10 Top Degrees for a Career in Politics

Political Science

Political science is the study of how politics work. As a political science major, you’ll study different political systems and ideologies such as democracy, socialism, communism, anarchism, and totalitarianism.

Your courses will cover:

• Government structures and how laws are created and upheld
• Political philosophy in the U.S. and abroad
• Comparative analysis of systems and their effectiveness
• Argumentation skills — both written and spoken

You can earn your political science bachelor’s degree online or in a traditional, on-campus program.

Political science is one of the best pre-law majors, and many people who run for office hold law degrees. But it also opens doors beyond the legal field, including:

• Policy or intelligence analyst
• Market researcher
• Legislative assistant
• Media spokesperson
• Social media manager

These behind-the-scenes roles put you in the thick of the political action.

Bottom Line: Political science is the most direct route into politics, whether you’re aiming for law school, running for office, or supporting leaders behind the scenes.

Public Administration

Does working at a local, state, or federal regulatory agency sound appealing? If so, a public administration degree could be the right start.

As a public administration major, you’ll study:

• Economics and public finance
• Communications and human resources
• Government law, administration, and ethics
• Budgeting and decision-making

This coursework builds communication, organizational, leadership, and policy skills needed for roles in government.

Graduates often pursue leadership or managerial positions in government, nonprofits, and private organizations. These roles may include:

• Public works director
• Director of policy research and public affairs
• Manager of contracts and procurement

Generally, you can expect responsibilities like analyzing information, overseeing budgets, and implementing policy. Public administration professionals work closely with elected officials to protect the public interest.

Bottom Line: A public administration degree prepares you to shape policy, manage resources, and collaborate with decision-makers behind the scenes.

Economics

With an economics degree, you’ll study factors that shape economies, such as interest rates, inflation, unemployment, and taxes. Courses often explore:

• The role of politics and government in economic policy
• How history and leadership influence economic events worldwide
• Skills to evaluate economic problems and propose solutions
• How to present research and explain complex data clearly

Governments at all levels — federal, state, and local — hire economics graduates for a variety of positions. Possible roles include:

• Economic or financial analyst
• Trade specialist for a government agency or elected official
• Financial manager for a city, state, or federal office
• Positions as high as the White House Office of Budget and Management

Your research and communication skills can help political leaders develop and promote economic policies that serve their constituents.

Bottom Line: Economics is a powerful degree for shaping fiscal policy, equipping you to advise leaders, analyze trends, and influence the economic decisions that drive politics.

Business Administration

Government agencies have customers to serve and goals to meet, just like traditional businesses. A business administration degree gives you the skills to apply a business mindset in public service.

As a business administration major, you’ll study:

• Management, finance, operations, marketing, and HR
• Communication and leadership to motivate teams
• Decision-making and problem-solving for complex challenges
• Specializations in logistics, marketing, or project management to align with political careers

This degree can help you:

• Shape economic policies
• Manage campaign finances
• Work in government agencies as a logistician, management or financial analyst, HR specialist, or an event planner.

Bottom Line: Business administration gives you the management and financial expertise that politicians need, from running campaigns to guiding public agencies.

International Relations

International relations is the study of relationships between countries and governments worldwide. This interdisciplinary major draws from economics, history, geography, philosophy, sociology, psychology, and political science.

Through this vast curriculum, you’ll build a strong foundation for understanding global issues such as pandemics, climate change, human rights, terrorism, arms control, trade, and immigration.

Like other liberal arts majors, international relations doesn’t lead to one specific career. It gives you broad, transferable skills so you can explore multiple avenues. Possible roles include:

• Foreign affairs specialist
• Political analyst
• International marketing specialist
• Nonprofit program coordinator
• Diplomat or ambassador

Bottom Line: International relations prepares you for the global side of politics: analyzing world affairs, influencing foreign policy, and representing political interests on the international stage.

Public Policy

A public policy major teaches you how policies are made, implemented, and how they affect people and societies. Coursework often includes:

• Political Science — decision-making
• Economics — resource allocation
• Math & Data — evidence-based policy
• Sociology, Law, Philosophy, and Ethics
• Communication Skills — sharing findings with stakeholders

Many students go on to earn a master’s in public policy (MPP).

Graduates often work in:

• Government agencies or nonprofits
• Political parties or for elected officials
• Private sector roles tied to government projects
• Law enforcement, law, or healthcare

Bottom Line: Public policy is a direct pipeline into politics, preparing you to analyze, research, and influence the laws and decisions that shape society.

