Hey Nicole…

Yes and maby…I obviously cannot speak about all PS majors at all Universites around the country or abroad (public or private)…however as an undergrad…at a prominent Florida University in the 80’s I did have to take both special courses and general politics courses in three areas of PS:

1. American State and Federal Government…US that is strictly…
2. Contemporary Politics…Political systems/thought compared…
3. International Relations…wide range of Political Systems…both forms and styles of government…obviously in the 80’s there were slightly different challenges…no war in Iraq….Afganisatan…Somali piracy…or specific and global war on terror…but President Regan was in charge…for the entire time I was a student and there was of course…the war on drugs (Miami Vice fame)…national and international…the crack down and shutting down of the Cosa Nostra…the Columbian Cartels…Noriega…and other such dictators in general…in fact the age of the dictators as autocrats…with aboslute power liekly began to wane and today is still so or is morphing…eg. Papa Doc and Baby Doc Duvalier (Haitian Dictators)…Ferdinand Markos (Phillipines)…Big Daddy Iddi Amin..Uganda…as well as Revolutionary movements and revolutionary theory is all but no more…dispersed…eg. Muhamar Ghaddafy…(Libbya)…Ayatolla Khomani (Iaranian Muslimic cleric and revolutionary)…Sandinistas etc.

so yes the import…of IR…in Politics…

Now what can you do with such a degree…besides a recognised piece of paper…

1… Get’s you in at the ground level…for most types of companies/organizations…so identify your career options…finance…law…politics…education…management…

2. Unfortunately…experience plus capital/collateral is needed for any start up venture…business of other wise…so any liberal arts degree never guarantees..new recruits..no matter how ambitious..or market savy..access to wall street…main street (business or venture idea/solution)…or any street…you will likely not be able to earn from having studied information alone…a starting salery of more than 40K…maby 60K … by the time you graduate as a PS major..in any company…meaning you see future there (with Mr Trump) etc…and are determined to work your way up…to the top (over time of course) or say Coca Cola…Xerox…IBM…Citibank etc…and so further upgrading of your skills in your current capacity depending on the business interests of the company/organization and job specifications will be required…in other words you will likely have to appprentise or understudy…say PR …or marketing …or HR..etc…get the point…for a few months or longer at least (6 months to one year) and ..if no clear vacancy exists ..you mya have to make a horizontal exist somewhere else if vertical movement is not on the immediate horizon…(Pundits say the odds on a one job boss/company or career is virtually over…I do agree somewhat for all non- traditional professions…like

law…med…dent…vet…nursing…teaching…computer sci…/IT…or engineering of many kinds…many of these professional are also involved in or contemplating some business/company aspect to their careers…as base salaries even in medicine…or law today run …recent graduate doctors and lawers at in today’s economy at 75-120K …so unless one has no financial aid…parents paid for education in full or had constant scholarships…loans…grants…fellowships etc(eg. in graduate school or stipends eg. bursiers)…money’s gotta be paid back from salary and Uncle Sam comes as calling….as does the IRS…if ya get my drift…anyways don’t get forelorn….lots is good out there….still…and always keep ya chin up…now is a good time to buy lots of thing scheaper than normal if ya got the cash and collateral….tv’s…cars…clothes…house…etc…

Back to the job market…Large versus smaller companies/organisations…I particualarly would suggest starting with a smaller unit/company…more personal…hopefully physically friendly work culture/environment…important to getting your grounding/feet in the new (job) market..that’s what the world of work is…a market-place designed to fulfill…some important function local…regional…national or international.l..hence…dunkin donuts !!! walmart…etc. etc. etc…

I do hope that you are not getting lost in the shuffe in a large or extra-large university…attractive though the Greek system may be and moving from home (temp) yes… all universities do cater for a good experience…potentially …not just academics…but unless…your hooked up with friends one two or three close ones …or make friends easily/quickly…and are a flexible type can juggle class and a good time well …my advice…stick to a smaller version of the school thing…no matter how big da name or brand in whatever things collegiate… believe ya me…you’ll be distracted
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