The common mistake that most students often make is that they think political management is the same as political science. While they can often be parts of the same online masters in political science program and they do have some overlapping similarities, political science and political management are not one in the same. Whatever the program might be called, as a student you need to make sure that it is designed in a way that will help you gain momentum in your future career in the government. In case you are wondering what opportunities a master’s degree in political science may hold for you with respect to joining politics and government, read on to find out more.

Lobbyist

Being a lobbyist is all about establishing relationships with people in government. Your success will basically depend on your political knowledge, real world knowledge, and the relationships or “lobbies” which you will establish with politicians and powerful men and women in the system. The job of the lobbyist basically involves convincing Congress officials to take decisions which will work in favor of your client’s interests, either directly or indirectly. For example, in November 2015, President Barrack Obama rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline because of the catastrophic impact it could have on the environment. This marked a win for environmental lobbyists who had been working against the extremely powerful energy sector, labor unions, and Republicans. Similarly, the lobbyists from the other side won later in 2017 when President Trump reversed Obama’s decision.

Campaign Manager

As an expert on politics and preferably PR as well, you will be put in charge of leading a particular candidate or political party’s election campaign. Your clientele will, of course, vary depending on your experience in the field and connections. The job of the campaign manager includes, but is not limited to, the following.

• Hiring and managing the campaign staff
• Supervising and delegating the volunteers
• Analysis of political polls
• Organizing and conducting fundraisers, marketing, and PR events
• Directing the candidate towards actions that go in line with the original campaign strategy

There is, of course, much more to it than what you read here, but this should give you an idea regarding what to expect.

Become a Politician

The very fundamental of studying masters in political science online or offline is studying power through the ages. Besides, this is where you are most likely to meet people who are actually interested in joining politics. As you rub shoulders with some of the future politicians of our nation, it is the perfect academic platform if you have any ambitions of becoming a politician yourself someday.

It is recommended that you get an online degree in political science rather than joining a traditional course for a number of reasons. The most important of them is the fact that it will allow you the flexibility to complete at least one other course on the side; maybe a degree in PR or even law. The more multidimensional your education is, the more successful you will be in your career.