Careers in Government, Law, Policy & Public Safety

Use this section to research career paths, typical job titles, and how to start building skills to get prepared for this industry.

• Discover Policing
• GoGovernment.org
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Judges, Mediators, and Hearing Officers
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers
• Occupational Outlook Handbook: Urban and Regional Planners
• O*NET OnLine: Public Service & Safety

Please consider viewing other industry clusters pages besides Government, Law, Policy, and Public Safety as there can be overlap of industries.

Use this section to learn about student organizations you can join at UT to learn more about your desired industry, network with professionals and peers with similar interests, and build transferable skills.

You can view a list of student organizations related to this industry on VolLink. Below are a few examples of some student organizations:

• College Democrats
• College Republicans
• Libertarians at UTK
• Leading Women of Tomorrow UTK
• National Lawyers Guild of UTK
• Public Administration Student Association
• Roosevelt Institute Campus Network UTK Chapter
• Student Political Alliance
• Uncensored America
• Young Democratic Socialists of America at UTK
• UTK Student Government Association

Professional Organizations can be helpful in exploring more about certain sub-industries within Government, Law, Policy, and Public Safety, finding job opportunities, and connecting with professionals in your area of interest. Many have their own job search boards along with a way to sign up for job alerts. You can view a list of Professional Organizations associated with your area/major on What Can I Do With This Major. Below are a few examples of some professional organizations:

• American Bar Association
• American Foreign Service Association
• American Probation and Parole Association
• American Society for Public Administration
• Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management
• Go Law Enforcement (listing of professional associations and jobs)

Check out these sites in addition to our Handshake feed listed below. Use this section to search specific job and internship boards for this industry:

• Criminal Justice Internships
• Federal Jobs
• Forensic Anthropology Center (volunteer/intern/short course at the UT Forensic Center)
• Go Law Enforcement
• Government Jobs
• GovtJobs (state and local government jobs for city, county and state agencies)
• Harvard Kennedy School Think Tank Search Engine (links to over 500 US and international think tanks)
• Intern in Washington DC through UT’s Congressional Internship Program
• LawJobs.com
• LobbyingJobs.com
• Police1.com
• Political Job Hunt
• Public Affairs Council
• Public Service Careers
• Security Degree Hub
• Careers in Government
• Tennessee State Government
• United States Senate Employment
• Washington Post Government Section

Exploring volunteer options? A career in life-long service starts now!

• AmeriCorps Volunteer Opportunities
• Forensic Anthropology Center (volunteer/intern/short course at the UT Forensic Center)
• Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee Volunteer Opportunities
• UTK Jones Center for Leadership and Service
• Volunteer East Tennessee

Suggestions for government-related volunteering, attend a City Council meeting, join a Board or Commission, volunteer for a local candidate’s campaign.

Graduate School Application Resources

Many graduate school resources can be found on our Prepare for Graduate School website, including deciding on graduate school, resumes, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays/personal statements. Graduate School Applications take time and will require roughly 6-9 months of preparation. The key to applying to a graduate program will be exploring each school and program’s process for obtaining a faculty mentor. You will likely need to research faculty associated with the program of interests and contact them to inquire about research opportunities and faculty mentorship. Below are some links you may find helpful:

• Best Accredited Colleges
• GradSchools.com
• Law School Admission Council
• NASPAA’s directory of MPA and MPP programs
• Peterson’s Graduate School Search

Current Graduate Student Resources

Graduate students at the University of Tennessee have access to all of the resources offered by the Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration. Please see the “Meet with your career coach” section above to explore all your professional development options.

Research

If you are considering a Masters or PhD, gaining research experience is very important (possibly even critical) for graduate school admissions. Explore the following resource for ideas on how and where to get started:

• UT’s Office of Undergraduate Research

For specific research opportunities, students are encouraged to reach out to faculty directly by browsing the department websites to learn about research areas and sending a direct email to the faculty member. Students should make sure their email is professional and may want to consider attaching a resume.