming a star reporter on a major metropolitan daily is the career dream of many graduates looking to break into the field, but the hard, cold truth is that only the most talented find their way onto the staffs of papers like The New York Times, The Washington Post, or The Wall Street Journal. Fewer still are the

Woodwards and Bernsteins who achieve hero status. Nonetheless, there are plenty of opportunities to distinguish yourself in this profession. Besides reporting, other job areas at newspapers include Editing, Advertising Space Sales, and Circulation.

DEPARTMENT STORE RETAILING

Graduates of virtually any discipline may enter department store retailing. Prospective employers are looking for demonstrated capacity to learn and make quick, sound judgments, and are less interested in academic backgrounds. You must be flexible, comfortable with people, self-disciplined, and highly motivated. Most entry-level jobs are in merchandising - an area further divided into: Store Management & Buying.

Management - If you're a "people person", consider the store management side of merchandising. You'll be responsible for monitoring and motivating your sales staff, assisting in the selection of merchandise for your department, making decisions and solving problems.

Buying - A buyer decides which goods will be available in a store. Buyers authorize merchandise purchases from wholesalers, and set the retail prices. A sensitivity to changing trends, tastes, and styles, and an ability to understand and forecast the preference of your own store's customers is crucial. Buyers must also maintain standards of quality while keeping within certain ranges of affordability. During training,you'll work immediately as an assistant to an experienced buyer. The trainee progresses by observing,asking questions, and offering to take on appropriate responsibilities.