Tell me about Syracuse's top ranked Maxwell school of public policy?

[Anonymous]

The Maxwell School is ranked #1 - ahead of Harvard and Berkeley - does anyone have experience with Maxwell as an undergad? What is the job market like for grads of the top public affairs schools?

[Anonymous]

Knew a few who went there but it's real life experience that matters (internships). I'm assuming you live in the DC area so DC can intern on the hill in the summertime.

I recommend choosing a school located in a state Capitol so they can work during the year as well.

[Anonymous]

There are always jobs in public affairs OP. If I had a kid interested in public affairs...I would encourage them to go to school in DC since that is where most of the jobs are. It's easier for DC college students to get the elite internships during the school year since they live here rather than having to vie for the summer internships that kids from all over the world are clamoring for here in DC. Try MD, GW, or Georgetown.

[Anonymous]

I know several Maxwell alums who have all separately told me that, unless you're at the very top of the class, many of the Maxwell MPAs wind up going to law school. Also understand that there has been extreme placement difficulty recently, although that view was only volunteered by one person.

[Anonymous]

How does a public policy degree compare to a political science degree with regard to job prospects?

[Anonymous]

OP, sounds like you're asking about the undergraduate experience, am I correct? Maxwell's rep is based on its graduate public administration program, which is supposed to be very good. I got my PhD in Social Science there many years ago so I can't speak to its current reputation. However, when I was there, the undergraduate programs (or maybe primarily the College of Arts and Sciences, can't remember)at SU were known for having very large classes like a state university but with students paying a private school tuition.

I would not send an undergrad to the College of Arts and Sciences based on Maxwell's reputation but there may be other reasons it would suit a student.

[Anonymous]

Maxwell PhD again. I should add that when I was at SU, there wasn't much of an undergrad connection to the Maxwell grad school. That may have changed so don't rely on my dated experience.

[Anonymous]

The Wall Street Journal has run several great stories in its career series that it's all about internships nowadays. It really doesn't matter between those 2 degrees. Neither degree on its face is going to "get someone a job". But, if a student is smart...they will do 3,4,6 or more internships during high school/college to introduce themselves/their work to a potential employer. I'm a GW Career Director who has posted earlier on this thread. I've seen some great success in both areas and some failures in both. Students should follow their passions and work their tails off to get coveted internships. Paid and unpaid internships have sadly replaced entry level jobs in a lot of places. Students really need to prove themselves now more than ever before. There's no magic pill other than hard work and developing mentorships/sponsorships with employers.

Anonymous wrote:How does a public policy degree compare to a political science degree with regard to job prospects?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The Wall Street Journal has run several great stories in its career series that it's all about internships nowadays. It really doesn't matter between those 2 degrees. Neither degree on its face is going to "get someone a job". But, if a student is smart...they will do 3,4,6 or more internships during high school/college to introduce themselves/their work to a potential employer. I'm a GW Career Director who has posted earlier on this thread. I've seen some great success in both areas and some failures in both. Students should follow their passions and work their tails off to get coveted internships. Paid and unpaid internships have sadly replaced entry level jobs in a lot of places. Students really need to prove themselves now more than ever before. There's no magic pill other than hard work and developing mentorships/sponsorships with employers.

Anonymous wrote:How does a public policy degree compare to a political science degree with regard to job prospects?

I have a BA in political science and a master's in public policy. I think the value of these different programs depends on if we are talking about graduate or undergraduate degrees.

With regard to job prospects, there would be little difference between someone graduating with a BA in political science vs public policy. But graduate work is different. I advise interns/research assistants in our office. These people have bachelor's degrees in a variety of areas and generally work here (government agency) for a few years before heading to grad school. We are a health-related agency, so interns/RAs go a variety of different places--we've had some go to medical school, others get masters degrees in public health or public policy/public administration, some pursue PhDs in economics.

I would advise someone to get a PhD in political science ONLY if they wanted a career in academia. And then I would advise them NOT to pursue a career in academia, but that's a subject for another post.