Job Opportunities
Information about job opportunities for students with a Master of Public Policy degree can be accessed at www.publicservicecareers.org
For a wide variety of jobs in the higher education sector, see www.higheredjobs.com
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2002-2003, 248) projects that the "overall employment of social scientists in the United States is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2010." However, the BLS warns that social science "graduates with master's degrees in applied specialties usually have better professional opportunities outside of colleges and universities" compared to bachelor's degree holders. According to the BLS, individuals with only a bachelors degree in the social sciences "have limited opportunities and in most social science occupations do not qualify for ‘professional' positions." The BLS identifies government agencies, social service organizations, marketing research and consulting firms, and a wide range of private businesses as the major employers of social science graduates, particularly those with a terminal professional degree such as the MPP.
There are many occupational and career opportunities for individuals with a Master of Public Policy degree, including:
- town and city government (e.g., town administrator, town accountant, treasurer, chief financial officer, economic and community development, etc.),
- state government (e.g., project or program manager, policy analyst, legislative analyst),
- federal government (e.g., project or program manager, policy analyst, Congressional or committee aide),
- private sector (e.g., government relations, survey research and polling, corporate policy analysis, chambers of commerce, labor, trade, and industry associations),
- non-profit sector (e.g., foundations, think-tanks, research bureaus, charitable organizations, etc.)
State and local governments, in particular, provide a variety of vital services to their constituents, such as transportation, public safety, health care, education, community and economic development, parks and recreational facilities, human services, and housing. In addition to the 50 State governments, there are about 87,000 local governments nationwide, including approximately 3,000 county governments, 19,400 municipal governments, 16,600 townships, 13,700 school districts, and 34,700 special districts (i.e., ports, airports, highways, mass transit, water, solid waste, schools, etc.). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has forecast that wage and salary employment in State and local government alone will increase by 11 percent nationwide between 2000-2010 period.
Want to submit your resume? Please send to: Clyde W. Barrow (cbarrow@umassd.edu)
Correspondence and inquiries should be addressed to:
| The Center for Policy Analysis University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 285 Old Westport Road North Dartmouth, MA. 02747-2300
Phone: 508-990-9660 |
Last Updated On: 12/29/08
