Now that is a good question. We are surrounded by decisions made by people wherever we look. Those decisions form policies and it is these policies that local governments go on to follow to affect our lives, hopefully for the better.
To expand on that further we can look at a number of typical areas of our lives where government policies can affect us. The main areas are:
- Roads
- Health
- Schools
- Water supply
- Police
- Fire
- Licensing
- Elections
If we consider roads from the list, the layout of roads and how the roadways serve the community forms a large part of local government. For example, setting out how government officials select a contractor to install and maintain the roads, can form a typical policy. Government policies need to ensure that the tenders are invited in an open and fair way, in order to avoid corruption. Choice of road surface, materials, sourcing, sustainability, environmental, noise and pollution are all just examples of decision making where policy can have an effect.
Healthcare is an important area and a complex one. Providing care for all levels of society involves big decisions that have a huge impact on everyone’s lives.
Policies on Water supply, Fire prevention and emergency services. Police including security, as well as licensing are all specialities that have a career path that is fulfilling and abundant. Each one of them has a whole plethora of complexity and a diverse range of interactions from a career opportunity standpoint.
In order to enter this world of policymaking from a career perspective, there are excellent training and learning opportunities available. There are various educational opportunities for public policy professionals; in both online and on-campus modalities, and taught by expert faculty.
A Master of public policy program allows students to learn strategic and ethical thinking on subjects such as:
- Techniques of Program Evaluation
- Techniques of Policy Analysis
- Research Methods in Social Sciences
- Statistical Analysis
- Economic Analysis for Policy and Planning
- Strategizing Public Policy
- Capstone in Public Policy and Urban Affairs
As well as to specialize in certification in one or more of the following:
- Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, and Social Change
- Urban Analytics
- Urban Studies
- Data Analytics
- Information Ethics
- Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- Security and Resilience Studies
Master’s students can also concentrate on Healthcare Management or perhaps focus on Sustainability and/or Climate Change, preparing them for a career in a particular sector. Concentration is not mandatory, and a broad course can be adopted if required.
The course offers students the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience with many partnerships with research labs and centres, work opportunities no matter where they are located, either online or on-campus. This provides students with both practical skills and a broad range of skills as well as a ready-made professional network.
Working within a policymaking career, improving people’s lives and building better communities for local populations and the global community. It all starts with a good solid education in the subject. This can then lead to influencing decision-makers in making environmentally considered policy choices.
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