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28 July 2007

Help me decide what subjects to choose [More:]

Public Administration
Political Science
Sociology

I have an interest in helping people, and would also like to see myself get adequately paid for it (don’t want to live hand-to-mouth). I’m thinking of applying for a job at the airport over here and would like to see myself hopefully move up the chain of command as well. What do you think I should opt for out of the three (any two are possible) that would best help me accomplish this?
Also, could you give me a brief outline of what to expect with the subjects. Thanks a lot!
posted by hadjiboy 28 July | 01:52
IMO, sociology is useless pseudoscientific wankery. Every sociologist I've ever met has been a variant of the balding-yet-pony-tailed tweed-clad stereotype. Of course, I'm a college dropout who never took a sociology class, so YMMV. (But I did usta sell weed to a lot of them.) If I had to pick betwixt the three, I'd choose PolySci with a minor in History, thereby opening the range of future employment from politics and community organizing to teaching and law. I have no idea what a degree in Public Administration entails, but it sounds like the way to go if you want to run an airport.
posted by BitterOldPunk 28 July | 02:18
Are these subjects you're thinking of studying at university? If so, there should be a syllabus which sets out the course content.
posted by essexjan 28 July | 02:24
You’re right jan: the courses offered at my university for Political Science are—Political Theory and Concepts, Indian Government and Politics, Political Thought, and International Relations. And Public Administration offers Elements of Public Administration, Indian Administration, Local Organization and Development in India, and Public Office Administration.

BitterOldPunk, I was thinking of Sociology as an alternative to have if I ever thought of getting into Social Work, but if it’s not going to help me, then I’d rather stay with the other two.
posted by hadjiboy 28 July | 02:47
My uncle was a professor of political science at an American university for many years (now retired). It's essentially an academic discipline, in which you'll need significant post-graduate degrees to have much chance for publication and teaching jobs. If you want to actually work in politics, studies in communications are probably more useful.

The Public Administration programs I'm familiar with are generally of interest to people in the U.S. interested in local and state government civil service and appointive positions. Degrees in Public Administration are frequently resume check off items for city managers, and other bureaucratic positions.
posted by paulsc 28 July | 03:52
Yeah, my political science degree is really useless. Get a skill degree - communications, education, social work, public administration (not for profit admin?), anything like that.

good luck boy! yay.
posted by By the Grace of God 28 July | 06:02
Well, depending on what you and paulsc have said—I think I’m going to go with Sociology and Public Administration. I hope it helps.
posted by hadjiboy 28 July | 08:59
Hadji, looks like you are off to a good start with the advice you've gotten here. I wanted to add that I have an undergraduate degree in Sociology and Psychology that was quite valuable when In Grad school, Studying environmental communications.

Interestingly, my sociology degree was not "off the rack" And whatever you choose might not have to be either. I included course work I wrote with my advisor/mentor so that I could specialize in a specific area of the field - Environmental Anthropology. I had a knack for the Social Sciences but really wanted to be professionally involved in the environmental field. I got the best of both worlds finding that mentor that helped me see past the conventional classes to alternatives that made all the difference.

Great luck to you in this exciting new adventure.
posted by MonkeyButter 28 July | 14:34
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