Middle/High School: Most high schools and middle schools require social studies and civic courses, including an American Government course. As civic education has been increasingly promoted in schools in recent years, the demand for teachers who can offer these courses is likely to rise. The department offers a Political Science-Teaching major. Such majors must also fulfill their College of Education requirements as well. The department generally advises students interested in teaching at the middle and high school levels to also explore the possibility of majoring in Social Science Teaching, given that this provides students with a broad range of social science teaching capacities, and makes students more attractive to potential employers. Those interested in teaching careers should also check with, among others: Social Sciences Education Consortium (www.ssecinc.org), American Federation of Teachers (www.aft.org), and the American Political Science Association Teaching Page (www.apsanet.org/CENnet/).

Collegiate Level: Teaching at the college-level requires a PhD degree and a sustained record of scholarship and professional activities. The outlook for college professors in political science has been guarded at best. The number of new openings in most fields has been limited and universities have increasingly relied on part-time professors to save money in times of budget-cuts. For further information, see the department’s Graduate Study webpage.