Institutes Offering Specialization in Public Policy
There are not many institutes or universities teaching public policy as a specialisation, although it is included in courses related to social sciences.
This subject has mostly been included in programmes for government officials as it covers 
implementation and formulation of policies and management of public enterprises, infrastructure development, public systems and so on. However, institutions like IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad and Management Development Institute, Gurgaon, provide postgraduate programmes in public policy and management. IIM Kolkata offers a course in public systems management while in New Delhi, TERI University runs a two-year MA programme in public policy and sustainable development.
Indira Gandhi National Open University has started a distance-mode programme in this subject.
You could also take the opportunity to think about taking an MA degree in public administration which covers this discipline. There are many universities offering master's in public administration, including the University of Delhi and the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. The Indian Institute of Public Administration, Delhi, holds a number of training programmes.
Open to science, social science, commerce, engineering and law graduates, the courses are designed to promote an understanding of key elements like policy process, as well as its socioeconomic, political and environmental dimensions. Among the best known institutes for public policy is the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Other such courses are available at institutes including:
- Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley
- Maxwell School of Public Policy, University of Syracuse
- George Mason University
- University of Minnesota
- National University of Singapore
Openings for graduates from this programme are in the government as well as non-government organisations, research and planning institutes, international bodies and infrastructure development organisations.
Author: Usha Albuquerque (HT Horizons)
Date: 17th March, 2011
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