A degree in political science prepare graduates for a wide variety of advantageous careers and higher education programs. While many of these opportunities come from the multifaceted political field, it's by no means the only route students can take. Law, civil service, journalism, business administration and security studies are some of the other options graduates can pursue.
"Throughout my legal education and career, the development of critical thinking skills that I underwent in the political science department at K-State has proven indispensable. Although I learned a great deal about the structure of political systems and our place in the world in Manhattan, it has been the intangible lessons I learned that prove beneficial to this day: work hard to understand opposing views; put in the effort to have a comprehensive understanding of a problem you face; resist immediate shortcuts during analysis to achieve a better long-term result."
- Jared S. Weisner, B.S. in Political Science (2004), Trial Attorney for the Department of Justice
Careers/Advancement
Our graduates find great success in the workforce, their political science degree being applicable to a variety of rewarding positions. Notable positions our alumni include President of Shell Oil International; Head of Federal Government Relations, Syngenta; President and CEO of Humanities International; Foreign Service Officer, US State Department; Analyst, National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency; Lead Prosecutor, KS Attorney General, and much more.
According to the "Projected Lifetime Earnings by Major" by Douglas A. Webber, political science majors have the 13th highest expected lifetime earnings by ANY college major. With a 98% employment and enrollment into post-graduate education rate at K-State, the numbers speak for themselves!
Higher education programs are another avenue our majors can take upon, or even before, graduation.
Our department houses two graduate programs, in Public Administration and Security Studies. Many of our graduates also pursue post-graduate degrees in law, business, economics, public health, among other advanced programs.
Current majors in political science also have the option to enroll in our accelerated degree programs, which allow them to earn their undergraduate and graduate degree in five years, reducing the amount of time and money required normally from someone earning their degrees independently.
The Career Center facilitates the career readiness of all students throughout the K-State community. They offer free career assessments, job search training, career advising, employer connections, and a staff dedicated to assisting students in the career development process.
Looking for a firsthand experience in the realm of politics? Interested about what a career in government entails? Internships provide the means to work out these questionswhile developing technical and analytical skills that will benefit students while and after earning their degree.
The Don and Carol Kissinger Experiential Learning Scholarship will award up to $2,500 for students participating in internships and study abroad. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Don and Carol Kissinger Experiential Learning Scholarship Applicationhttps://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=cfqi2X3Wtky1QQbMqoAT-2-1tfoh931Hr190lnvg9ftUMFUyMThUTjE4RjhEUlA5QlpTUVQ4TzRBSS4uY
All internships below are eligible for credit through POLSC 510. Contact Dr. Nathaniel Birkhead (birkhead@ksu.edu) for more information.
Deadlines for each office varies with summer internship deadlines being typically in late winter, fall internships deadlines in mid-summer, and spring internships in mid-fall.
Note: Summer internships tend to be the most competitive. It is possible to intern during the fall or spring while still making progress towards your degree with advance planning.
ADVICE ON APPLYYING FOR CONGRESSIONAL INTERNSHIPS
Plan ahead! Many offices review applications as they come in, rather than after the deadline, so it's important to have files prepared as soon as possible.
Not sure whether to work on DC or a district office? Both provide valuable experiences in different ways. Internships in DC will give more networking opportunities, involve more work on policy, but be more expensive. Work in the district offices will have more work on constituency casework and tend to be more affordable.
Not sure who to work for? Offices sometimes give preference to interns that have district ties. To make sure it’s a good personality and policy fit, follow them on social media, read about them in newspapers like the Washington Post or Politico, and go to their websites.
Who should write letters of recommendation? Varies by the student, but it's generally good to have at least one person who was worked with you in a professional capacity (supervisor at work, student government, etc.) who can speak about your professionalism, and one professor/instructor who has reviewed your written work and can speak to your intellectual abilities. No matter what, it is best to have recommendations from individuals who know you well. A vague letter from a prominent person is less helpful than a detailed letter from someone with less reputation.
