Next Stops

Where Can a Degree in Political Science Take Me?

Our students regularly secure coveted internships in:

  • Government offices and agencies (e.g., the City of Philadelphia)
  • State legislative or congressional offices
  • Political campaigns
  • Law firms and local prosecutor’s offices
  • Public interest groups

Political science offers students preparation that can help them in a wide range of endeavors. Our alumni go on to law school and graduate studies, while others find meaningful employment in government, political groups and campaigns, the media, non-profit organizations and business. Related careers and fields include the following:

  • Policy researchers
  • Political correspondents
  • Lobbyists
  • Political consultants
  • Business
  • Diplomacy
  • Education
  • Government affairs

View our PhD Placement List to see where some of our graduates have landed! Like us on Facebook to stay updated on department events and news.

Calling All Alumni

How are you? What are you up to? Join the Temple University Political Science Alumni group on LinkedIn. We want to get in touch with you, get you in touch with each other and give our current students great ideas about all that you can do with political science training.

Alumni Spotlight

The stories below feature some of our outstanding alumni and they further illustrate the diversity of options available to Political Science graduates.

Dornell Burrell (He/Him)
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Mr. Dornell Burrell graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Economics in 2017.

Today, he works as a Community Affairs Liaison and Budget Analyst for Philadelphia City Councilmember At-Large Katherine Gilmore Richardson. Mr. Burrell credits the classes he took and his internship experience during his time at Temple with helping him secure his first job after college as a campaign fundraiser.

Mr. Burrell’s work as a budget analyst and his role in passing multiple balanced budgets for the City of Philadelphia is a highlight of his career. The pandemic has presented unique challenges to the budget process, and he personally has helped the city office adjust and adapt. Additionally, Mr. Burrell is currently taking a lead role in the development of his office’s Apprenticeship Guidebook which is a resource for over 25 pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs around Philadelphia. He is proud to have had the opportunity to speak with educators, counselors, and students about the career opportunities that are available, and believes that the Guidebook has made the apprenticeship process easier to navigate for young people.

Demetrius Coachman (He/Him)
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Mr. Demetrius Coachman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with minors in Africology & African American Studies and Spanish in 2019.

Currently, Mr. Coachman is a Senior Consultant with Princeton Strategies. He is a political consultant working on campaigns for City Council and State level electees. Some career highlights of Mr. Coachman’s include working for his community and State Representative

Donna Bullock, Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, as well as working on the campaign to elect the first Black millennial to Philadelphia City Council, Councilmember Isaiah Thomas. Mr. Coachman is proud of the work he has done with many first Black elected officials in the greater Philadelphia region.

Erinn Corbett-Wright, MS, CPC* (She/Her)
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Ms. Erinn Corbett-Wright graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in African American Studies in 2014.

Currently, Ms. Corbett-Wright is the Vice President at TD Bank’s Charitable Foundation Program and an adjunct professor in Temple’s Masters of Public Policy program. During her time at Temple University, Ms. Corbett-Wright utilized her Political Science degree when she worked as a Legislative Aide for Pennsylvania State Representative Jordan Harris from 2013-2015. She then transitioned to nonprofit fundraising and private foundation philanthropy at Pew Charitable Trusts.

A few career highlights of Ms. Corbett-Wright’s include being named as a Rising Star for the inaugural Forbes the Culture 50 Champions list in 2021 and launching a national partnership with First Book to provide free reading resources for 13,000 children from Maine to Florida. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Corbett-Wright managed the Housing for Everyone competition for 2019-2020 and provided nearly $10 million to support affordable rental housing and to provide low-barrier emergency rental assistance.

*Masters of Science (MS) in Non-Profit Leadership, Certified Professional Coach (CPC)

Trey Miller (He/Him/His)
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Mr. Trey Miller graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2018. He participated in "The Washington Center" semester and focused on American Politics.

Currently, Trey is the Chief of Staff for former Governor Ed Rendell (D 2003-2011; previously Mayor of Philadelphia 1992-2000), as well as a 2nd-year law student at Beasley School of Law. A career highlight of Trey Miller’s work thus far has been working with the Biden campaign in 2020 and working with the group “Our Future United” in the Georgia runoff that helped propel the Democrats to control of the Senate. He credits the Washington Center for giving him great insight into life working on the Hill and allowing him to network and build important connections that he still maintains today. Additionally, Trey Miller has been selected as an honoree for City & State’s Pennsylvania "Forty Under 40" list, highlighting this generation’s rising stars.

Jesse Monoski (He/Him)
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Mr. Jesse Monoski graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy in 2016 and finished a Certificate in Grant Writing in 2019 from Temple’s Harrisburg campus.

Presently, Mr. Monoski works as a Policy Development and Research Specialist for Senator Jay Costa of Pennsylvania’s 43rd District in the PA Senate Democratic Caucus. During his last year at Temple, he was able to put the skills he learned in the classroom to use while working for a state senate and congressional campaign.

A career highlight of Mr. Monoski’s include the thousands of constituents he was able to assist while working for former PA-District 5 Senator John Sabatina Jr. (D 2015-2021). Mr. Monoski takes pride in knowing he played a part in legislative efforts to prohibit discrimination against the disabled when seeking an organ transplant, protecting victims of sexually violent crimes, and expanding an environmental protection incentive program for farmers, and many more policies that improved the lives of Pennsylvanians.

Outside of his career with the PA Senate, Jesse’s proudest moments have been his marriage to my lovely wife, Sydney (also a Temple Grad, class of '16), the birth of our daughter, Jordan (2021), and his successful election to serve his hometown (Lemoyne, PA) as borough councilman in 2019.

Tim Ward (He/Him)
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Mr. Tim Ward graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Criminal Justice in 2013.

Today, Tim works as the Director of Advocacy and Government Relations at the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA). He credits his initial success after graduation to Temple’s Political Science Department’s ability to facilitate internship opportunities, as he completed three internships during his time at Temple which helped him make the jump into his career field upon completing his degree.

A few of Mr. Ward’s career highlights include being the Chief of Staff to PA State Representative Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery County) and the Campaign Manager for Friends of Todd Stephens (2014-2020). In 2018 and 2020, Rep. Todd Stephens was a top target of the PA HDCC and despite being outspent 2:1 in both campaigns, Mr. Ward successfully navigated Rep. Stephens to re-election in both races in which Democratic candidates carried the district overwhelmingly. Lastly, as Director of Advocacy and Government Relations at PHCA, Tim has helped secure $282 million to Pennsylvania’s nursing homes, assisted living residences and personal care homes.

Deadlines

February 1: Freshman Application Deadline for Fall Semester
February 1: FAFSA Financial Aid Application Deadline
November 1: Transfer Deadline for Spring Semester
June 1: Transfer Deadline for Fall Semester