Career Development

Undergraduate Career Planning Guide

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

  • Continue to do well in your courses and begin to narrow your career interests.
  • If you are uncertain of your career path, take courses in different areas with different topics and volunteer with organizations in the fields you are interested in pursuing.
  • Attend career panels and job fairs offered by the university.
  • Stay involved with clubs and extracurricular activities. 

Junior Year

  • Update your resume and identify mentors, professors, or supervisors that can serve as references.
  • Consider running for a leadership position within a student organization.
  • Find and secure an internship.
  • Consider applying for The Washington Center Scholarship/internship The Washington Center Internship | School of Government and Public Policy | University of Arizona
  • Meet with a career advisor to discuss your resume, cover letters, and interviewing strategies.
  • Research scholarships and post-graduation options (grad schools, public sector jobs, non-profits, and government agencies)

Senior Year

  • Update your resume after internship completion.
  • If you do not have relevant work experience, securing an internship is a priority. 
  • Consider applying for other internships during the academic year.
  • Continue to check in with the career advisors to discuss job opportunities, tailored resumes, and interviewing tips.
  • Begin applying for jobs and/or graduate school. 

  1. University of Arizona's Graduate Center Career Services page: Career Services | Graduate Center (arizona.edu)
  2. Political Science Job listings: American Political Science Association > CAREERS > eJobs (apsanet.org)
  3. Notify your Ph.D. advisor and other letter writers several months in advance, typically in the spring semester before you go on the job market.
  4. Compile your CV (see one-pager in the SGPP Students D2L page) Resume, CV, Gov't job resources - SGPP Students (arizona.edu) You can also utilize Overleaf for CV Creation for free: Gallery - Templates, Examples and Articles written in LaTeX - Overleaf, Online LaTeX Editor
  5. Cover Letters
  6. Write a research statement & compile teaching materials (syllabi and course evaluations). 
  7. Write a teaching statement.

  • University of Arizona's Graduate Center Career Services page: Career Services | Graduate Center (arizona.edu)
  • Talk with faculty members about graduate school. They can offer guidance about the specialties of different schools, which universities are most likely to admit you, and what you can do after earning a graduate degree. 
  • Understand the various prerequisite requirements of each school you are interested in applying to. Requirements will vary, but many graduate programs in political science or public policy require calculus, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and foreign language proficiency. Some schools will not accept AP credit for these prerequisites. You are strongly encouraged to begin researching graduate schools a year before submitting applications. More information can be found on individual school websites. 
  • The GRE and LSAT are the Graduate Record Examination and the Law School Admission Test. The GRE is often the required entrance exam for graduate school, while the LSAT is the required entrance exam for most law schools. Note: The University of Arizona Law School will accept either the GRE, LSAT, or the JD-Next exam as part of their required application materials. More UA Law admission information can be found here: How to Apply - General Requirements | University of Arizona Law If you plan to attend law school in the fall after your May graduation, take the test no later than December of your senior year. 
  • Most graduate programs will require two letters of recommendation. These should detail your analytical abilities and writing skills. Request letters of recommendation from faculty several months in advance of the application due date. 
  • Create a personal statement, typically, no longer than four pages, that clarifies your unique characteristics, personal qualities, education and work experiences, talents, background, community involvement, and why you are pursuing a graduate degree. 
  • Update your resume and include GPA under the education section.
  • Requirements for international students may be different. Check school websites for more details. 
  • B.A. in Law advising, Linus Kafka: lkafka@arizona.edu
  • Pre-law advising, Chester White: chesterwhite@arizona.edu 

Undergraduate Career Guides

For students uncertain about where their SGPP degree will take them, attached are four PDFs with careers and descriptions for each major.

PMNP Careers.pdf
Law Careers.pdf