Is a Master's in Social Policy worth it?

April 20, 2020 5:21 PM

I am curious to know if a master's in Social Policy a good degree?

I am interested in economics, law, political science, and social policy issues. I am wondering if a Msc in Social Policy is a good idea? Would it open doors to government work and research policy kind of work? Would a MSc in Social Policy also be beneficial for further graduate studies at the PhD level in Political Science? A Oxford has a MSc in Social Policy and it is a one year program and I wonder if having Oxford on the CV would open doors to industry/research and academia. I kind of want to also do a master's in Political Science (law politics especially), simply because I enjoy it and love the academic research aspect of it. Yet, I would love to somehow combine it with Social Policy for academia and possibly the industry. I am at a crossroads of pursuing a MA in Political Science with a focus on law politics and political economy, but I also would love to get into social policy as well. I am also a fourth year honours undergraduate student in Political Science and Sociology as well.

posted by RearWindow to Education (5 answers total)

If you were in the US, my advice would be to only pursue a graduate degree if (a) it's necessary for the job you really want and that job is realistically attainable or (b) you're independently wealthy. I don't know if things are different in the UK but I suspect not particularly as your government appears to have been lowering its funding for higher education and the burden has been shifting to students. That the degree would only take one year, which should make it much lower cost than a degree like a doctorate that would take several years, lowers my generic concerns about costs (both direct costs like tuition and fees and indirect costs like lost wages from a year not spent working).
posted by ElKevbo at 6:24 PM on April 20, 2020

My advice for almost all post-grad qualifications is that unless completion will directly result in a raise or promotion in your current job or someone else is paying for it - don't do it.

I'm sure it would be enjoyable, but at this stage in your life, relevant work experience will take you further than more qualifications (I say this as a pol sci graduate).
posted by smoke at 6:34 PM on April 20, 2020

Many, if not most, 1-year grad programs are cash cows for the schools. The programs aimed at professionals are offered on the assumption that the student's employer will be paying, and thus have high price tags and fewer opportunities for financial aid. If you have to pay for it yourself, you're going to be writing a BIG check.

Instead of doing that, take that same amount of money and use it to fund a year or two doing internships/low-paying entry level jobs in the areas you think might interest you. The real-world experience will help you narrow down your professional focus, and you will make contacts that will help you get your next job.

Five years from now, when you're done with your second job in your field, if you still want to do the Oxford thing, it will still be there. And you might be able to get your employer to pay for it!
posted by mccxxiii at 7:48 PM on April 20, 2020

It would probably help somewhat in getting government work and research policy work. Not as much as an internship would help, but still some. A one-year degree at Oxford is well respected and will cost you at least £35k including living expenses. If you have that kind of money lying round then it's not a terrible idea. I think you are in Canada? I wouldn't go into debt for an overseas degree, it's not going to be so much (if at all) more prestigious than a similar degree from the best university in Canada.

I do not think an MSc in Social Policy would be helpful if you want to do a PhD in Political Science.

You don't seem very clear about what you would use a further degree for. Normally I would suggest you get a job in this situation, but there's a reason why there's a flight to education in a recession so maybe it's not such a terrible idea in 2020.
posted by plonkee at 4:55 AM on April 21, 2020

Sure, it'll kinda help if you're in a market where some sort of master's is the normal baseline for an entry-level policy or program officer position, but if you're going to do a standalone master's that's probably not the one you want to do. An Oxford credential doesn't have as much punch in Canada as one might assume, unless you got it as a Rhodes Scholar. Also, again, it's one of these things where if you don't realize that a UK MSc is different from a Canadian thesis-based MA/MSc you might be going down a path that isn't worthwhile.

Given your previous questions, just aim for one of the degrees that people in your target jobs tend to have. You can figure this out using LinkedIn if you don't want to deal with informational interviews right now. If you're unlikely to be a competitive applicant for one of those programs, then take some courses through Athabasca to improve your pre-req grades so you can get a graduate degree worth the opportunity cost. Speaking from experience, it's kind of a PITA to have the "wrong" degree, even in a job seeker's market. It'll be even more frustrating now.
posted by blerghamot at 11:27 AM on April 21, 2020