Sociology

A sociology degree helps you understand social structures, human behavior, and policy analysis. By studying society and social dynamics, you’ll gain insight into why institutions make the decisions that they do — which is a perspective that’s highly valuable in politics.

With a sociology education, you could work as a:

• Legislative aid or policy analyst
• Campaign manager or public relations specialist
• Community planner or public health analyst
• Advocacy specialist or social worker
• Professor or researcher

Bottom Line: Sociology gives you a people-first lens on politics, preparing you to understand communities, analyze institutions, and influence decisions that impact society.

Public Health

A public health degree focuses on disease outbreaks, health education, and safety standards. Your studies will build your ability to think critically, analyze data, and communicate effectively.

Typical classes include:

• Economics
• Statistics
• Analytical methods
• Environmental health
• Health promotion
• The U.S. public health system

With a bachelor’s in public health, roles may include:

• Research, nonprofits, or government agencies
• Medical or pharmaceutical companies
• Public health departments

With advanced study, roles may include:

• Biostatician
• Health educator
• Administrator in agencies like the CDC or NIAID

Bottom Line: Public health is where politics, science, and society meet. Studying it will prepare you to influence health policy and protect communities at every level of government.

International Business

An international business degree prepares you to understand how world markets operate. Coursework may include:

• Accounting, global business, and international finance
• Comparative economic systems and business analysis
• Foreign language study
• Study abroad experiences

You may specialize in a region (e.g., China or Latin America) or a business area such as management, marketing, finance, or entrepreneurship. Courses also emphasize problem-solving, public speaking, and cultural sensitivity.

Graduates often pursue roles such as:

• Foreign service officer
• Trade specialist
• Import/export coordinator
• Logistics manager
• Financial analyst

Bottom Line: International business equips you with the global perspective that politicians need, helping you bridge commerce, diplomacy, and policy on the world stage.

Criminal Justice

A criminal justice degree helps you understand the mechanics of the justice system and prepares you for careers in law, government, or politics. Coursework often includes:

• Courts, due process, and criminal theory
• Homeland security and evidence
• Sociology and psychology
• Research methods, law, and communications

With this degree, you could work as a:

• Criminal justice lobbyist
• Investigator
• Policy advisor
• Staff member at organizations like the ACLU, Innocence Project, or Penal Reform International

Bottom Line: Criminal justice provides a policy-driven path into politics, giving you the expertise to shape reforms and influence decisions on law, safety, and justice.

English

As an English major, you’ll study language and literature. You’ll learn how to comprehend material, analyze it, and make persuasive arguments about it. As a politician, you need to look at the issues, analyze them, and make arguments to support your position and sway others to do so as well.

You can use your English degree to land a job for a politician as a writer, researcher, or spokesperson. By helping candidates get their ideas across through writing speeches and campaign materials, you’ll prove to be a valuable part of any political team. Your English degree may also be helpful in jobs with the government, working in public relations or marketing, or with news organizations covering politics.

Finance

Finance is the study of banking, financial markets, and economics. With a finance degree, you’ll study how a company’s past performance may predict its future and learn how to analyze markets and best business practices.

This degree requires you to communicate complex financial information and ideas clearly. Working on projects and case studies enhances your problem-solving skills and your ability to work well with others. These personal skills as well as the financial knowledge you acquire in this major can be very valuable for a career in politics.

History

A degree in history can be applied to a number of careers and politics is one of them. If you’re interested in politics, you might focus your history studies on how government systems are developed and how different political leadership styles affect outcomes. As you study historical events and people, you’ll also learn how to think critically, research all sides, and communicate your ideas.

As a politician, you may draw on your knowledge of the past when proposing legislation for the future. Your ability to communicate and cite precedents will be helpful as a speechwriter or as a researcher for a politician or government agency.

Education

Although you may not immediately think of politics when you think of an education degree, the two can be quite complimentary. Your courses may focus on the way people learn and best practices for teaching material so others comprehend it. As with most majors, education requires you to learn and apply critical-thinking skills. You could use your education degree to work in educational policy, helping to set rules and laws that govern educational systems. Or you could use your educational background as a politician and apply your teaching skills to promote your ideas and policies. Whatever route you choose to take, online education and teaching programs can make getting started simple.

Psychology

Psychology majors study the human mind and behavior. What motivates people? What makes people think about things the way they do? What might affect their behavior? The answers to these questions can be valuable to political leaders who write and vote on public policies. A background in psychology can help you see how effective your legislation might be and can be useful when analyzing campaign data or conducting polling. Psychology majors do extensive writing, and you can parlay your writing skills into a job writing for a politician’s office or a media company covering politics. You can opt for an online psychology degree or enroll in an on-campus program.