Political Science is concerned with contemporary public affairs, both in the United States and around the world. The department’s approach to studying politics is to engage central issues facing society today, such as rising inequality, human rights, and democratization. Rather than focus on the everyday back-and-forth of politics as reported in the media, we dig deeper into underlying social, economic and political phenomenon that drive political change, critically exploring ideologies and ideas that inform political discourse. Political Science majors develop a rich understanding of political institutions and ideas as well as acquire writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills that can be applied not just to politics but to any issue or task that they face.

Why study Political Science at SDSU?

The unique features of the political science program at SDSU include:

What can you do with a degree in Political Science?

The writing, analytical and critical thinking skills that students in the Political Science program acquire can be applied to a wide range of careers. There is no one single career path that our students follow; rather they pursue many different career paths based on their interests.

Some of our students continue their education in law school or graduate school, not only in Political Science but also in related programs such as Public Policy or Security Studies. Other students acquire jobs working in politics, such as for political campaigns or as staff members for elected officials. A career in government service is also an option some of our students pursue. The nonprofit sector is an appealing career path for many of our students who wish to focus their energies on advancing social good or advocating for social change. Finally, some students acquire jobs with for-profit companies, as government relations officials or in other capacities.

Because Political Science provides a broad liberal arts education, rather than narrow vocational training, students are able to use their degree in many different types of careers.