Many economics students do not realize that their degree naturally leads into graduate school and an ultimate career in public administration and policy.  In fact, these graduate programs (along with MBA programs) are a more natural fit for most undergraduate economics majors than economics graduate school.  Whereas economics graduate programs are highly technical and mathematical, public policy programs are more application and issues oriented.  There are a number of career tracks that follow from a graduate degree in public policy.  An obvious one is a political career, though this is not the likely goal of most students in these programs.  More common are career tracks into working for government and nonprofit organizations on social and policy issues across a wide range of areas from international to education to urban planning.  If putting your economics skills into forming practical solution to real-world issues is appealing to you, then you should seriously consider graduate programs in this area. 

Public policy and administration programs span a wide range of issues and approaches, but there are two main types of graduate programs in these areas.  The first type are focused more on public policy and affairs, while the second type are focused more on public administration.  Public policy programs tend to have more economists on faculty and stress economic and econometric methodologies more strongly in their curriculum.  These programs primarily train students to be analysts for government and related organizations.  Public administration programs are less economics-oriented and closer to MBA programs in their approach.  These programs are training primarily managers for government or non-profit organizations.  With that said, many programs are a mixture of these two approaches, including the Planning, Public Policy and Management program at the University of Oregon.  The standard degree in public policy or public administration is a Master's degree which takes about 2 years to complete.

Preparation for Graduate Programs in Public Policy and Administration

The following are the skills and academic preparation recommended for these graduate programs.

1. Quantitative Skills.  This means being able to perform basic statistical and regression analyses as one would find in the econometrics courses required for the UO economics major.  Taking a class or two on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) from the UO geography department would be an excellent idea as well. 

2. Writing Skills.  Many public policy and administration programs' applications require a writing sample.  An economics honors thesis or term paper with some analytical or statistical analysis component would be an excellent source for this. 

3. Public Speaking Experience.  Join Toastmasters which is a group expressly organized to give its members such experience.  Perhaps more importantly, join groups on campus and work yourself into leadership responsibilities.  This will give you experience not only in being a leader, but also in public speaking.   

4. Internship Experience.  As with any potential career track, the best way to find out if it is the right path for you is to get an introductory practical experience through and internship.  Working or volunteering for a local government agency or nonprofit organization (such as United Way) would be the most appropriate experiences for these graduate programs.   

Finally, be aware that the UO economics department also offers a Professional Concentration in Public Policy and Administration that requires the student to complete the following course requirements:

Application Process and Timeline

Application process and timeline is like many graduate programs. Early admission deadlines are typically in December, but unlike at the undergraduate level, an early admit is not bound to enroll in that program. Final deadlines may be anywhere from February through April. The GREs, if required, should be taken either in June after your junior year or in the September/October test dates of your senior year. One advantage of signing up for the summer test is that you will have your results back in time to determine an appropriate range of schools to which to apply.

For letters of recommendation, make sure you contact professors at least a few weeks before a letter is due to the graduate program. You should be asking professors who know you the best (presumably ones whose class you have taken and done well in). When asking for a letter of recommendation, make sure to bring that person a copy of your transcript, GRE scores, resume, a list of schools you are applying to, required recommendation forms from the schools, and envelopes that are already addressed and with correct postage. Most recommendation forms have an area that you need to decide whether to sign to waive your right of access to the letter, so that it remains confidential. Whether you sign it is your decision, but the vast majority waive their access to the letter, since the school may deem the letter less credible if it is not confidential.

Picking the Right Program for You

Unlike law and MBA programs, it is a little more difficult to find and interpret rankings that compare programs in public policy and administration.  The following is a link to the U.S. News and World Report's Rankings of Public Affairs Programs.  The difficulty of comparing public policy and administration schools via these rankings is due in large part to the wide range of approaches and concentrations of various programs.  A key concern is that the program has the fields of specialty that interest you, which can range from education to health policy to international affairs to environmental policy.  Importantly, make sure that full-time faculty are teaching courses in the area and the courses are offered in a regular basis.  Some programs may list specialties, but only cover these courses infrequently with adjunct instructors or guest practitioners.  You should also inquire with the program about where their graduates place to make sure that fits with your intended career track.  Finally, make sure that the program is accredited through the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.