The AA-T degrees and certificated offered in the department provide students with the knowledge and training to complete a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, Global Studies, Public Administration, or Law and Society.

Many of the jobs in these related career fields pay well. However, most require having a graduate degree. Please keep this in mind as you move forward in your academic and professional career. Below is a list of potential careers

Sector Entrance Exam Advanced Degree Needed
1. Business and Finance GMAT MBA

Govt Relations/Lobbying
Business Development
Financial Consulting
International Business/Trade

Human Resources LSAT JD
Patent Law
Compliance Officer

2. Public Service GRE BA (MA/Ph.D. if necessary)

2a. Federal Government

Executive Level
Cabinet Depts (Homeland Security)
Independent Executive Agencies (SSA, NASA, EPA)
Independent Regulatory Commissions (FCC, SEC, FEC, NLRB, EEOC)

White House
Executive Office of the President (OMB/CEA/NSC/ONDCP/USTR)
White House Office

Congress
Legislative (DC) Office

District Office
Caseworker; Chief of Staff; Counsel; District Director; Executive Assistant; Field Representative; Legislative Assistant; Legislative Correspondent; Legislative Director; Office Manager; Press Secretary; Scheduler; and Staff Assistant

Congressional Committees
Staff directors, committee counsel, committee investigators, press secretaries, chief clerks and office managers, schedules, documents clerks, and assistants

Congressional Agencies (GAO/CRS/GPO/CBO/LOC)

2b. State Government GRE MPA or MA in Govt.

Executive Level (Hundreds of Agencies: see website)

Governor’s Office (Boards & Commissions)

State Legislature
Legislative (Sacramento) Office

District Office
Caseworker; Chief of Staff; Counsel; District Director; Executive Assistant; Field Representative; Legislative Assistant; Legislative Correspondent; Legislative Director; Office Manager; Press Secretary; Scheduler; and Staff Assistant

2c. Local Government GRE MPA or MA in Govt.

County Level
County Administration & Executive Agencies
County Public Services
County Health & Public Safety
County Judicial Services

City Level
City Council
City Management
City Public Services

3. Public Policy Analysis GRE MPP

Public policy refers to the rules, regulations, and guidelines formulated by governments for the purpose of solving problems that have an impact on the society and the general public. Public policy analysis involves evaluating issues of public importance with the objective of providing facts and statistics about the extent and impact of the various policies of the government. The basic objective of public policy analysis is to assess the degree to which the policies are meeting their goals. Public policy analysis deals with the application of social science theories and methods to analyze matters of public importance.

Specialties
Business and Entrepreneurship
Civil Infrastructure
Community and Economic Development
Education Policy
Environmental Policy
Health Policy
Homeland Security and Public Policy
International Policy and Development
Management
Media and Communications Policy
Nonprofit Management and Policy
Political Management
Social Justice
Transportation Policy and Planning
Urban and Social Policy

Private Contractors/Consulting Lean Six Sigma Cert.

4. International Affairs GRE MA in Intl. Affairs/Dipl.

U.S. Foreign Service
FSO – Five tracks
Diplomacy: Chiefs of Mission & Staff, Ambassadors at Large
Foreign Service Personnel

Intelligence Community – 16 members
2 Programs: National Foreign Intelligence & Military Intelligence

Twenty-Fifth Air Force United States Air Force
Intelligence and Security Command United States Army
Central Intelligence Agency Independent Agency
Coast Guard Intelligence United States Coast Guard
Defense Intelligence Agency Dept. of Defense
Office of Intel and Counter-intel Dept. of Energy
Office of Intelligence and Analysis Dept. of Homeland Security
Bureau of Intelligence and Research Dept. of State
Office of Terrorism and Financial Intel Dept. of Treasury
Office of National Security Intelligence Drug Enforcement Administration
Intelligence Branch Federal Bureau of Investigation
Marine Corps Intelligence Activity Dept. of Defense
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Dept. of Defense
National Reconnaissance Office Dept. of Defense
National Security Agency Dept. of Defense
Office of Naval Intelligence Dept. of Defense

Foreign Government Work
Lobbying/Interest Group (DC)
Contractors – Civilian and Military

5. Political Campaigns & Political Party Jobs B.A. Political Science

Campaign Work
Campaign Manager
Finance Director/Fundraiser
Communications Director/Press Secretary
Field Director/Voter Contact
Campaign Treasurer
Volunteer Coordinator
Political Director/Constituency Organizer
Scheduler
Technology Manager
Office Manager
Legal Advisor

Field Staff:
GOTV Coordinators
Phone Bank Coordinators
Canvas Coordinator

Campaign Consulting Firms
Public Opinion/Polling
Canvassing/GOTV
Fundraising

Political Party
National Committees (DNC, RNC)
State Committees (DSCC, RSCC)
County Committees (SDCDP, SDCRP)

Positions/Jobs
Policy: Party Leadership, Caucuses, Standing Committees, Commissions, Chartered Organizations
Administration: Analytics, Congressional Campaigns, Digital, Field Operations, Targeting

6. Non-Profit Management GRE MS or Cert Non-Profit Mgmt

Types of Non-Profits
Foundations
Associations
Interest Groups
Charities

Jobs
Executive Officers/Directors
Field Directors
Gift Officers/Planned Giving Specialists
Public Relations Coordinators
Consulting

7. Academic Research GRE Ph.D

Research (Doctoral Granting) Universities & Research Centers
Highest Research Activity (R1)
Higher Research Activity (R2)
Moderate Research Activity (R3)

Think tanks
Survey Research
Policy Analysis

8. Teaching (Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education)

Comp (MA Granting) Univ GRE Ph.D.
Larger programs (M1) award at least 200 masters-level degrees
Medium programs (M2) award 100–199 masters-level degrees
Smaller programs (M3) award 50-99 masters-level degrees

Liberal Arts (Baccalaureate) College GRE Ph.D.

Community Colleges GRE MA, probably Ph.D.

High School CBEST BA, M.Ed.

9. Educational Admin GRE M.Ed., Ed.D.

UC System (President’s Office/10 campuses)

CSU System (Chancellor’s Office/23 campuses)

Community College System (Chancellors’ Office/114 campuses)

High School System (District Office/Local campuses)

10. Law

Attorneys LSAT JD

Trial Lawyers
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District Attorney’s Office
Public Defender’s Office
Criminal Defense Law

Specialty Law
Business/Corporate Law
Judge Advocate U.S. Military
Bankruptcy Law
Civil Rights Law
Employment Law
Environmental Law
Health Policy Law
Immigration Law
Electronic Document
Discovery Law
Elder Law
Property/Real Estate Law
Personal Injury Law

Judges
Administrative Law Judges
Appellate Court Judges
Superior Court Judges
General Trial Court Judges
Magistrates
Municipal Court Judges

Legislative Analysts
Congressional Offices
State Legislative Offices
County Boards & Commissions

11. Law Related Careers

Paralegal Cert/AA in Paralegal Studies
Litigation Paralegal
Estate Planning and Probate Paralegal
Corporate Paralegal
Employment/Labor Law Paralegal
Real Estate Paralegal
Government Paralegal

Arbitration JD + Cert in Mediation
Court Appointed – Civil/Family Law
Financial Industry/Foreclosure
Consumer Product/Liability

Mediation BA/MA + Cert in Mediation
Court Appointed – Civil/Family Law
Organizational Ombudsman
Dispute Resolution

Neutral Analysis (Fact-Finders)

Union Organizing MA in Conflict Resolution