Public Policy
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Public policy describes any action made by the government to handle an issue that involves the public. All tiers of government are charged with the development of public policy, and laws and regulations are two of the most common means of enacting such public policy. A trio of components comprise the process of creating and implementing public policy, which includes the problems facing the public, the political figures and workers with the authority to address those problems, and the actual policy that results from these officials' effort to deal with the public issue.
Because of its focus on the nature of public policy and its ramifications on society, public policy coursework is often regarded as an outgrowth from the study of political science. Both as an academic discipline and as a component of governmental action, public policy tackles a great number of diverse concerns, such as crime, economics, foreign policy, health care, education, and social well-being. Though careers in any of these fields, including politics of course, can spring from study in public policy, the position most directly linked to the field is the public administrator.
Education in public policy takes place in earnest beginning at the undergraduate level. Not every college or university will offer public policy as a major specifically, but other fields of study as political science, statistics, history, urban planning, and literature also make for excellent preparation for a career driven by public policy. A wide range of postsecondary institutions do offer public policy education at the master's and doctoral levels, and earning such a degree is almost mandatory in order to establish a profession in this discipline with the government. The job outlook for this lucrative field is expected to demonstrate sizable growth, but competition will remain keen for prime positions.
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Accredited Schools Offering Public Policy Degrees by Location
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Career Specializations
- Policy Analyst: This high-level career frequently demands a PhD or JD (law school degree) in order to be qualified; the position collects information and analyzes current policies in order to improve them or propose new ideas.
- Ethics: This specialization focuses on how moral concerns affect the process of enacting policy for the public, with particular regard to under-served or disenfranchised communities.
- Public Budgeting: These professionals provide studied and informed opinions on how resources should be allocated and the financial results of spending on those resources.
- Organizational Theory: The study of the form, structure, and procedures of government is at the center of this specialty, with much contemplation spent on how to improve governmental operations.
- Human Resource Management: Professionals in this concentration instill a respect for the laws and ethics of government and business into employees, whom they also hire, train, and manage.
Degree Levels
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
- Master's Degree in Public Policy: 1-3 years to complete
- Master of Public Administration: 2-3 years to complete
- Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis on Public Policy or Administration: 2-3 years to complete
- Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Policy: 4-6 years to complete
- Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Administration: 4-6 years to complete
Education & Certification Requirements
The very first step to establishing a career in public policy is to major in the field during the four undergraduate years that lead to a bachelor's degree. However, high schoolers interested in this field should take such advanced placement classes as U.S. and world history, economics, and U.S. and comparative government, to potentially earn college credit later on. Courses one should expect to encounter in bachelor's level public policy programs include economics, political science, and psychology, and concentrations are available in fields like law, regional policy, the design of public institutions, and education. Earning a master's or doctoral degree in this field is necessary to hold top-level positions in this industry. Master of Public Administration and Master of Business Administration degrees are gaining increased clout in the determination of hiring decisions, for example.
Certification is available for public policy professionals from organizations like the International Facility Management Association, but the government does not require this distinction of its employees, and certification never trumps a high-level degree in the employment process. (BLS)
Salary Information
As the majority of those working in public policy have earned a minimum of a master's degree in the discipline, salaries for this sector overall are quite high and satisfying. Those who tout an advanced amount of knowledge about a particular area within the public policy conversation, known as industrial specialists, earn more than $82,000 annually. Policy analysts working at the GS-15 level in government earn between $90,000 and $145,000 per annum; this tier is normally reserved for those with PhDs or law degrees. Those with master's degrees can target a career analyzing policy at the GS-7 level, which compensates employees with more then $30,000 in a given year. (BLS, BLS)
Job Outlook
Careers in public policy and public administration are anticipated to increase in a solid and noticeable way, well into the future. By the year 2018, estimates have predicted that the number of jobs in this field will increase by 12 percent. Competition will not be lessened by this uptick in possibility for employment, however. Earning a minimum of a master's degree is the most advisable step toward landing a career in the field. In addition, students who participate in multiple internships throughout the academic phase of their career tend to be rewarded with better employment, and more often, than their peers. (BLS)
Related Careers
The nonprofit sector offers many possibilities to incite social change, similar to the aim of those working in public policy. Working for a nonprofit entails demonstrating the legal knowledge that can effect charities, donation organizations, and other nonprofit agencies. Frequently, advanced-level academic preparation, often at the master's level, is needed to take part in this field of careers.
