Increasing Career Confidence through a Course in Public Service Careers

Universities, colleges, and their academic programs are under increasing pressure to demonstrate positive job outcomes for graduates. A degree in political science confers on students a host of transferrable skills, but career paths for using those skills are not always clear. We present one method for leveraging the resources of the campus career center in order to increase career efficacy and decision-making confidence. Namely, we present a collaborative course—Careers in Public Service—that offers two career interventions: exploration and skill building. We further present evidence that the course is effective in increasing career self-efficacy and maturity, even for nonmajors interested in public service careers. We conclude with advice for fostering a program-career center collaboration and offering a similar course within political science curriculum.