What Do Political Science Professors Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Political Science Professors teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. They also prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship.

Other tasks include:

• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

We asked Political Science Professors how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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83% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Political Science Professors keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. They maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

A typical day for a Postsecondary Political Science Teacher will also include:

• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.

We asked some Political Science Professors a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	25% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	24% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	61% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	16% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	34% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Political Science Professors also initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. They may also maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Political Science Professors Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship. They might also Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.

In addition, they Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

To some Political Science Professors, it is also their responsibility to Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Postsecondary Political Science Teacher, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm

http://www.cgsnet.org/

https://www.acteonline.org/

http://www.teach.org/