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A political scientist typically spends a lot of time in research, study, and analysis of political trends, governments, political ideas, and other related issues. They evaluate current policy based on public opinion surveys, election results, and economic data in order to come to an informed conclusion of the predicted impact of new policies.
How to Become a Political Scientist
A political scientist typically needs to finish a master’s degree or PhD program in political science, public administration, or a related field. In order to be accepted into a graduate program an aspirant needs undergraduate courses in writing, statistics, and political science. Some colleges and universities offer master’s degrees in international relations, political science, or other specialities of political science. It is also advantageous for an applicant to have experience from an internship or a related field.
He or she often gains a Master of Public Policy (MPP), Master of Public Administration (MPA) or a Master of Public Affairs degree. A political scientist may choose to focus on a specific area of interest after these programs are completed, like national politics, political theory, international relations, or comparative politics. This requires many years of coursework after which they conduct independent research for a dissertation.
Job Description of a Political Scientist
A political scientist typically spends a lot of time in research, study, and analysis of political trends, governments, political ideas, and other related issues. Depending on where they work, they would do research in one of four main sub fields such as international relations, national politics, political theory, or comparative politics.
Political scientists gather and process data from election results or public opinion surveys. They use historical documents to develop theories and test these theories by using statistical analysis or other quantitative methods. He or she studies globalization, the difference between political structures in other countries, and political parties to evaluate the consequences of laws and policies on government, people, and businesses.
Political scientist monitors current events that are relevant to their job and strive to predict social, political, and economic trends. They write reports based on their research, as well as publish articles and give presentations. Some political scientists choose to teach in postsecondary or high school. A political scientist requires skills in communication, critical thinking and writing. They should have intellectual curiosity to search for new information and ideas for research and original papers that would be current.
Article Citations
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Political Scientists.
National Center for O*NET Development. 19-3094.00. O*NET OnLine.
