Overview
Overview
The major where students play president.
Description
Ever wondered what would happen if our government went kaput? How would we resolve issues with no police or courts to right our wrongs? Who would be in charge of everything? Society would collapse. Entire cities would topple. Oh, the humanity…
Sorry for getting all apocalyptic on you, but pondering these million-dollar questions is at the heart of the political science major. Students of the political science major basically study and analyze the different political models around the world, from communism to Marxism to capitalism. You know, all the "-isms." Naturally, this leaves them jaded and street-smart—apocalypse-ashmocalypse.
It's so tempting to jump right into political debates, but it's nice to actually know what you're talking about first. As a political science major, you'll likely learn everything you need to know to enlighten the masses. For example, you'll learn that Marxism is a fancy term for the belief that society should be organized according to who has the "means of production," as opposed to who has the most money (or "capital"). No 1% here.
The political science major also provides practical job skills. After college, most political science students head off into the world of politics or law, and many of them land jobs with real influence over people and policy. Ooh la la.
With a political science degree, you can work in the trenches with senators, legislators, and even the president. Heck, you might even become one. Now, we here at Shmoop like to think of ourselves as influential, but we know we don't have any real sway when it comes to those Washington types. That's where political science majors come in.
Famous People who majored in Political Science
- Jerry Springer
- Vinny Guadagnino
- Barack Obama
- Nancy Pelosi
- Pete Wentz
- Anderson Cooper
- Condoleezza Rice
- Madeleine Albright
Percentage of US students who major in Political Science:
1.31%
Stats obtained from this source.