Careers for Political Studies grads

Did you know that a degree in Political Studies is ranked one of the most useful degrees (Indeed 2023 and 2024)?

Civil society and education

Potential employers

  • Non-governmental agencies, not-for-profits and charities
  • Consulting companies, pollsters and public opinion companies
  • Think tanks and research institutes
  • School boards, colleges and universities

Careers

Policy analyst, pollster, government affairs specialist, lobbyist, policy advocacy, executive director, teacher, community relations, community development, economic development officer, etc.

Public service in Canada and abroad

Potential employers

  • The federal, provincial, and municipal governments (e.g., housing, health, climate, public safety)
  • Semi-independent governmental agencies, boards, commissions, and Crown corporations (e.g., Elections Canada, Statistics Canada)
  • Embassies and international organizations (e.g., United Nations, World Bank, NATO)

Careers

Policy analyst, program management, program/policy evaluation, policy director, spy, police officer, policy advisor, diplomat, labour analyst, consultant, etc.

Politics

Potential employers

  • Elected officials and political parties
  • Legislatures and parliament
  • Political institutions
  • Indigenous governments and communities

Careers

Executive assistant, parliamentary advisor/aid, researcher, recruiter, organizer, policy advisor, campaign manager, assistant to an elected official (municipal, provincial or federal), etc.

Journalism and communications

Potential employers

  • Newspaper, magazine, and website publishers, radio and television broadcasting networks, public relations agencies

Careers

Media strategist, social media manager, communications coordinator, journalist, researcher, public affairs specialist, speech writer, news analyst, investigative journalist, self-employed writer, etc.

Law and policy

Law schools accept more applicants with Political Science degrees than from any other educational background, according to renowned Canadian politics expert and professor Rand Dyck.

Careers

Legal analyst, lawyer, prosecutor, legal clerk, paralegal, diplomat, custom officer, policy advisor, etc.

Private sector

Potential employers

  • Private companies and multinational companies in all sectors

Careers

Market researcher, lobbyist, governmental relations, business intelligence, market analysis, risk analysis, technical writer, etc.