US policy master’s degrees

Working in policy is among the most effective ways to have a positive impact in key fields. Getting a policy master’s degree can be a big help in this path. Narrated by AI. --- Outline: (01:12) Summary of Part 1 (01:16) What's the value of a master's for policy work? (01:47) If I want to do a master's, when should I do it? (02:31) What are the best graduate degrees for policy work? (03:18) Where should I do a master's? (04:19) Part 1: Why do a master's if you want to work in policy? (05:02) Do you need a master's to work in policy? (07:35) What are policy master's degrees like? (08:24) Types of policy masters degrees (11:16) Academic versus practitioner-oriented degrees (12:18) Career capital from a policy master's degree (13:09) Credentialing (14:07) Networking (15:55) Knowledge (21:40) Professional skills (22:41) Work experience (23:34) Other reasons for doing a master's (25:03) Why not do a master's for policy work? (29:12) When should you do a master's -- right after college or after working for a few years? (29:32) The case for working before graduate school (32:09) Exceptions: Who should do graduate school immediately? (34:04) Applying early (35:23) What are the alternatives to policy master's? (37:33) Part 2: Choosing where to go, how to apply, and how to get funding (38:18) Summary of Part 2 (38:23) How should I choose where to apply? (39:16) Which schools and programs would you recommend? (40:10) How selective are policy schools? (40:58) When are applications due? (41:13) What do policy master's degrees cost? (41:38) Where to apply: Process and criteria for choosing a degree (42:08) Subject and curriculum (45:12) Location (48:33) Reputation (52:55) Opportunity cost (56:56) On-campus work opportunities (57:55) For international students: STEM degrees (59:20) Special degree features: part-time, accelerated, and dual/joint (01:01:33) Which policy master's should you consider? (01:02:28) Policy masters database (01:03:15) Top policy masters programs to consider (01:10:07) Acceptance rates (01:11:16) Experience levels and demographics (01:12:34) How to apply: Getting into policy master's programs (01:12:40) Application timelines (01:13:55) Application prerequisites (01:15:04) Qualitative application components (01:15:37) Resume (01:16:26) Statement of purpose and other essays (01:18:58) Letters of recommendation (01:21:25) Quantitative application components (01:21:52) GPA (01:24:37) Standardised tests (GRE, GMAT) (01:29:43) English proficiency exams for international students (01:30:00) How to fund graduate school (01:30:53) Tuition and other costs (01:33:39) University financial aid (01:35:50) Financial aid bargaining (01:36:41) Federal financial aid (01:37:13) Loans and loan forgiveness programs (01:38:28) Government scholarship-for-service programs (01:39:54) Employer funding (01:42:32) Philanthropic scholarships (01:43:55) Go abroad for graduate school (01:46:50) Do a PhD instead of a masters (01:48:36) Learn more The original text contained 96 footnotes which were omitted from this narration. --- First published: August 31st, 2023 Source: https://80000hours.org/career-reviews/us-policy-masters-degrees --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.