Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Educational Instruction and Library
Keeping up with political science, international affairs, and international relations through journals, colleagues, and conferences informs lectures on classical political thought, democracy and citizenship, and related topics. Classroom discussions have to be started, guided, and kept useful, and course materials and exams are prepared while student work is graded. Curricula and teaching methods are reviewed and revised, and many also publish their own research in journals, books, or electronic media. It suits people who like following political ideas and world affairs closely and arguing them clearly in class.
Typical education: Doctoral Degree (Ph.D., Ed.D.)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$98'070
Median Wage Market Position
$98'070
What you might do
- Lecture on political thought and international relations
- Read new political research and attend conferences
- Grade papers, assignments, and class work
- Moderate class discussions on democracy and citizenship
- Rework political science courses and teaching methods
- Publish findings in journals, books, or online
Skills that matter
- Explaining classical political thought clearly
- Facilitating debates on international relations
- Close reading of current political literature
- Writing exams on democracy and citizenship
- Publishing work on politics and government
- Revising courses on politics and policy
AI & the future of this role
Survey courses, essay feedback, and current-events briefs might be partly covered by systems that synthesize texts quickly. Seminar debate, thesis guidance, and judgment about contested claims still count, though openings could stay limited in many departments.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details