School of Education & Social Policy
 
Career Information

The SESP Student Affairs Office features a variety of books and resources that are helpful in the job and graduate school search. For a complete list, visit: SESP Library.

Social Policy students combine their strong academic training with out of class experience working with people to open a variety of doors after graduation. Our graduates may go directly into the workforce upon graduation, or go to graduate school for law, public policy, medicine, public health, or pursue a fellowship.

Clink on each topic to learn more about possible career opportunities in which Social Policy provides an excellent foundation for work:

Here is a sample of the positions that Social Policy graduates (with class year noted) have secured :

Public Policy/Government/Politics and Advocacy

  • Director of Governmental Affairs (1996)
  • Illinois Commerce Commission
  • Senior Adviser for Economic Development (1996)
  • Office of the Governor, State of Illinois
  • Sr. Government Relations Officer (1999)
  • Chicago Transit Authority (2008)
  • U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary - Impeachment Task Force Staff

Policy Research and Analysis

  • Project Coordinator (2002)
  • Northwestern University's Institute for Policy Research
  • Study on Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three City Study
  • Research Analyst (2002)
  • Physicians for a National Heath Program (2004)
  • Research Assistant (2003)
  • American Institutes for Research

Education

  • Consultant (2002)
  • Teacher (2001 - 2009)
  • Assistant Director (2002)
  • Northwestern University's Admissions Office (2002, 2003)
  • Director of Curriculum (1992)
  • Lyons Township High School
  • Associate Director, Planning and Development   (1993)
  • Chicago Public Schools-Chief Executive Office (2005, 2007)
  • Urban Prep Charter Academy - Manager of New Initiatives (2009)
  • Director of College and Community Partnerships (2003)

Law Relate Fields

  • Paralegal (2003)
  • Child Advocate (2002)
  • Court Appointed Special Advocates
  • Paralegal-Immigration law office (2007)
  • NYC Law School-Center for Law and Security (2007)
  • Trademark Attorney (2002)
  • Law Clerk - Federal Courts
  • Family Law Attorney (2003)
  • Health Law Attorney (2004)
  • Office of Chief Counsel - Internal Revenue Service (Paralegal Specialist) (2009)

Non-Profit

  • Americorps, Public Allies
  • Field Worker (2002)
  • FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance (in Pakistan)
  • Grants Developer (2001, 2009)
  • Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

Business

  • Financial Accountant (2002)
  • Sales Representative (2003)
  • Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
  • Associate, Investment Banking (1995)
  • Goldman Sachs Co
  • Small Business Program Associate (2000)
  • Hull House Association


Public Policy/Government/Politics and Advocacy

http://usajobs.opm.gov/
USAJOBS is the official job site of the United States Federal Government.   It's your one-stop source for Federal jobs and employment information.

www.state.__.us
Just insert any state's postal abbreviation

http://www.firstgov.com/
Another federal job site

http://www.bls.gov/
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.

http://care2.com/causes/politics
Care 2 Make a Difference is dedicated to explaining and popularizing complex policy ideas to a broader audience. Care 2 Make a Difference's goal is to improve collaboration and dialogue between policy and grassroots organizations, and to promote their work to journalists and legislators. Care 2 Make a Difference posts the best ideas and resources from leading progressive research and advocacy institutions.   They hope to strengthen democratic participation by providing a more inclusive and intelligible debate about the issues that shape our world.

www.social-policy.org
The Social Policy Virtual Library provides access to a variety of web resources of interest to social policy researchers. Updated regularly, it provides links to on-line databases and data sources, sites of major organizations, libraries, research institutes, publications, journals, documents and other educational material.   It also provides access to information on research opportunities and funding.

http://www.pirg.org/jobs/
The state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) are an alliance of state-based, citizen-funded organizations that advocate for the public interest. They uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposes, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation. The state PIRGs' mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented activism that protects the environment, encourages a fair marketplace for consumers and fosters responsive, democratic government.


Community Development

http://idealist.org/
Action Without Borders connects people, organizations and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives.   Action Without Borders is independent of any government, political ideology or religious creed. Action Without Borders work is guided by the common desire of our members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

http://www.johnsonfdn.org/
The Johnson Foundation cultivates ideas that sustain community - people living in harmony with one another and their environment.   They pursue this mission through Wingspread conferences, small meetings of thoughtful inquiry convened in an atmosphere of candor and purpose.   The Johnson Foundation strategic interests are Education, Sustainable Development and Environment, Democracy and Community, and Family. They also seek to advance the arts, help those with disabilities, and enhance the future of Racine and southeastern Wisconsin.

http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/
CATALYST: Voices of Chicago School Reform is an independent newsmagazine created in 1990 to document, analyze and support school-improvement efforts in the Chicago Public Schools. It is published by the Community Renewal Society, a faith-based organization that works to create racially and economically just communities in metropolitan Chicago.


Policy Research and Analysis

http://www.urbaninstitute.org/
The Urban Institute is a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization.   The Urban Institute measures effects, compares options, shows which stakeholders get the most and least, tests conventional wisdom, reveals trends, and makes costs, benefits, and risks explicit.

http://www.impactresearch.org/
The Center for Impact Research (CIR) is a Chicago-based not-for-profit organization that works towards the elimination of poverty through grass-roots research.   In collaboration with low-income persons, community based organizations, and governmental agencies, CIR projects formulate new solutions to the problems of poverty.   CIR remains at the forefront of policy research because it attracts talented and experienced staff and it enjoys the generous support of committed donors.

http://www.heritage.org/
The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute - a think tank - whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

http://www.brook.edu/
The Brookings Institution is an independent, nonpartisan organization devoted to research, analysis, education, and publication focused on public policy issues in the areas of economics, foreign policy, and governance. The goal of Brookings activities is to improve the performance of American institutions and the quality of public policy by using social science to analyze emerging issues and to offer practical approaches to those issues in language aimed at the general public.


Health

http://www.naswdc.org/
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with nearly 150,000 members. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies.

http://www.apha.org/
APHA has been influencing policies and setting priorities in public health for over 125 years.   Throughout its history it has been in the forefront of numerous efforts to prevent disease and promote health.


Environment

http://cen.nidus.net/
The Chicagoland Environmental Network (CEN) is an environmental resource helping people   learn about environmental issues, volunteer opportunities, organizations, and resources in northeastern Illinois.   CEN includes over 250 participating environmental organizations and agencies involved in habitat restoration, wetlands, prairies, watershed projects, urban gardening, revitalization programs, energy conservation, composting, wildlife conservation, recycling, and more.


Nonprofit Work

http://www.npo.net/
Great local non-profit information and jobs.

onPhilanthropy.com
A global newsletter for non-profit and philanthropy professionals featuring information about current issues, government relations and an article database for all areas of social policy. Onphilanthropy.com offers a database for jobs in the non-profit world. 


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