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Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Other titles employers use
Adjunct Professor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · Faculty Member · Government Professor · Instructor · Political Science Instructor · Political Science Professor
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and creative work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Creative
- Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Instructing
Subjects to know
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Education and Training
- History and Archeology
- Sociology and Anthropology
Useful strengths
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.7 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.4 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 1.5 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a doctorate or a professional degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A doctorate or professional degree 97%
- A master's degree 3%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Development environment software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Object or component oriented development software
- Computer based training software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,020
- Job openings each year
- 170
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 9.2%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2,020 | 170 | 9.2% |
| New York | 1,880 | 30 | 22.1% |
| California | 1,600 | 130 | 6.7% |
| District of Columbia | 1,270 | 100 | 4.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 870 | 70 | 1.2% |
| Florida | 830 | 70 | 13.7% |
| Virginia | 710 | 60 | 2.9% |
| Illinois | 690 | 50 | 1.5% |
| New Jersey | 610 | 50 | 8.9% |
| North Carolina | 560 | 50 | 12.0% |
| Colorado | 470 | 40 | 20.5% |
| Michigan | 450 | 40 | 4.7% |
| Ohio | 390 | 30 | 2.6% |
| Washington | 380 | 40 | 15.2% |
| Georgia | 370 | 30 | 8.8% |
| Maryland | 350 | 30 | 16.7% |
| Massachusetts | 340 | 30 | 13.3% |
| Missouri | 330 | 30 | 6.5% |
| Connecticut | 300 | 30 | 11.1% |
| Alabama | 290 | 20 | 7.4% |
| Indiana | 290 | 20 | 7.4% |
| Tennessee | 260 | 20 | 18.2% |
| Wisconsin | 230 | 20 | 4.5% |
| Oregon | 220 | 20 | 4.8% |
| Arizona | 190 | 20 | 5.6% |
| Oklahoma | 150 | 10 | — |
| Iowa | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Mississippi | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| South Carolina | 140 | 10 | 16.7% |
| Minnesota | 130 | 10 | — |
| Arkansas | 110 | 10 | — |
| Maine | 100 | 10 | — |
| New Hampshire | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| Nebraska | 90 | 10 | — |
| Utah | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Kansas | 80 | 10 | — |
| Vermont | 80 | 10 | — |
| Kentucky | 60 | 10 | — |
| West Virginia | 60 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Louisiana | 50 | 0 | 25.0% |
| Idaho | 40 | 0 | — |
| Montana | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Wyoming | 40 | 0 | — |
| New Mexico | 30 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of California-Los Angeles
- Degrees each year
- 764
- Admit rate
- 9%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
George Washington University
- Degrees each year
- 816
- Admit rate
- 44%
- Annual cost after aid
- $22,000
Florida State University
- Degrees each year
- 697
- Admit rate
- 25%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
American University
- Degrees each year
- 603
- Admit rate
- 47%
- Annual cost after aid
- $26,000
Florida International University
- Degrees each year
- 565
- Admit rate
- 59%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Degrees each year
- 526
- Admit rate
- 19%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Georgetown University
- Degrees each year
- 555
- Admit rate
- 13%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
University of Georgia
- Degrees each year
- 487
- Admit rate
- 37%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Compare every college offering political science and government