Practical Politics
Certificate of Achievement
Program Details
The Practical Politics Certificate is designed for students who intend to become political practitioners and to augment their background and skills through exposure to political science frameworks and concepts, with a focus on local campaign strategies, campaign management, data analysis, and messaging. Students are expected to sharpen the skills and understanding required of thoughtful and effective practitioners in elective and appointive public service. Instruction involves public speaking and communication skills; public relations and media relations; statistical analysis and understanding of polling data; GIS, mapping, and data analysis; and the practical skills of campaigns. The Practical Politics Certificate requires a total of 16-17 units.
Practical Politics Pathways
Pathways listed below are for the catalog year 2025-2026.
Featured Careers
Find your calling. Explore high-earning careers with entry-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
Bachelor's degree
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 68,860
- High salary: 227,590
- Average salary: 136550
Compliance Managers
Bachelor's degree, Master's degree
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 68,860
- High salary: 227,590
- Average salary: 136550
Loss Prevention Managers
Bachelor's degree, High school diploma/GED
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 68,860
- High salary: 227,590
- Average salary: 136550
All Careers in Practical Politics (10)
| Political Scientists | Doctoral degree | Stable | 139,380 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | Bachelor's degree | Rising | 136,550 |
| Compliance Managers | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Rising | 136,550 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | Bachelor's degree, High school diploma/GED | Rising | 136,550 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Rising | 136,550 |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | Bachelor's degree, Associate's degree | Rising | 136,550 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree | Rising | 136,550 |
| Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary | Doctoral degree | Stable | 94,680 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Declining | 64,580 |
| Social Science Research Assistants | Bachelor's degree, Master's degree | Rising | 58,040 |
Program Pathways Mapper incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes help you work towards your educational goals.
- Critically analyze what is needed to manage and the strategies of successful campaigns.
- Identify and produce accurate and compelling social media posts in a timely manner and under deadline pressure.
- Identify the components of the transactional model of communication.
- Utilize an understanding of the history, economics and structure of the media to analyze and appraise media products and current controversies in the mass communications industries.