What MA in Public Policy is all about

by Pankaj Sharma Digital Marketing Professional

All the country in the world runs its government and development programme under policies. IN other words, we can say public policies are made to take a country toward greatness. However, all public policies are not made forever. No policies are made in concrete, and it remains open to be changed or reviewed. Public policies are changed from time to time as per the need or when situational factors create revision causes. Therefore, many students who want to solve the complicated policies or help the government create new policies pursue a master’s degree and PhD in public policy. Having a masters degree in Public Policy equips you with the knowledge and ability to derive effective delivery channels in making policies for the public interest.

MA in Public Policy is a two-year (4 semesters) full-time postgraduate level programme offered by various public and private colleges/ institutes in the country. The programme mainly focuses on equipping the students with the skills required to address economic, political, and social issues and develop coherent solutions to manage these issues. The course focuses on both local and international public policies. The local public policies are focused on criminal justice, health services, and many more, while the international policies are focused on addressing greater issues such as international economics & finance, environment, technology, security etc.

Students holding a bachelor’s degree in the relevant discipline are considered eligible for admission. To get admission to this course, you will have to appear for a national level or state level or university level entrance exam. In contrast, some colleges/ universities offer admission to this course based on the merit of the candidate in the qualifying exam.

What are the job profiles offered after completing a Masters in Public Policy?

A master degree in public policy equips you with the skills that are required in addressing various issues and makes you eligible for various jobs offered by the government and intergovernmental organisations. Some students prefer to earn a PhD in Public Policy, while many start hunting a job. After completing the master degree in Public Policy, you become eligible for many demanding and reputed job profiles. Space below mentions the top three job profiles that are offered in this field along with the job responsibilities:

● Policy Analyst: A Policy Analyst is responsible for identifying the issues by exploring the areas by collecting information. They also have to report their findings and come up with new policies to solve the existing issue.

● Research Associate: This is one of the most popular and lucrative job profiles. Once you become a research associate, you have to perform market research by gathering data and to help your company with a better marketing strategy.

● Chief Administrative Officer: A Chief Administrative Officer is a top-tier executive who is responsible for looking after all the financial, administrative, and marketing-related business of his/ her company.

Apart from the jobs mentioned above, you can also choose to become a Lobbyist and Public Affairs Manager.