12 Politicians With Really Surprising Majors

Political science and law seem to be the most popular degrees for current and aspiring politicians, but the fact is that success in politics can come from all sorts of educational backgrounds. In fact, nine US presidents never even went to college! Often, politicians set out to do something else in life, like practice medicine or work in mining, but when faced with the call of civic duty, become involved in politics. Here, we’ll take a look at 12 major government figures that graduated with degrees that you don’t see much in the political arena.

1. Mike Huckabee

   You probably know Mike Huckabee as a candidate in the 2008 presidential race, or possibly as Governor of Arkansas. But back in Arkansas, many others know Huckabee as a deeply religious man, not because they’ve heard about Huckabee’s views on TV or in print, but because they’ve seen it in action. He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Religion from Ouachita Baptist University, and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas before dropping out to work as a staffer for a TV evangelist, James Robison. Before his political career took off, Huckabee served as a pastor in Pine Bluff and Texarkana, where he also started 24-hour TV religion-oriented stations.

2. Ronald Reagan

   Looking at Ronald Reagan’s career in hindsight, it might seem like the 40th President of the United States had no idea what he was doing. Not in office, mind you, but with his life in general. Reagan earned his BA in economics and sociology from Eureka College, and promptly moved on to work in radio broadcasting — a field completely unrelated to his degree — and then as an actor, also not something he studied for in school. So how did this econ-sociology major go from entertainment to politics, to the presidency? He was a spokesman for General Electric, and found himself embracing the conservative views of the company.

3. John Ensign

   What do animal hospitals have to do with politics? We’re not really sure, but Senator John Ensign from Nevada found a connection. Ensign graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree, and received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University in 1985, eventually opening a 24-hour animal hospital in Las Vegas. His success in business seems to have sparked a political career, and less than 10 years after starting his veterinary practice in 1994, was elected to the US House of Representatives, followed by a Senate seat in 2000. In May 2011, Ensign resigned from his Senate office due to an extramarital affair scandal.

4. Ron Paul

   Medicine isn’t traditionally a popular field for politicians, but John Ensign and Ron Paul may be starting a trend. You may know Ron Paul as a Republican Party candidate for president and Congressman from Texas, but in an earlier life, Paul was (and still is) a doctor. He graduated from Gettysburg College and Duke University School of Medicine with a medical degree, and worked as a flight surgeon in the US Air Force. Before becoming a politician, Paul was a practicing OB/GYN, and delivered more than 4,000 babies.

5. Howard Dean

   Right along with John Ensign and Ron Paul is Howard Dean, another medical professional turned politician. Dean is most famous as the Governor of Vermont, and for his 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. Dean earned his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, after earning a BA in political science from Yale. After graduation, he started a family medical practice with his wife Judith Steinberg, also a doctor. Dean’s political career was launched after he lead a campaign to stop a condo development on Lake Champlain, succeeding in building a bike trail instead.

6. LBJ

   As 36th President of the United States and 37th Vice President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson is one of only four people to have served in all four federal elected offices of the US: Representative, Senator, Vice President and President. It might seem strange that a politician that has held such high offices came from a schoolteacher’s classroom, but in this case, it’s true. Johnson studied at Southwest Texas State Teachers’ College, and went on to teach Mexican children in Cotulla, as well as public speaking in Houston. His experience in college and in teaching seemed to influence his political career, as he participated in campus politics and debate. As President, Johnson also reflected on his time in Cotulla, and shared that his experience teaching children who would probably never go to college made him determined to open the doors of knowledge to all Americans.

7. Janet Reno

   Janet Reno served as the US Attorney General under Bill Clinton, the first female ever to be nominated and confirmed. She was the longest-serving Attorney General since William Wirt in 1829. And although her law degree from Harvard University certainly aided her in this pursuit, her chemistry degree from Cornell University seems to be a puzzling choice for a future Attorney General. Still, Reno spent her time at Cornell politically involved, serving as president of the Women’s Self-Government Association, and perhaps sparking a lifelong love of politics.

8. Henry Paulson

   As former US Secretary of the Treasury (and chairman and CEO of investment firm Goldman Sachs), you’d probably expect Henry Paulson to have a degree in economics, but that is not the case. Although Paulson does have an MBA from Harvard Business School, his undergraduate work was in English, and he has a BA in English from Dartmouth College, where he played football as an offensive lineman. Before working with Goldman Sachs, Paulson was a staff assistant at the Pentagon, and worked as an assistant in the Nixon administration, but he was not officially involved in politics again until May 2006, when he was nominated as Treasury Secretary by George W. Bush.

9. Steven Chu

   A physics professor certainly seems like an unlikely choice for politics, but as US Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu puts his degree to work. A Nobel Prize winner in Physics, Chu was a professor of physics and molecular and cellular biology at Berkeley when he was appointed to his secretary position. In fact, he is the first person to have been appointed to a US Cabinet position after winning a Nobel Prize. Science degrees might not make much sense for other politicians, but Chu’s education and experience make him an informed advocate of alternative energy and nuclear power.

10. Sarah Palin

    A bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism may not be a popular career for most politicians, but in Sarah Palin’s career, it sure seems to work for her. In the 2008 presidential campaign, Palin virtually took over the media as the vice presidential candidate under John McCain. And although she and McCain ultimately did not win spots in the White House, Sarah Palin proved her worthiness as a media force, even appearing on Saturday Night Live right along with comedienne Tina Fey who had ruthlessly parodied her throughout the campaign. Palin remains politically active and prevalent in the media, even publishing two books: Going Rogue and America by Heart.

11. Herbert Hoover

    President Herbert Hoover did not set out to become President of the US, at least not at first, earning a degree in geology from Stanford in 1895. In fact, he claims he was the first student ever at Stanford, as the first person in the first class to sleep in the dorm. He worked as a geologist and mining engineer before pursuing humanitarian work, organizing the return of 120,00o Americans from Europe when WWI began, an experience that Hoover credits with sparking his interest in politics. In recollection, Hoover shared, "I did not realize it at the moment, but on August 3, 1914, my career was over forever. I was on the slippery road of public life," which culminated in his presidency.

12. George W. Bush

    Although plenty of businessmen get into politics, it’s extremely rare for one to become president. That’s why it’s so remarkable that George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States has an MBA from Harvard University, following a BA in history from Yale University. Although Bush did pursue politics early on (it’s a family business, after all: his father George H.W. Bush is a former US President as well), much of the younger Bush’s attention focused on the oil industry, and even co-ownership of the Texas Rangers baseball team before he really got serious and became the Governor of Texas, then leader of the free world.

Taken From Best Colleges Online