Political Scientists
O*NET files this work under Political Scientists: people who study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. The skills rated most useful are reading comprehension, speaking, and active listening. You may also need to teach political science. The strongest interest signal is Investigative (6.7 of 7), then Artistic (3.9) and Enterprising, which gives it the code IAE. Getting in usually takes graduate school and often five years or more of related experience, a level O*NET calls extensive preparation. Expect to maintain current knowledge of government policy decisions. The job can ask you to develop and test theories, using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, historical papers, polls, or statistical sources. People who want research, analysis and working through hard problems usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.
What they do
Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics, such as public opinion, political decisionmaking, and ideology. May analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. May conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.
Main tasks
- Teach political science.
- Maintain current knowledge of government policy decisions.
- Develop and test theories, using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, historical papers, polls, or statistical sources.
- Disseminate research results through academic publications, written reports, or public presentations.
- Advise political science students.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data, such as election results and public opinion surveys, reporting on findings, recommendations, and conclusions.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You want room to make something in your own way.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
- You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code IAE takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Doctoral Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.