Masters in Public Policy – What This Degree Is All About & What You Can Do with It
Public Policy can be best explained and described as a system of government laws, rules and regulations, court decisions, regulatory measures, local ordinances, courses of action, and funding priorities, with a concern to a given topic spread by the government body, entity or its representative. Every individual in the country has a share or a stake in the public policies sanctioned by the local, state or federal governments.
Some intellects or scholars might consider procedural or substantive policy as one of the main types of public policies. The public policies convey or address issues, including public health, education systems, corruption, criminal justice, literacy, basic sanitation, poverty, reproductive rights, gun rights, disaster preparedness, pollution, immigration, drug use, etc.
Several top colleges and universities in India offer a wide range of courses in Public Policies at different academic levels. One of the most popularly pursued courses at the master’s level is the MA in Public Policy or Masters in Public Policy. Let’s know all the required information about the course.
Masters in Public Policy Course Overview
MA Public Policy or a Masters in Public Policy is a multidisciplinary postgraduate course of two years. The full-time course in Public Policy explains several aspects of public policy and enables students to comprehensively address contemporary social, political, cultural, or economic problems. In addition, the course introduces its aspirants to challenging and rigid public policies and provides proper training to its students to solve practical policy issues and provide solutions for the betterment of the public.
Every year lakhs of students from different parts of India apply for the Masters in Public Policy course. Students interested in pursuing the course often apply for the course online by filling out the online application or registration forms available on the websites of various universities. Universities take admissions based on students’ merit (last academic qualification performance) or based on the entrance tests. In India, several top entrance examinations are conducted at the state, national or university levels. Some of the top entrance examinations for the MA in Public Policy course admissions are:
- CMAT
- CAT
- SNAP
- XAT
- NMAT
- MAT
- GMAC
Some top colleges consider students through a double-round admission procedure, usually based on a closed book exam followed by a student-faculty interaction session or interview.
Eligibility Criteria for Masters in Public Policy
A highly significant eligibility criterion for getting into this course is that students aspiring to be admitted must hold a bachelor’s degree in public policy or any other stream from a UGC-recognised college or university. In addition, students must score a minimum aggregate percentage to be eligible for admission to the course in the prestigious institute of their choice.
Interested aspirants must fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria to pursue the Masters in Public Policy program. There is no upper or lower age limit for getting admission into this course, so students, as well as working professionals, can easily pursue this course and excel in their careers.
Let us now discuss the MA Public Policy course structure in detail.
MA Public Policy Course Structure and Academic Syllabus
The Masters in Public Policy course has an extensive and well-designed curriculum. It offers a well-structured academic syllabus for its aspirants, comprising various topics of keen interest to its students. In addition, the course comprises elective and core courses, which are balanced carefully and efficiently.
Students pursuing this course are expected to complete 90 credits acquired through 15 core courses and approximately seven electives in two years, often divided into four semesters. Some of the different core subjects and topics that constitute the MA Public Policy Course Structure or syllabus are:
- Law and Public Policy
- Gender and Development
- State, Governance and Sustainable Development
- Research Methodology
- Political Philosophy for Public Policy
- Programme Design and Evaluation
- Public Finance and Administration
- Democratic Governance: Theory and Practice
- Survey Research Design and Analysis
- Capstone/Dissertation
Some of the MA in Public Policy Course Electives include:
- Development Economics
- Environmental Health Development Economics
- International Institutions and National Policies
- Energy, Climate, and International Environmental Law
- Environmental Economics & Climate Change
- Political Economy of Trade and Globalisation
- Health Economics and Financing
- Urban Space — Politics and Policy
- Land and Resource Politics
- Health Policy & Systems
Core courses and electives in the MA Public Policy course structure might differ from college to college. Moreover, the course curriculum equips students with all the required knowledge and understanding of all the essential subjects and topics of the field, which will be highly beneficial for them in several aspects. Let’s now discuss the scope after graduating from the course.
Scope and Career Opportunities After MA in Public Policy
Master of Arts in Public Policy is one of the most promising courses with a broad scope providing endless future opportunities. After completing this course, graduates can opt for higher studies such as a master’s or double master’s degree in any course, certificate courses, doctorate, etc. In addition, they can also emerge as skilled and expert professionals and start working in various public policy sectors.
Students, after graduation, are exposed to a broad range of career options in the government and private sectors. However, the most impressive part of this course is that it offers endless lucrative job opportunities with well-salaried roles in different areas of public policy. Here are some of the most promising job profiles that students can consider after completing their degree given below:
- Policy Analyst
- Government Analyst
- Research Associate
- Assistant Professor
- Public Affairs Manager
- Lobbyist
- Statistician
- Director of Public Policy
- Program Director
- Chief Administrative Officer
There are many more job profiles with good salary packages for course graduates. Students can choose the job profile as per their preferences and interests. So please don’t waste your time and apply for the course today, as it’s one of the most popular and sought-after courses in India among young minds.