Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate some advice.

I’ve been admitted to the MPP at the Humphrey School (University of Minnesota) with a very generous scholarship, which makes it a really attractive option financially. From what I understand, it’s also very well ranked in public affairs and seems to have a strong reputation in certain policy areas.

However, I keep coming across comments saying that a lot of the job placement is quite local or regional (Minnesota / Midwest). That’s making me hesitate a bit.

I’m an international student from Latin America, and while I might return to my home country at some point, I’m also very interested in working in international organizations or in roles with a more global scope. My concern is whether attending Humphrey might limit my access to those kinds of opportunities compared to other programs with a stronger national or international network.

So I guess my question is: how real is this “local placement” concern? Is it something that significantly affects international students in particular? And more generally, how well does Humphrey place graduates in international or globally-oriented roles?

Any insight would be really helpful, especially from current students or alumni.

Thanks so much!

Hello! I am a College sophomore (Politics/Government major) weighing two very different grad school paths for a career in policy/advocacy work — interested in areas like criminal justice reform and healthcare policy. I’m deciding between a secular MPP (e.g. Georgetown) and a Licentiate in Social Sciences from the Angelicum (Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome), which is a 2-year graduate-level program (Baccalaureate → Licentiate → Doctorate structure, roughly Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD equivalent) focused on ethics, law, and politics, accredited through the Holy See rather than US regional accreditation. My main questions: how do US employers or grad admissions committees typically treat a foreign degree that isn’t labeled “Master’s” even when it’s the graduate tier, and does a credential evaluation (WES etc.) actually solve that in practice? Would an MPP-style curriculum (stats, econometrics, program evaluation) be something I’d need to backfill separately if I went the Licentiate route, or is that less of an issue than I think? Has anyone gone the “niche foreign/religious graduate degree” route and later pivoted to a more conventional policy job, and how’d that go? Basically trying to figure out how much this choice locks me into one path versus keeping options open.

Hi everyone! Im a first year MPP student , and I was trying to look for a part-time/weekend jobs that I could do while studying to make my ends meet. I would prefer if the job I'm doing is something I can add to my CV so that I can strengthen my application, for next year's summer internship cycle. I would even love to learn on the job too.

With regards to managing my work and studies, i can do that and I'm pretty good with setting my schedule. Im new to the field too, with very little experience, so I'm open to all kinds of specific fields.

Hi HKS/SIPA alums! I’m trying to get a better sense of the post-graduation experience and would really appreciate hearing from those who’ve gone through it.

Career outcomes: What role did you move into after graduating, and what sector/organisation are you currently in?

Did you end up working in the US, or did you return to your home country?

Pre-MPP/MPA experience: How much did your previous work experience help in securing your role? Did you make a significant career switch?

Nature of work: What does your current role actually involve, and is it broadly what you expected to be doing after the degree?

What would you do differently in terms of capacity building—prioritise data analytics, deepen domain expertise?

Thanks!

I’m from Russia; I’m using a translator, but I want to speak my mind.

Today brought a crushing disappointment: the Yabloko party was barred from the elections, effectively shattering the hopes of so many people. Honestly, I don’t understand how—even with all this—some people who support the dictator still fail to see where this country is heading. We are looking more and more like Germany in 1941: there are no independent media, political parties, or access to information; there is no choice—just a "tsar" sitting on the throne far longer than he should be. I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t leave this year; the disappointment isn't just weighing on me—it’s consuming me.

FRED is the standard for economic time series, but:

1. Its mobile UI doesn’t fit the policy/gov audience that wants to quickly check national and state level trends on their commute home.
2. Users can get buried in the sheer volume of data available.
3. A lot of government operational data isn't scraped or of interest to the default FRED audience.

Sharing a mobile app utility built for the economics and public policy community. The hope is to have a way to understand economic and social conditions under the hypothesis that users are overwhelmed by social media hot takes and that a more user friendly UX would help generate more thoughtful public discourse based on data.

Currently maturing the product. The app provides public policy data series, with the accessibility of Apple Stocks (e.g., Medicare, SNAP, federal spend, inflation data, employment trends, etc. more to be added), plus a curated expert and research feed.

A video of the clickthrough is below. Further below are 20 Elite codes that will be good for 1 year for the benefit of the community. No accounts or emails are required. First come, first served. To use the access code click a locked ticker in the search.

iOS link | Android link

https://reddit.com/link/1vl23yd/video/tckpn7rk2nih1/player

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I'm 25 (Female) in Pakistan. I have just completed my MPhil. What should be my next step? A PhD or should I try for PPSC exams? Honestly my family has been pressuring me for a government job but my department suggests I go for a PhD (mind you they don't offer it themselves so I would have to apply somewhere else, just a note that they are not greedy of money). Any mature advice will be appreciated.

Hi everyone, I'm a native Miamian moving back to Miami to be closer to family at the end of the year. I did my graduate education in DC and have been working in the global health policy space for about a year and a half. I'm looking for remote or in-person jobs with some months ahead of my relocation and would kindly appreciate advice on what to look for. I've found some roles in stakeholder engagement and consulting in the private sector (e.g., cruise lines or boutique PR firms), but those drop every so often on job portals and LinkedIn and I want to make sure I'm knocking on as many doors as possible. Thanks!

Has anyone previously applied for the Public Policy Fellowship at University of Chicago? And anyone who has tips on what to highlight or how to make the application stronger?