If I need to write about a policy area in my application, what policy should I write about? First, it should be something that interests you. Second, it doesn’t have to fit within the member’s policy portfolio, but it’s probably smart to choose something that it’s directly contrary to their stated positions (that is recommending they change their stance on something like abortion or gun control).
All internships below are eligible for credit through POLSC 510. Contact Nathaniel Dr. Birkhead (birkhead@ksu.edu) for more information.
STATE LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIPS
All Kansas State Legislative internships take place in the spring, from early January to the end of the legislative session (late April/early May). The deadline to apply for these internships is in mid-November usually. Though these internships are unpaid, there is a mileage reimbursement (up to $600).
View state legislative internshipshttp://www.kslegislature.org/las/Pages/how_to_become_an_intern.htmlY
The Governor's Office offers internships the fall from August to December and from January to May, in the spring. These paid internships ($15.03 hourly) range from 15-25 hours/week (flexible within M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm as approved by supervisor) and are in high demand. While the deadline to apply for these internships is listed as "Open Until Filled", interested students should apply as early as possible.
All internships with the Federal government – from the State Department to the Department of Justice can be found on a new portal for internships across the government. Search for internships by federal agency, location, or salary.
Federal Internship Portalhttps://intern.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?hp=student&wt=15328&s=salary&sd=desc&p=1Y
A Kansas-based lobbying firm that specializes in building policy strategies to resolve highly complicated and contentious legislative issues. Their Kansas team of experienced professionals work with local, state, and federal organizations, covering a broad range of issues from the challenges facing disruptive technologies, to business deregulation, to increased healthcare access.
CSIS is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Center conducts research and analysis and develop policy initiatives that look to the future and anticipate change.
The Carnegie Endowment generates strategic ideas and independent analysis, supports diplomacy, and trains the next generation of international scholar-practitioners to help countries and institutions take on the most difficult global problems and safeguard peace. In order to apply for the James C. Gaither Junior Fellows program, you must be nominated by K-State. Contact Beth Powers (bethpowers@ksu.edu) at the Nationally Competitive Scholarship office with help in preparing your application.
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION INTERNSHIPS
A full list of internships with non-profit organizations is available at idealist.org.
Consent of the course instructor and a minimum of two POLSC courses completed. Many government internships require at least a sophomore standing.
CREDIT
From one to six hours are possible on a credit/no credit basis. Up to six hours can be applied to a Political Science major, or three hours for the minor (elective credit). Non-majors' credit hours can only be counted as elective credit. 50 hours of internship work must be completed for each credit hour of the internship (3 credit hours = 150 work hours).
REQUIREMENTS
Meet course prerequisites.
Establish internship through networking and letters of application.
Get letter to academic supervisor from field supervisor, describing work to be done. A final letter from the field supervisor that evaluates the quality of the intern’s work and the period over which the work was done is also required.
Submit application to Undergraduate Internship Coordinator (Nathaniel Birkhead).
Enroll in POLSC 510.
Readings appropriate to the internship will be determined with the internship coordinator. In general, at least one book or five-six articles will be required for the three-hour credits. A five page analytical report or book review is expected on the readings. Depending on the topic, resources available and the number of credit hours, the academic advisor will adapt the readings to encourage complementary preparation for the internship. As the readings are meant to enhance the internship, they should be completed before or very early in the internship.
Submit final assessment paper evaluating the internship experience. It should be 10-12 pages. It will be easier to write if you keep a journal during your internship. Guidelines for both papers are provided.
Note: Credit cannot be arranged after an internship is completed. It is important to plan ahead and work closely with the Internship Coordinator and/or another academic advisor.
Questions?
Contact our Internship Coordindator, Dr. Nathaniel Birkhead (birkhead@ksu.edu)
Department of Political Science Kansas State University 802 Mid Campus Dr. South 101D Calvin Hall Manhattan, KS 66506
