History, Political Science, Public Policy

Areas & Employers For Work:

History

• Nonprofit: administration, management, public relations, program coordination, fund raising/development, grant writing, volunteer coordination (Historical Museums/Sites/Associations/Societies; Cultural Heritage Organizations; Historical Projects; Research & Service Institutions; Libraries; Educational Institutions; Local/National Nonprofit Agencies)
• Curatorial & Archival Management: acquisition, preservation, arrangement, cataloguing/categorizing, exhibition/installation, describing, analyzing, authenticating, maintaining records, research, education (Museums; Historical Homes; Galleries; Libraries; Special Collections; Historical Societies; Universities; Federal/State/Local Government; Corporations)
• Education (K-12 Schools; Boards of Education; Universities; Museums; Historical Sites; Arboretums/Gardens/Conservatories; Camps; National/State Parks)
* See Political Science below for opportunities in: Business, Media, Federal/State/Local Government, Politics, & Law*

Political Science

• Local/State Government: public policy, regional planning, city/town management, community affairs (Counties; Cities; Municipalities; Townships; Legislative Agencies; Court Systems)
• Federal Government: public policy, research, intelligence, foreign service, legislative/executive/judicial services (Federal Government houses over 170 agencies and departments)
• Law (Law Firms; Federal/State/Local Government; Private Practice; Corporations; SpecialInterest Groups; Universities; Nonprofit & Public InterestOrganizations; Legal Clinics)
• Politics: elected or appointed leadership, campaign management, staff administration, special interest advocacy, political advising, lobbying (Legislative/Executive/Judicial Officials;Federal/State/Local Government; Political Action Committees; Political Parties; Campaigns; Industrial/Educational/Public Interest Groups; Lobbying Organizations)
• InternationalAffairs: governance, policy making & analysis,poverty-reduction strategy, human rights, resource development, public-private partnerships, education (Intergovernmental Agencies (i.e.World Bank or United Nations); National Governments; NonprofitAgencies; Religious Organizations; Foundations; Policy & Research Organizations)
• Business: human resources, management, public relations (Product & Service Organizations; Print & Electronic Media; Business Corporations)
• Nonprofit: administration, management, public relations, fund raising/development, policy analysis, research, grant writing, direct service (Local/NationalNonprofit Agencies; Foundations; Charitable Organizations; Research Organizations & Think Tanks; Educational Institutions)
• Media: editing, reporting, publishing, electronic media, public relations (Newspapers; Wire Services; Magazines; Internet Sites; Political Parties; Political Action Committees; Broadcast Media Companies; Government Agencies)
• Education (K-12 Schools; Universities; Boards of Education)

Public Administration

• Local Government: city management, financial administration, budget analysis, community affairs, social services (Counties; Municipalities; Townships; School Districts; Special Districts)
• State Government: administrative services, legislature, judicial (Various Departments of State Government; Legislative Agencies; State Supreme Courts; Personal Staff of Legislators; Intermediate Appellate Courts)
• Federal Government:
  • Legislative Branch: legislative agencies, legislature, administrative staff (Offices of Senators & Representatives; Various Agencies (i.e. Library of Congress; Congressional Budget Office))
  • Judicial Branch (Supreme Court; U.S. Courts; Supporting Organizations)
  • Executive Branch: president, management & budget, administration, council of economic advisors, U.S. trade representatives (Office of President; Various Departments (such as: Agriculture, Defense, Education, Interior, etc.))
  • Independent Agencies (examples: Coordination & Public Safety; Environmental Protection Agency; Federal Emergency Management Agency; National Archives & Records Administration; Securities & Exchange Commission; Tennessee Valley Authority)
• Nonprofit: administration, development, program management, policy analysis, grant writing (Local & National Nonprofit Agencies; Charitable Organizations; Trade or Professional Organizations; Research Organizations & Think Tanks; Educational Institutions)
• Political Support/Lobbying (Political Action Committees; Various Interest Groups; Political Parties; Lobbying Organizations; Large Business Firms)
• Business: human resources, budget analysis, management, occupational safety coordination, public relations (Business Firms; Contracting & Consulting Firms; Association Management Firms)
• Health/Medical: healthcare administration; policy development & analysis; health delivery systems (Hospitals; Healthcare Facilities; Health Maintenance Organizations; Insurance Companies; Social Service & Community Agencies)
• International Affairs: governance, policy making & analysis, poverty-reduction strategy, ethics & anti-corruption, human rights, resource development, public-private relationships, education (Intergovernmental Agencies (i.e. World Bank); National Governments; Nonprofit Agencies; Policy &Research Organizations; Private Business)

Public Policy

• Understand the reasoning and impact of public policies that address environmental, social, political, and economic conditions affecting communities domestically and abroad.
• Learn how to effect change in all sectors (public, private, & nonprofit).
• Entry-Level Careers: public affairs specialist, investigative assistant, contract specialist, human resources specialist, community relations specialist, program analyst
• Further Education/Experience Careers: community planner, economic development specialist, operations research analyst, intelligence officer, economist, senior policy advisor
• Possible Employers: Federal/State/Local Government; Nonprofit Organizations; Community Service Agencies; Chambers of Commerce; Think Tanks; Business & Industry; Research Groups/Centers

Professional Associations & Job Search Sites:

