Career paths
Careers in policy span academia, industry, government, and non-profits. Options in academia can include teaching or conducting research that informs policy. Industry careers might involve working for consulting firms and businesses. Government and non-profit careers could include doing research for think tanks, advocating and writing legislation on Capitol Hill, and informing policy and operations in the military or other governmental departments.
Example job titles
- Legislative Assistant
- Research Professor
- Science & Technology Policy Fellow
- Chief Policy Advisor
- Policy Officer
- Policy Analyst
- Research Staff
Alumni experiences
MIT alumni in policy careers have worked in the U.S. House of Representatives, in think tanks such as Brookings and RAND Corporation, and at research institutions like the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI).
Chat with alumni
You can find MIT alumni working in policy roles on Alumni Advisors Hub. Some of the search terms you can use include:
- “More filters – Organizations – Political Organization / Think Tanks / Civic & Social Organization”
- “Industries – Government – Public Policy / Think Tanks / Legislative Office”
- Type “policy” in the search bar at the top
What to study if you’re interested in a career in Policy
Pick the major(s) that you’re most excited about, even if it’s a STEM course, as this will likely align with your policy areas of interest. Many alumni enter careers in policy directly from undergraduate school with a vast range of majors including Political Science, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Latin American and Latino Studies.
Masters and PhD programs
If you’re interested in getting an advanced degree, consider a Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) or Master’s of Public Policy (MPP) or PhD programs that focus on your specific interests within policy.
MIT programs combine policy and science to tackle social challenges and these include the Technology and Policy Program (TPP), the Master’s in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP), the IDSS Social and Engineering Systems PhD, and DUSP’s Environmental Policy and Planning (EPP) group.
Check out this listing of graduate programs with public affairs specialties from U.S. News & World Report to explore programs with a policy focus.
Get involved at MIT
Here are some MIT programs, student groups, labs to check out if you want to explore policy:
- MIT Washington Office
- MIT Washington Summer Internship Program
- Science Policy Initiative
- Graduate Student Council External Affairs Board
- Policy Lab
Job and internship search tips for roles in the government
Federal, state, and local governments recruit throughout the year, with summer internships posted in the winter. Some student hiring programs, such as the Pathways program, have recruitment cycles more aligned with the academic calendar. There are fellowships and scholarships available for students interested in working in government, so inquire with agencies and departments about what may be available.
Job and internship boards
See Social impact, policy, & law job/internship search sites for a list of sites you can use to search for internships and jobs.
Applications for federal policy roles should be made through formal portals like USAJOBS, and often require resumes in a government-specific format. Additional search sites include Go Government and Public Service Careers.
