r/PoliticalScience • u/shangosling • 8d ago
Career advice Is studying Political Science a good career choice? What jobs can you realistically get, and does it have a good future?
Iam studying in 12 grade and am from india i like politics and i like to pursue political science so all i have heard that after taking political science that we can do only teaching and preparing for govt exams in india so i started to discover careers in political science so i heard about political consultant and political analyst and international relations so is this real i never heard of such jobs so somebody explain to me how can we get to these kind of jobs and have a good career
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u/grounddurries 8d ago
well i’m unemployed sooooooo
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u/DrivenByChallenges 8d ago
I’m not and I just graduated in May 2026 with a 2.3 gpa and yet I worked in all 3 branches of government so far. Its not easy but its possible to do great with a poly sci degree
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u/grounddurries 8d ago
oh totally! just hasn’t happened for me yet unfortunately. graduted in 2025 with an equiv of 4.0 GPA (we don’t do GPAs where i live in Australia, nor do employers really care about it here). most others i know have had a hard time breaking into the job market :(
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u/elputoquevino 8d ago
You might check out: https://apsanet.org/careers/careers-for-political-scientists/majoring-in-political-science/. Poli Sci is a reasonable major job wise — but your prospects will depend on the university you choose and how you decide to apply yourself (eg. internships) more than any specific course
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u/shangosling 8d ago
I like to take political science from delhi university taking from their is more valuable and we will get so many opportunities for internships and jobs i think
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u/fatehpunjabi 8d ago
I did my bachelor’s and master’s in Political Science, and honestly, it’s only good for shit-talking about politics. 😂 It’s not really worth it if your main goal is a government job. What they teach you in college is completely different from what you actually have to prepare for in competitive exams.
I was the topper of my college in Political Science during my bachelor’s, and even during my master’s, I couldn’t really find proper opportunities in political consulting, political analytics, or international relations. These fields are honestly pretty stupid if you don’t have connections. You’re probably not going to find a decent job unless you know someone who can get you in.
So, if you’re serious about government exams, I’d say be more practical. Even now, I’m reading the same shit I’ve been reading since 10th standard. Fuck Plato. 😂
That being said, Political Science is actually pretty good for opening your eyes. It teaches you why you should probably hate Indian politicians and political parties even more. 😂 And it gives you enough knowledge to shit-talk politics because you can be like, “Yeah, I know that article, I know that theory,” but when you look at the actual reality, a lot of it feels pretty stupid.
And honestly, man to man, if your plan is to prepare for government exams, don’t waste your time chasing a fancy college or degree. Go to a decent, easy college where you don’t have to stress too much about exams, get a simple bachelor’s degree, and start preparing for the government exams alongside it. I genuinely think that’s the smarter option.