Job Market for Ed Policy

[patientpatient]

Hi, all. I am really passionate about education reform and policy. So I am interested in taking a Masters in Ed Policy. Any idea about the job market in this industry? I'm not exactly sure how I would like to apply my experiences to a career. Maybe as a consultant or working at an innovative charter school (I guess this is part of my question... what sorts of jobs do Ed Policy students pursue?). Also, do you think I would be better off getting a Masters in Public Policy with a focus in education as it is a more general degree (but also twice as expensive as these programs are two years long)?

You can answer my questions without reading on, but here are some of the schools I am interested in:

For Ed Policy within a SOE I am looking at Harvard, Stanford, Penn, Michigan and George Washington. Looking into the Ph.d program at Florida State (they don't offer Masters and I might have a shot there as my research interests are a strong match and I am guessing admissions selectivity isn't quite as intense as the above mentioned schools... but just guessing). I don't know how well-funded this program is at FSU, but I am in-state. Also looking at the MPP at Chicago, Georgetown and Vandy (MPP program through Peabody school, so kind of a hybrid program, I guess).

Thanks.

Edited October 21, 2011 by patientpatient

[kismetcapitan]

Peabody's domestic education policy program confers a M.P.P. Make no mistake, the education policy programs here are weighted far more towards policy than education. In terms of employment, much depends on networking, from your professors and alumni.

[cacao to cacao]

what kind of work experience do you have? that would be a better indicator of your career prospects than what program you decided on. just curious which programs and schools you decided on applying to? moreso interested in which programs you chose (education policy versus public policy)

if you went with education policy you could end up doing research in a bunch of places...like at local or state-level research orgs/think-tanks, private foundations, education policy nonprofits, child & youth advocacy nonprofits..

if you went with public policy you could end up working directly with local governments... like for the city or state govt. probably may end up at the mayor's, governor's, state representative's office. probably will have more opportunities in consulting..