Anyone concentrating in policy/program evaluation?

[U-M_Detroiter]

I've had a hard time connecting with people concentrating in policy/program elav (MSW). For those of you who are: what school are you going to? What made you choose this concentration? What do you plan on doing with it after graduating?

For those of you have graduated already or have jobs working in policy/program elav: do you like it? Any insight into the different career options available?

Thanks!

[citychild]

I am! I attend Loyola and will be graduating in May

I hope to work for an advocacy organization but know I cannot be picky upon graduation, so really... anything at first is good by me.

[U-M_Detroiter]

I am! I attend Loyola and will be graduating in May :)I hope to work for an advocacy organization but know I cannot be picky upon graduation, so really... anything at first is good by me.

What types of field placements have you had? The concentration at Michigan (from what I can tell/have heard) is big on statistics courses, is this the same case with you?

[citychild]

My undergrad was at the statewide homeless advocacy org and currently it's at an LGBTQ org where I work in micro/mezzo/macro arenas daily.

As far as courses, it's mostly nonprofit management courses and the like and one helleva research class.

[U-M_Detroiter]

My undergrad was at the statewide homeless advocacy org and currently it's at an LGBTQ org where I work in micro/mezzo/macro arenas daily.

As far as courses, it's mostly nonprofit management courses and the like and one helleva research class

Awesome. Thanks!

[briefinterviews]

Well... I'm an almost-grad!

 

My ideal post-grad job is to work in homeless services at the city or county level, doing a mixture of community-based strategic planning, research/evaluation, and policy advocacy. I love the idea of leveraging research and evaluation to empower communities to advocate for systems change. My concern about going into a strictly evaluation position (at least in the public sector), is that sometimes it seems a little to easy to get chained to a desk, collecting a bunch of data that nobody actually wants to use or analyze in a meaningful way. That has not been the case at all with my current field placement, but others in my cohort have witnessed as much in other county evaluation units.

 

My first-year field placement primarily focused on implementation of extended foster care policy and program development, while my second-year field placement has involved myriad projects at the lead agency for coordinating homeless services throughout the county. I am also involved in conducting statewide research and providing technical assistance on counting homeless youth, which has me thinking I eventually might like to work at a state/regional/national level, either in the public sector or with a progressive advocacy organization.

[U-M_Detroiter]

Well... I'm an almost-grad!

 

My ideal post-grad job is to work in homeless services at the city or county level, doing a mixture of community-based strategic planning, research/evaluation, and policy advocacy. I love the idea of leveraging research and evaluation to empower communities to advocate for systems change. My concern about going into a strictly evaluation position (at least in the public sector), is that sometimes it seems a little to easy to get chained to a desk, collecting a bunch of data that nobody actually wants to use or analyze in a meaningful way. That has not been the case at all with my current field placement, but others in my cohort have witnessed as much in other county evaluation units.

 

My first-year field placement primarily focused on implementation of extended foster care policy and program development, while my second-year field placement has involved myriad projects at the lead agency for coordinating homeless services throughout the county. I am also involved in conducting statewide research and providing technical assistance on counting homeless youth, which has me thinking I eventually might like to work at a state/regional/national level, either in the public sector or with a progressive advocacy organization.

That all is very similar to what I want to do! Just in the realm of public health/health advocacy. Ideally, I would like to work for an NPO doing research or policy analysis. Program evaluation is something that I'm not SUPER familiar with, but because I like stats and analysis I think it is a potential career option. 

 

Are job prospects easy to come by being in Macro, or is there not as much support for Macro students? (This is what I have heard from almost every school I've checked out) 

[briefinterviews]

That all is very similar to what I want to do! Just in the realm of public health/health advocacy. Ideally, I would like to work for an NPO doing research or policy analysis. Program evaluation is something that I'm not SUPER familiar with, but because I like stats and analysis I think it is a potential career option. 

 

Are job prospects easy to come by being in Macro, or is there not as much support for Macro students? (This is what I have heard from almost every school I've checked out) 

 

I don't necessarily think it is so much a matter of macro jobs being hard to come by, as it is that macro jobs encompass so many different roles in different fields and settings, that you need to be a little more creative and proactive in your search than direct service practitioners. Networking is critical, and being flexible is key--both your location (if you can) as well as in what jobs you take. While you might not find your ideal job right away, you can uptake opportunities that allow you to build certain skills while working toward your ultimate goals. Meanwhile, start to identify organizations and individuals engaged in the type of work you envision doing, make contacts, learn the landscape, follow the broader conversation, and be strategic in what opportunities you leverage and pursue while in graduate school.

Edited February 9, 2014 by briefinterviews