APSA Graduate Placement Report: Analysis of Political Science Placements for 2018-2020

Abstract

The Graduate Placement Report details findings on political science placements for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years, preceding and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. More candidates, specifically candidates from top National Research Council (NRC)-ranked institutions found first placements in contingent academic positions, still indicating an alteration to the most desirable placement path, with a post-doc or research position immediately after receipt of a PhD. Having a PhD, and full funding are strong determinants of placement. Men and non-URMs continue to take full-time post-doc positions as their first placements. There were more URMs and women in tenure-track positions in 2019-2020 than in 2018-2019. There was an overall increase in the number of candidates who did not find placement during the 2019-2020 academic year, which can most likely be attributed to impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and a lower than usual response rate.