Is Political Science, International Studies, or International Relations Right for You?
This article will articulate what I think makes a good Political Science or International Studies/Relations student.
By Xavier Royer — November 7, 2023
As I have referenced in prior articles, my day job is an instructor of political science. I am a bit unconventional with the way I talk about the major with current and prospective students. I do not think political science is for everyone. In fact, I do not think it is for most people, and am selective with the type of student who I suggest a political science major or minor to. It has nothing to do with how "smart" I perceive the student to be.
Rather, it's mostly a calculation chiefly of what the student's goals are, (you do not need a political science degree if you want to go to med school, for example) and then a combination of a student's mindset and academic strengths. This article will articulate what I think makes a good Political Science or International Studies/Relations student, with the hope readers who may be considering these majors but are on the fence can make a more educated decision. Political Science and International Studies/Relations are often different majors, but it usually very easy to double major (I did!) and the faculty for both will often overlap, so I am including them in this article, though henceforth will just refer to political science.
Goals
Students considering political science should, ideally, have a career ambition that political science will help with. This may seem obvious, but I see a lot of students misinterpret what political science is and can be used for. I kind of cheated, because my goal was to be an educator and thus could have hypothetically picked anything. Some goals seem like political science would be helpful, but it is more likely that another field might meet that goal slightly easier. Law school, for example, is a common goal for many political science students.
This makes sense on the surface, because as a political science student you do become very familiar with the constitution and judicial system. That being said, unless you specifically want to study constitutional law or maybe international law, another major (or double majoring) might be a batter fit. One of my friends from undergrad double majored in politicals science and biology, and now today works as a healthcare lawyer. If you want to do business law, get a business degree. Law schools will teach you the law part, which means undergrad can be an opportunity to get a background in the thing around which you want to practice law.
Those with aspirations of being politicians might also consider another major; while many of our legislators have a legal background, most build their political identity from business or advocacy roles, not academic backgrounds. Many students who initially start as political science students do so because they have a pet issue they care about. Many of these students jump ship for the humanities, as they realize women and gender studies or black studies departments meet their interests more directly. Ideal political science students have an interest in campaigns and being a political agent, or working in the government in a bureau such as the State Department or Department of Homeland Security.
Attitudes
All of the positions a political science student will be looking to get take a lot of determination and grinding to get to. Most of those positions won't hire random undergrads without either a connection to the organization or some kind of unique experience. This means that a good political science student needs to understand that they'll need to put in a lot of extra effort either volunteering or interning for little to no money, and will need to be very willing to shake hands with lots of people. Should they get a job on a campaign or in government, they'll need to be prepared - these positions are fast faced and will dip into one's personal life.
If you want a real-world glimpse into what campaign work looks like, watch War Room, the non-narrated documentary about Clinton's 92 campaign. Any Given Tuesday is another great glimpse into what campaign life is like, as it documents author Lis Smith's journey from plucky upstart to a chief position on Pete Buttigieg's campaign. Political science students do not need to enjoy starting arguments, but also cannot be afraid of confrontation either. To that end, political science students also cannot be afraid to grapple with different opinions.
If you struggle to see multiple viewpoints and consider why they could be valid to people with different backgrounds than yourself, you will likely struggle. Political science students do not need to compromise their beliefs or morals; in fact, that is a great reservoir of motivation that can make the grind worth it. But they do need to understand compromise, and not allow better to be the enemy of best.
Xavier Royer
I am currently a full time instructor at a William Penn University, a small private university in Iowa. I am the lone political science faculty member there. In my time teaching, I have already connected with an incredible cohort of students in ways I could never have expected. Partnering with SAGE will allow me the opportunity to help even more students across the globe navigate those tricky questions.
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