• American Association for State & Local History http://www.aaslh.org
• American Association of Museums http://www.aam-us.org/aviso/index.cfm
• American Historical Association http://www.historians.org
• American Management Association http://www.amanet.org
• American Political Science Association http://www.apsanet.org
• American Public Works Association http://www.apwa.net
• American Society for Public Administration http://www.aspanet.org 
• AmeriCorps http://www.americorps.gov
• Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org/en/jobs
• Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management http://www.appam.org
• Avue Central http://www.avuecentral.com/casting/aiportal/control/mainmenu (Federal Employment)
• Call to Serve (Making the Difference) http://www.makingthedifference.org
• Careers in Government http://www.careersingovernment.com
• Careers in Public History http://www.historians.org/governance/tfph/PublicHistoryEmployment.htm
• Cato Institute http://www.cato.org (Public Policy Research Organization-Think Tank)
• Center for Democracy & Technology http://www.cdt.org
• Center for Economic & Policy Research http://www.cepr.net
• Center for International Policy http://www.ciponline.org
• Council on Foreign Relations http://www.cfr.org/about/career_opportunities/
• Environmental Law Institute http://www.eli.org/About/employment.cfm
• European Institute http://www.europeaninstitute.org (Public Policy)
• Federal Government Jobs http://www.federalgovernmentjobs.us/job-locations.html
• Federal/State/Local Government & Related Sites http://www.udel.edu/CSC/netfed.html
• Foreign Policy Association http://www.fpa.org/jobs_contact2423/jobs_contact.htm
• GOP (Republicans in Congress) http://ww.gop.gov
• Government Finance Officers Association http://www.gfoa.org
• Government Jobs http://www.governmentjobs.com
• Hill Zoo http://www.hillzoo.com/jobs (jobs on & off The Hill in DC)
• Illinois Historical Society http://www.historyillinois.org
• Illinois State Agencies http://www2.illinois.gov/pages/agencies.aspx
• Institute for Policy Studies http://www.ips-dc.org/about/joinus
• Institute for Women's Policy Research http://www.iwpr.org
• Intelligence.gov http://www.intelligence.gov/careers-in-intelligence
• LawJobs.com http://www.lawjobs.com
• Local Government Resources http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Local.shtml
• Making the Difference (International Relations) http://www.makingthedifference.org/federalcareers/internationalrelations.shtml (federal government careers)
• Making the Difference (Legal) http://www.makingthedifference.org/federalcareers/law.shtml (federal government careers)
• Minnesota Historical Society http://www.mnhs.org
• Museum Employment Resource Center http://www.museum-employment.com
• Museum Professionals http://www.museumprofessionals.org
• National Association of Schools of Public Affairs & Administration http://www.naspaa.org
• National Council on Public History http://ncph.org/cms/careers-training/
• National Legal Aid & Defenders Association http://www.nlada.org
• Nonprofit Sites http://www.udel.edu/CSC/netnp.html
• Opportunities in Public Affairs http://www.opajobs.com (Capitol Hill, Legislative, Public Affairs, & Public Relations in Washington, DC)
• Organization of American Historians http://www.oah.org
• Preservation Action http://www.preservationaction.org
• Public Service Careers http://www.publicservicecareers.org
• Riley Guide http://www.rileyguide.com/public.html (links to sites with job listings)
• Rock the Vote http://www.rockthevote.com/jobs
• Roll Call (Newspaper of Capitol Hil -DC Political Jobs) http://www.rcjobs.com
• Smithsonian Institution http://www.si.edu
• Society for American Archivists http://www2.archivists.org
• Society for History in the Federal Government http://www.shfg.org
• Society for Human Resource Management http://www.shrm.org
• State Government Listings http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml
• Students.gov http://www.students.gov (Official government site for students and their parents)
• The Hill (DC Newspaper-Political Jobs) http://thehill.com/resources/classifieds/employer
• The Nixon Center http://www.nixoncenter.org (International Relations)
• US Museums by State http://www.museumlink.com/states.htm
• US PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) http://www.uspirg.org/jobs
• USA Jobs http://www.usajobs.opm.gov (US Office of Personnel Management-official federal government job listings)
• Wisconsin Historical Society http://www.wisconsinhistory.org
• Wisconsin State Agencies http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/agency_index.html

Federal Agencies

• Central Intelligence Agency https://www.cia.gov/careers/index.shtml
• Congressional Research Service (Branch of the Library of Congress) http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/
• Department of Agriculture http://www.usda.gov
• Department of State http://www.state.gov
• International Trade Association http://www.trade.gov
• Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/index.php
• National Archives http://www.archives.gov/careers
• National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/workwithus.htm
• Office of Management & Budget http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recruitment_default/
• Office of the Historian (US Department of State) http://history.state.gov
• Senate Historical Office http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/Senate_Historical_Office.htm
• USAID http://www.usaid.gov/careers
• US Government Departments & Agencies A-Z http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml
• US House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/cao-hr 
• US Senate http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/visiting/h_multi_sections_and_teasers/employment.htm  
• Washington Headquarters Services-Department of Defense http://www.whs.mil

Information compiled from:

• University of Delaware Career Services Center:
  http://www.udel.edu/CSC/history.html
  http://www.udel.edu/CSC/posc.html
  http://www.udel.edu/CSC/pubpol.html
• University of North Carolina-Wilmington Career Services:
  http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/career/Majors/history.htm
• University of Pennsylvania Career Services:
  http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/resourcesbyfield/main.html
• University of Tennessee-Knoxville Career Services:
  http://career.utk.edu/wcidwtm/pdf/history.pdf
  http://career.utk.edu/wcidwtm/pdf/polticalscience.pdf
  http://career.utk.edu/wcidwtm/pdf/publicadministration.pdf

Disclosure: Please take note that while this is a sampling of some of our favorite resources for job hunting and career research, inclusion does not represent an endorsement by UWW Career & Leadership Development.

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