Jobe McDermott

ENC 2135

Project One

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Political Science is defined as a social

science concerned chiefly with the description and analysis of political and especially

governmental institutions and processes. At first glance, one could assume political science is

simply keeping up with politics, no different than being a sports analyst. But upon further

examination, one learns that political science not only keeps up with politics, but also examines

how politics affects current and future events, society, and our day to day lives.

I first became truly interested in the study of political science around freshman year of

high school. From a young age, I had a higher than usual interest in following politics than most

children, and my parents regularly joked about me becoming the president one day. As I grew

older and decided I want to pursue a political career, I began to realize I didn't really know what

political jobs there were besides being a politician. This was perhaps one of the driving factors in

researching job opportunities in the political field, not only for the sake of the project, but also

because I still didnt know what I could do with my degree. This essay, however, not only helps

clarify post-graduation opportunities, but also how a political science degree will aid in the

acquisition of a job. After completing the assignment, I not only learned what was available to

me, but what skills would be needed to find a job, and how to harness those skills into being

successful in my future career. In addition, the essay also covers the basics of a political science

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degree; what students are learning, what skills are being taught, and how political science degree

programs vary around the country.

When first beginning research, it only seemed natural to start at the beginning; finding

out what political science was. Through secondary sources, as well as interviewing those familiar

with the field, an image began to form that depicted the complex world of politics. In short,

political science is exactly what it sounds like: the science of politics. But looking further,

political science takes many different forms, and can focus on many different subjects. Political

scientists can study healthcare, revolutions in third-world countries, elections, the environment

the list goes on and on. Political science is so wide a field, because anything that can be affected

by policymaking and the government falls under its umbrella. Political Scientists also come in

many different forms; the can be teachers, news commentators, reporters, etc. All in all, pretty

much anyone that works with analyzing politics is a political scientist.

From gaining an understanding of the general field, my focus then shifted to

understanding the major of political science. I examined a study conducted by person that

compared degree programs from colleges all around the country. By looking at studies like this

one, I could compare the schools programs with FSUs and get a general idea of the current

ideas, teachings, and mindsets of political science teachings. The study created a general outline,

similar too the mapping process of FSU, that highlighted what those researches thought was the

best course of action for political science students.

Part of understanding the major, however, is also being able to understand how to use that

degree to get job and be successful in it. I began looking at studies to find out how successful

political science majors were in finding a job, and I also looked at jobs in the political science

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field in general. Moving away from scholarly articles, I began to focus more on my professional

sources; career guides, newspaper articles, etc., that all covered how you could use a political

science degree, and what current jobs looked like. I studied everything from news articles to

annual job reports; basically anything that talked about post-graduation opportunities.

When it came time to choose who to interview, I thought it would be difficult to choose

who to talk to. Being such a vast field, it seemed as if there would be endless options on who to

speak with. But after talking with those that were familiar with the field, I was able to use the

connections I had to find interviewees, and the process was actually much easier than I thought it

would be than when I first set out. The first person I knew I really wanted to talk to, who would

be able to greatly help me out, was my public policy professor, Charles Barrilleaux. Not only

was he a professor who would have an understanding of the major, but he was also the author of

several popular papers, give examples, and the textbook Democratic Policymaking. I knew that

speaking with him would allow me to gain a better understanding of how I could use the degree

to succeed after graduation, as well as let me hear his thoughts on political science as a whole.

The next person I decided to speak with was Kimmy McMillin, a student here at Florida

State who is also a political science major. Kimmy and I have known each other since I was a

freshman and she was a junior in high school, and we both had a passion for politics. I went with

Kimmy because not only is she a political science major, but is also extremely engaged in the

political sphere outside of the classroom. I knew she would have enough knowledge to answer

my questions and fully comprehend the answers I was looking for.

The final person I interviewed was Jared LastName, who is an employee for the Attorney

Generals office here in Tallahassee. Jared would be an ideal candidate to interview because he

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worked regularly with one of the figureheads of the Executive Branch for Floridas government.

The attorney generals office works with all three branches of government, as well as the

bureaucracy which allows them to have a unique understanding of the functions of many aspects

of the government. Further, he would have a solid understanding of what being a workforce

member meant, as well as tips for getting a job.

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