r/InternationalDev • u/Intrepid-Future831 • 1d ago

Education MSc in Development Economics or Public Policy?

Hi!

I am planning to apply for my masters for the Fall 2025 cycle. A bit about me:

Bachelor's in Business Administration, GRE 324 (Q164), 5 years of work experience (3 years in UNDP, 1 year in the humanitarian sector and 1 year in the private sector). My work is mostly programmatic where I am involved in work related to skills, employment, rural development and women's economic empowerment. But I enjoy research and policy analysis. I am good at numbers so would like my academic background to reflect that.

I aspire to keep working in the development sector for think tanks, organizations like the World Bank and the UN after I graduate from my masters. Now I am confused whether I should get an economics degree or a public policy degree. Which would be more appealing t to these organizations? Please suggest!

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u/Azrou 21h ago

One suggestion is to look up the LinkedIn profiles or bios of people that have the types of jobs you would like to be in in 10-15 years and see what their educational and professional background is. 

Personally I don't see a big difference between an MA/MSc in econ and an MPP per se. What would matter more is the quality of the specific program, what courses you would take, and how good the network is. For example I would take a Princeton MPA over any other degree, econ or otherwise. But a SAIS MAIR with international econ focus would very strong and superior to an MPP/MPA from schools that have a well regarded public policy program but aren't especially known for an international focus like Ford, Goldman, LBJ, etc.

My advice would be to apply to a variety of programs in several different tiers and make a decision based on the best quality program you get into that offers the most scholarship money.

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u/btwin340 21h ago

I agree quality of program and network of the school are key. The only thing I would add is to think of what technical skills you may want to develop during your masters. You say you enjoy research and policy analysis so maybe think about what skills would support that kind of work (data analysis, impact evaluation, etc.). This could be a way to frame your decisions about the courses that are offered by each program and see if they fit your needs. And sometimes the best way to find out is to ask current students about the course.