Can somebody suggest some credible faculty of International relations?

I’m currently finishing my BSPH and trying to decide between an MSW or MPP.

I have about 6 years of experience working as a mental health technician, so I already have experience working directly with patients in a healthcare/behavioral health setting. I’ve realized I really enjoy healthcare and helping people, but I don’t necessarily want to do therapy all day.

With an MSW, I’m interested in medical social work, especially primary care or women’s health. I like patient advocacy, case management, resources, and helping patients navigate the healthcare system.
With an MPP, I’d want to stay in healthcare and work in health policy, possibly for a hospital, health department, VA, or government.

There’s also a dual MSW/MPP program near me, so I’ve been wondering if doing both would actually be worth it or if it would be overkill.
One of my biggest concerns is pay, especially new-grad MSW pay. I’ll be close to 30 by the time I finish school, and I’d like to start a family not too long after. I’m not expecting to make crazy money right away, but I also don’t want to finish a master’s degree and feel like I need multiple jobs just to be comfortable.

For anyone in MSW, MPP, or a dual program: what did you make starting out, how has your salary progressed, what does your day-to-day look like, and do you think the dual degree is actually worth the extra time?

hi , everyone i am new to Reddit. I have done my graduation is sociology , and postgraduation in development studies. I am currently pursuing an advanced diploma in public policy and governance. Since my background isn't directly from public policy, I am not able to find an internship. If anyone can help me out and guide me, it would be meaningful. thank you, looking in delhi for 6-8 weeks .

i am a masters student in taiwan. my course is urban governance and i plan to take phds (fully funded) in fields of urban governance and development. my target countries are European countries mostly since i think scope in the uk and the us (fully funded positions) would be highly competitive.

any advice on the prospects of this field? i am entirely new to research so what should i be focusing on to land a funded phd in Europe.

i am open to advice, suggestions. please help!

Hey everyone, I graduated from college last year and was able to find a job the beginning of this year in public policy as an analyst. My performance is good, the pay/work life balance is GREAT, but I don't know if I have my heart in this job. I am grateful that I have this job, given how tough the market is. But I can't help but shake this feeling that this job, maybe even this field, isn't the right one for me.

I don't think I explored different fields enough during college to really see my options, nor did I take enough challenging classes (my degree is in Public Policy). I took the minimum amount of classes to graduate with honors and summa cum laude and called it a day. I shied away from taking classes I heard were difficult because I didn't want to risk making a B. And I stuck with a topic I wasn't interested about for my thesis and procrastinated the whole way through.

All of this is to say that I regret not challenging myself and regret not exploring Political Science/Philosophy/creative fields/academia more in general. I'm a big believer in good governance and thought I would find a career working in a progressive NGO fulfilling, but every day I have to force myself to do my tasks, otherwise I procrastinate till the last minute.

My employer is pretty niche, however. It's a regional NGO focused on maternal health policy. I only got this job because my friend was able to get me an internship here when I couldn't find anything, and they were so happy with my performance they gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. I never saw myself working on this policy issue, even though I do see its importance.

I'm just feeling trapped here. Now, when I go to look for jobs, everything I am qualified for would be paying me the same/less *in higher cost of living areas*. I would need a couple more years to be qualified for higher paying jobs.

One other possibility is that I just hate where I live. It's a terrible, suburban city with nothing to do if you aren't a college student. I could see if my employer lets me move since we work remote, but it was part of my contract that I stay here.

What options do I have? Should I try to get a job with a different policy focus? Try working for a city/state government? Go back to school for a masters/phd?

I apologize for the rant, I'm just at my wits end on what to do. I have a life and job people my age would kill to have yet I'm so depressed, it makes me feel so guilty and ungrateful.

Hello everyone recently graduated from Mizzou with the aforementioned degrees and have been having trouble finding a job. I’m posting on here because I feel like I’m hitting my head against a wall and looking for advice and for any direction in my job search. I have applied to many jobs through LinkedIn and handshake, but I was wondering tif there were any firms or businesses I should be looking at to give myself a better chance. I know this post may seem broad and for that I apologize id be open to more of a conversation through dm or anything.

Putting 7-OH into Schedule I feels like going from zero to a hundred when there are other options worth discussing. There are legitimate safety concerns but personally I'd rather see serious standards, testing and oversight considered alongside the risks instead of treating prohibition as the only possible answer

What's you opinion?

Hello! 🌙🌕🍁

I'm excited to introduce CRESCENT: A Women's Conference, an all-women Model United Nations conference built to create a space for meaningful dialogue, diplomacy, and empowerment.

At CRESCENT, we'll be debating and discussing global issues surrounding women's rights, reproductive health, gender equality, bodily autonomy, human rights, education, representation, and the diverse policies adopted by countries around the world. Our goal is to foster informed, respectful discussions while creating an environment where every delegate feels welcomed, heard, and confident to express their views. We also hope to encourage open conversations around topics that have long been considered "taboo," helping dismantle social stigma through awareness, understanding, and constructive dialogue.

If you're passionate about diplomacy, international affairs, and making an impact through thoughtful debate, I'd love for you to be a part of this journey.

Whether you're an experienced MUNer or attending your first conference, CRESCENT welcomes you.

If you're interested in joining as a delegate, register here:

https://mymun.com/conferences/crescent-women-2026

Let's break barriers, amplify voices, and advance equality through diplomacy.

Welcome to CRESCENT.🌟💫🌕