STEM vs non-STEM for international policy student

[policywonk12]

Hello, hive mind! I wanted to know the pros and cons of going for a lesser known STEM program (UC Berkeley Master's in Development Practice) v/s a better known non-STEM MPP/MPA (e.g. SAIS, Harris, SIPA, etc.). I'm not eligible for most scholarships, and the chances of receiving financial aid from either school are quite slim. STEM OPT is useful for international students who could potentially accelerate their career by working with reputed organisations in the States for a few years - and help in paying off education loans a lot sooner (compared to working in my home country post-Master's). However, in terms of placements and getting a foot-in-the-door at the very least, a better known program will likely open doors for more number of opportunities. Both degrees are useful in terms of offering the flexibility to customize the degree as per one's desirable focus area. Aptitude for STEM coursework is also not an issue, even though I'm a Business and Liberal Arts major.
Welcoming guidance from anyone and everyone who has an opinion on this choice!

My background: have 2+ years experience in field research with multilaterals + US university-affiliated DevEcon research firms in a third world country - mostly in the area of poverty reduction. I wish to continue working in organizations and nonprofits but as an early career professional, I'm sector-agnostic at this point. By that, I mean that while I'd ideally like to proceed with my work in international development, I'm also open to switching to other focus areas (e.g. gender, energy) if my interests match

Thank you in advance!

[AaBbAa]

Hey,
Not sure I have a good answer for you, but I was wondering what other examples do you have for international policy programs considered STEM? How can I found out if a program is regarded STEM or not?

[policywonk12]

1 minute ago, AaBbAa said:

Hey,
Not sure I have a good answer for you, but I was wondering what other examples do you have for international policy programs considered STEM? How can I found out if a program is regarded STEM or not?

NYU’s A3SR (Applied Social Sciences Research), Georgetown’s MS-DSPP (data science in public policy), CMU’s MS-PPM DA and UPenn’s MS Social Policy Data Analytics are few other examples. And it is mentioned on their websites whether or not they’re STEM

[ma1919]

I recently applied for STEM Policy Programs only. In my opinion, for an international student, the risks associated with a non STEM degree far outweigh the benefits.

I would suggest the same to you. However,  at the end of the day this is an intensely personal decision, and one you should take keeping in mind the career outcomes of the various degrees, and their alignment with your career goals.

 

Edit: I’m an international student as well.

Edited March 11, 2020 by ma1919

[policywonk12]

5 hours ago, ma1919 said:

I recently applied for STEM Policy Programs only. In my opinion, for an international student, the risks associated with a non STEM degree far outweigh the benefits.

I would suggest the same to you. However,  at the end of the day this is an intensely personal decision, and one you should take keeping in mind the career outcomes of the various degrees, and their alignment with your career goals.

 

Edit: I’m an international student as well.

That makes sense, thank you! What schools have you applied to?

[ma1919]

MCCourt DSPP, Heinz PPM-DA and Harris' CAPP.

[n_eb_2020]

@ma1919Could you elaborate please on the risks and benefits regarding STEM/non-STEM degrees? Thanks!

[GradSchoolGrad]

8 hours ago, ma1919 said:

MCCourt DSPP, Heinz PPM-DA and Harris' CAPP.

So I think this comes down to academic chops vs. applied opportunities. McCourt DSPP, by virtue of being DC will give you great exposure to opportunities to work on applied problems. However, the reality is that Georgetown is not an elite math / data engineering academic space. If you want to get really crazy into advanced statistical methods and the cutting edge techniques and approaches, CMU and U. Chicago will be better at having those resources. You will still have access to lots of applied opportunities, but you simply won't have as much opportunity to find projects on your own with DC organizations. 

Edited March 12, 2020 by GradSchoolGrad

[ma1919]

@GradSchoolGrad That's pretty insightful Thanks for the information. I have received an admit from all three programs and am in the middle of the decision making process. CMU's aid is the most competitive but I have read and heard that Harris is a better school. Your two cents on this situation?

 

@nadine_eb STEM programs allow you to extend your OPT by 2 years (1+2). As a consequence you can sit for the H1B lottery thrice, and are a safer bet for employers in general, because they wouldn't want to hire someone who might not be able to work for more than a year. 

[GradSchoolGrad]

7 hours ago, ma1919 said:

@GradSchoolGrad That's pretty insightful Thanks for the information. I have received an admit from all three programs and am in the middle of the decision making process. CMU's aid is the most competitive but I have read and heard that Harris is a better school. Your two cents on this situation?

 

@nadine_eb STEM programs allow you to extend your OPT by 2 years (1+2). As a consequence you can sit for the H1B lottery thrice, and are a safer bet for employers in general, because they wouldn't want to hire someone who might not be able to work for more than a year. 

I think this comes down to that you really have to go to each school and visit and see what floats with you the best + what partnerships + collaborative opportunities Harris and CMU each have. Academically - generally speaking, I think they are nearly a wash. Chicago is more exciting that Pittsburgh. I would probably say Harris has a bit more opportunities by default programming historically... but it would be really nuanced on what relationships the program + professors have. CMU is aggressively trying to investing in its student experience from what I understand for its grad programs.

One thing to consider when you visit is what the community looks like. 

Edited March 13, 2020 by GradSchoolGrad

[ma1919]

Thanks a lot for that.

Can't really visit the Universities with the Covid-19 outbreak. Will have to take a decision based on feedback and online videos!