6 Best Master’s Degrees For Students Who Want To Make A Difference In The World

Which Graduate Program Is Right for You?

If you’ve found yourself missing the smell of new textbooks and lively classroom conversation, or you need a jetpack to launch you to the next level in your career, perhaps it’s time to consider going back to school. Education is one of the great equalizers in society, and one of the most uplifting in terms of knowledge and opportunity.

“Education is one of the great equalizers in society, and one of the most uplifting in terms of knowledge and opportunity.”

When it comes to your profession, by no means is there just one cookie-cutter master’s degree to achieving ultimate impact or job satisfaction; you can create positive change within any industry. But perhaps you want to study fashion to learn how to innovate new cycles of slower production or earn a law degree so that you can tackle systemic injustices at higher levels of society. Maybe you want to change your career altogether and train to be a therapist to address the mental health epidemic in the country.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or an established professional looking to take your career to the next level, here are some of the best impact-minded master’s degree programs to consider.

1. Master of Business Administration

When it comes to scaling up in a modern world, corporations are thinking of the three P’s: profit, people, and planet; and graduates with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) are perfectly positioned to grow healthy businesses of all kinds. MBAs offer a strong foundation for various jobs, including accounting, economics, communications, and entrepreneurship—and, if you’re planning on scaling the career ladder at work, an MBA is one of the most valued degrees for management positions. In recent years, social impact MBAs have also become popular, too.

“MBAs offer a strong foundation for any business, and they are one of the most valued degrees for management positions.”

That being said, MBAs are one of the most expensive graduate degrees; two-year programs can cost upwards of $100,000. But MBAs are also renowned for being one of the most salary-boosting degrees. According to The Graduate Management Admission Council, the median salary for MBA hires in 2019 is $115,000—the highest ever recorded in the USA.

2. Master of Public Administration vs. Master of Public Policy

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree are two sides of the same coin—one is adapted for learning policy implementation, while the other focuses on research for local, national, or international actors. MPAs help students who are looking to pursue a career in the nonprofit or public sectors—including roles as future civil servants or city professionals.

“MPAs help students who are looking to pursue a career in the nonprofit or public sectors—including roles as future civil servants or city professionals.”

The curriculum prioritizes interdisciplinary knowledge and the understanding of policy, and it often includes a healthy smattering of economic development, urban policy and planning, political science, and anthropology classes. MPAs also tend to focus on interpersonal skills, such as leadership and negotiation tactics.

Meanwhile, the MPP is more academic, focusing on policy analysis and research. Scholars interested in pursuing an MPP tend to draw on quantitative skills, including statistics, microeconomics, cost and benefit analysis, and decision modeling. Students earning MPPs often pair their studies with a J.D. (Juris Doctor degree) or another joint degree. If you can’t decide between an MPA or MPP, check out the hybrid Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) curriculums, which is available at certain universities.

3. Master of Science in Supply Chain Management

If you admire slow fashion brands and transparent business models, consider a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management. Future students in this track will learn where and how to source raw materials, how to analyze the ins-and-outs of fair trade business models, and how profits trickle down through the supply chain.

“Students will learn the ins-and-outs of fair trade business-models, and how profits trickle down through the supply chain.”

Above all, students pursuing this MS will learn how to make processes better and more efficient. Courses often include supplier management, global supply chain, sustainability, strategic procurement, and product introduction. For entrepreneurs of product-based social enterprises, this degree could be a useful deep dive also into the logistics of how to scale processes as your (future) business grows, too.

4. Master of Environmental Studies

Climate change is a serious concern, and a Master of Environmental Studies or Policy degree is a concrete way to take your passion for the environment to the next level. Mind you: there will be an onerous amount of chemistry if you choose this program, yet graduates also take courses in the economics of environmental management, the science of climate change, and restoration ecology. Some programs even zero in on specific case studies, like the California wildfires.

“Climate change is a serious concern. A Master of Environmental Studies is a concrete way to take your passion for the environment to the next level.”

Be sure to research the variations of this degree, especially if you have a specific predilection for engineering, management, or policy. Depending on your specialization, you could become an environmental manager, policy analyst, engineer, sustainability specialist, or even marine biologist. If you’re ready to become a professional earth lover and tree hugger, look no further!

5. Master of Public Health

If you like to geek about the ins-and-outs of Obamacare, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or the latest E. Coli spinach recall, a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree could be in your future. For those with a biology, pre-medical, or general science background, an MPH is a hands-on graduate degree that will train you to solve complex health problems at a community level. This could include anything from boosting access to good health care to controlling outbreaks of infectious disease.

“Since science is universal, an MPH is a dynamic degree that will allow you to work anywhere in the world.”

Since science is universal, an MPH is a dynamic degree that will allow you to work anywhere in the world. Graduates with an MPH can work for international NGOs developing health solutions, the Center for Disease Control, or as a local community health worker, to name a few. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare occupations are projected to grow 14 percent from 2018 to 2028, adding about 1.9 million new jobs. A sampling of courses includes epidemiology, environmental health, bioethics, and social and behavioral foundations of primary health care.

6. Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship

“This M.A. is perfect for innovative thinkers and students dreaming up conscious companies.”

A Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship is perfect for innovative thinkers passionate about creating economic opportunities and designing solutions to solve complex challenges. Perhaps you’ve always admired fearless leaders, social enterprises, and the creative license behind either evaluating budding businesses or starting your own.

Depending on the program, a social entrepreneurship MA can help you develop a business model and find seed funding, all while working through theories and case studies of already successful social enterprises. Conscious companies are on the rise, so if you’ve got the grit and the savvy, this master’s degree could be for you!

Have you pursued any of these graduate degrees? What has your experience been so far, or what other programs would you recommend?