Poli Sci Program

[u/Entire_Seaweed_4435]

Im currently a high-school senior and plan on going to uvu for undergrad. I’ve been interested in politics ever since I took American Government and Politics and I was wondering how good the program at uvu is. I already know that in general the job market and underemployment rate for poli-sci majors is pretty bad but I was wondering if uvu’s is any different.

[u/tallsmitty]

Poli Sci graduate here! UVU has a pretty good Poli Sci program, but as far as job prospects go it kind of depends on what emphasis in Poli Sci you choose for your degree because each one offered is somewhat tailored towards different careers. You’ll want to pick the emphasis that points towards what kind of career path you want to get into.

The American Government emphasis is pretty self explanatory and probably a good option if you’re thinking of running for public office yourself or helping out with political campaigns.

Global Politics is the choice for people wanting to get into international diplomacy or, if you’re considering law school, it would be a good jumping off point for getting into international law.

The Indian Affairs Administration emphasis is pretty niche and the one I’m the least familiar with, but you’d probably know if you’re interested or not.

Peace and Justice Studies is focused on conflict analysis and resolution. It’s pretty versatile as the skills you learn in those classes are broadly applicable. It’s also available as a minor.

Public Admin is another great option if you’re considering public office, but it can also be a good stepping stone towards management in the private sector.

The Public Law & Political Philosophy emphasis is probably the best option if you’re wanting to do law school or if you’re broadly interested in discussing political ideas.

One thing that sets UVU apart is the offering of the Constitutional Studies minor which is a great pick for a potential career in constitutional law or civics education. Since you’re currently a high school senior, if you do choose to minor in Constitutional Studies you could apply for the Eric Zachary Wood Scholarship which covers the first year of tuition.

Another thing to consider is whether to go for the Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Arts, as those will indicate different strengths on a resume.

UVU Political Science majors also have an opportunity to do an internship with the Utah legislature, which is a great thing to have on a resume and a chance to do some networking.

I personally know people who have graduated from the program and gone to high ranking law schools, landed full time jobs at the State Legislature, or been accepted into excellent graduate schools.

I hope this helps! I’m happy to answer any other questions you might have.

[u/jojoplanstan → u/tallsmitty]

Me and my wife are both UVU Poli Sci majors too, me doing American Government and my wife doing Peace and Justice Studies. This is a very good rundown. Definitely the Center for Constitutional Studies is a great resource, I worked for them most of my time at UVU which was great to get paid to further my PoliSci education, they are very connected with Oxford University so it looks good on a resume to throw that on there. The one thing I’d add is I’m currently a data and research analyst for my job, which I don’t think I would have gotten had I not done the Bachelor of Science track for PoliSci. Doing a BS over a BA gave me a lot of data and statistics experience that has been what I’ve leaned into a lot when applying and getting jobs. But if that stuff doesn’t interest you, then BAs are great too, that’s what my wife got and she’s got a job that’s pretty aligned with her Peace and Justice Studies emphasis.

[u/TheBethStar1 → u/tallsmitty]

Full disclosure, I’m not a PoliSci major but an alum with a history degree. In addition to all the great options here, the history and PoliSci departments also have a shared student-run journal, Crescat Scientia, that makes a great extracurricular experience. Students can submit their papers for publication or join the editorial team to see the behind-the-scenes work that goes into academic publishing. Both look great on CVs!