UT Permian Basin’s online Bachelor of Arts in Political Science—available online exclusively from this UT System institution—provides a pathway to careers in government, law, research, marketing, and education, among others. While you may wish to pursue a role in one of those fields, if you concentrate your courses on a particular area of politics, policy, or public administration that inspires you, you may experience a more fulfilling educational and professional journey. Our online BA in political science program offers four optional focus areas to help you do just that.
Let’s delve into those focus areas now, examining the suggested UTPB courses and prospective future careers for each.
American Politics
American politics covers the institutions, people, and processes (such as elections, policymaking, and lawmaking) of our government bodies. If you’re interested in this topic, we recommend taking these courses during your BA program:
- PLSC 2305 American National Politics
- PLSC 2306 State and Local Politics
- PLSC 4353 Congressional Politics
- PLSC 4354 Presidential Politics
- PLSC 3330 Judicial Politics
Potential associated careers include journalist, legislative assistant, and survey researcher.
Comparative Politics
Comparative politics is a wide-ranging area of study where students analyze the similarities and differences of political systems among various countries using diverse research methods and methodologies. If you’re interested in this topic, we recommend taking these courses during your BA program:
Potential employment opportunities related to this focus area include international nongovernmental organizations and foreign service, which encompasses a wide variety of jobs.
Policy and Public Administration
Policy and public administration are closely related and can be seen as different stages of the same process. Policy is the determination of solutions to public problems, and public administration is the implementation of those solutions. If you’re interested in these topics, we recommend taking these courses during your BA program:
- PLSC 3301 Research Methods for Political Science
- PLSC 4351 Political Theory
- PLSC 4345 Public Policy
- PLSC 4347 Public Administration
Potential career options include policy analyst and a multitude of civil service job categories.
Energy Policy and Public Administration
Energy policy and public administration provide the same functions as general policy and public administration but emphasize energy resource selection, allocation, and use. If you’re interested in these topics, we recommend taking these courses during your BA program:
- PLSC 4342 Energy Policy
- PLSC 4341 Environmental Policy
- PLSC 4345 Public Policy
- PLSC 4347 Public Administration
Potential careers include compliance manager, compliance officer, environmental compliance inspector, sustainability officer, and sustainability specialist.
See more career fields you can work in with a political science degree!
Note: Focus areas are optional. If you elect to pursue a focus area, it will not appear on your degree or student transcript.
Sources:
https://www.usnews.com/education/articles/what-can-you-do-with-a-political-science-degree
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/law/what-can-you-do-with-political-science-degree/
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/law/public-policy-vs-public-administration/