How to make the most of your graduate policy degree

Thousands of policy master’s students across the U.S. are a few months into their first semester. Midterms have passed, students are beginning to grasp what “back to school” really means, and many may already feel overwhelmed by the activities, groups, applications, conferences, trips, courses, and all the other options available. As winter approaches, it’s a perfect time to take a breather and start planning for the rest of your program.

I was a master's in public administration student from 2021 to 2023. Now that I’ve graduated and been working for a while, I wanted to look back and offer advice to those who are just beginning this journey. To do so, I connected with fellow alumni from Columbia University’s School of Public and International Affairs and other policy schools across the country and asked them a key question: How do you make the most of a policy degree? Here’s a non-exhaustive list of insights I gathered from those conversations, organized into three core strategies.

1. Use the Policy Degree to Explore Job Market Trends

The most common advice was to use your degree as a way to explore trends in the policy job market. There is no better time to identify areas where the market is heading, understand in-demand skills from companies you are interested in, and map out the types of jobs a policy degree can unlock. Here’s how:

• Stay open-minded and explore different sectors. Maintain a flexible mindset while recognizing your own technical boundaries. Be willing to use the several hands-on opportunities offered by graduate degrees (internships, capstones, graduate consultancies) to explore areas of interest. Avoid a rigid mindset that ties you to declining or non-profitable market sectors.??

• Attend conferences and ask questions. Engage with policy makers, NGO leaders, and private sector representatives to hear their experiences and learn about emerging trends. Don’t be shy about raising your hand and asking what skills they’re seeking in new hires. Remember, you’re there to learn, and you’re paying a lot for this education—make it count.

• Maximize office hours with professors. Professors, particularly those actively involved in the job market, are valuable resources. Come prepared with specific questions and know their background. However, avoid directly asking for a job or internship. Build a professional rapport instead.

2. Identify and Fill Gaps in Your Skill Set

Once you’ve identified the skills currently in demand, focus on filling any gaps in your profile. Look for opportunities offered by the school to bridge these gaps. Here’s how to approach it:

• Take courses that provide in-demand skills. Choose courses that balance theory with practical, marketable skills. Prioritize those taught by professors actively working in the field, as they can offer a “state-of-the-art” perspective. Avoid classes that are overly theoretical, outdated, or taught by professors who are exclusively dedicated to academia.

• If you can't fill your gaps, then run away from them. Policy degrees are not like undergraduate programs, they will go by quickly, and when you realize it, you will already be swimming in the job market trying to secure a position that can help you pay that burdensome debt. Make sure you are understanding your own limitations, fill gaps which can actually be filled in less than two years

• Plan ahead and map opportunities. Time flies by and you may be trying to take a day at a time, however, try to plan ahead. Understand what courses you must be taking in your concentrations, map interesting conferences and events you want to attend, and keep in mind the deadlines for courses, jobs, trips, conferences!?

3. Step Out of the Classroom

In addition to coursework, maximize out-of-class learning opportunities to broaden your network and gain industry insight. Understanding successful career patterns and the skills employers seek will better prepare you for job hunting. Here’s how to do it:

• Prioritize practical experience. Internships, graduate consultancies, and capstone projects offer invaluable experience, helping you expand your network, solidify your knowledge, and build a foundation for future job applications.

• Look beyond campus resources. While your university provides significant resources, don’t limit yourself to them. Reach out to institutions, professionals, and conferences that interest you. Utilize your CPT if applicable and stay connected to the job market throughout your studies.

• Time is your most valuable asset. Use it to explore job areas, network with professionals whose career paths you admire, and attend at least one conference each week. Remember, coffee chats likely won’t lead to a job immediately, but they can provide valuable insights and help you build contacts in organizations that interest you.

Stay open, dive in, and let this journey shape the path ahead. You've got this!

Disclaimer: This article was reviewed using an AI chat tool for feedback and suggestions on structure, grammar, and clarity. The insights provided should be taken as informal guidance, and any final edits or factual accuracy remain the responsibility of the author.