How to Choose the Right SIPA Concentration
When I started at SIPA, I expected choosing a concentration to be one of the easier decisions. After all, I had written application essays about my interests, mapped out potential career paths, and felt reasonably confident about what I wanted to study.
That confidence didn’t last long.
Within a few weeks, I realized how many directions a SIPA degree could take. Every class opened a new door. Every conversation with a classmate introduced another career path I hadn’t considered. Instead of narrowing my focus, graduate school seemed to expand it.
If you’re feeling unsure about how to choose a concentration, that’s completely normal.
The good news is this: picking a SIPA concentration doesn’t have to be stressful. With the right mindset, it can actually be one of the most empowering parts of your graduate school experience.
Step 1: Remember What a Concentration Actually Is
At SIPA, your concentration is meant to give structure to your studies. It helps you:
- Focus your coursework
- Build specialized skills
- Shape your professional story and signal interest to future employers
But it is not a life sentence.
Your concentration is a guidepost. Many students end up working in fields slightly different from their concentration - and that’s completely okay. SIPA is interdisciplinary by design, and your degree will always be broader than one label.
So take a deep breath. You’re choosing an academic focus, not locking in your identity forever.
Step 2: Start With Curiosity, Not Strategy
A lot of students approach this decision backwards.
They ask:
“Which concentration looks best on a resume?”
A better question is:
“Which topics do I actually want to spend two years thinking about?”
Some questions that helped me:
- What classes am I genuinely excited to take?
- Which policy issues do I read about even when I don’t have to?
- Do I enjoy quantitative analysis, qualitative research, or a mix of both?
- When I imagine my future job, what problems am I trying to solve?
Your concentration should reflect your interests first. Career strategy matters - but genuine curiosity matters more than you might expect.
Step 3: Use Your First Semester as an Experiment
One of the biggest myths about SIPA is that you need everything figured out before you arrive.
You don’t.
The first semester is the perfect testing ground. Take electives across different areas. Attend events hosted by various concentrations. Talk to professors and second-year students.
I know classmates who arrived convinced they were going to study economic policy and ended up falling in love with human rights. Others thought they’d avoid anything quantitative and later discovered a passion for data analytics.
The beauty of SIPA is that you don’t have to decide on day one.
Step 4: Talk to People (Seriously)
This might be the most important step.
Before deciding, I recommend:
- Reaching out to second-years in concentrations you’re considering
- Going to office hours with professors
- Talking to advisors about course requirements
- Asking alumni how their concentration shaped their careers
You’ll quickly realize there’s no “perfect” choice - just the choice that makes the most sense for you.
Step 5: Let Your Story Evolve
Here’s something I wish someone had told me earlier:
Your SIPA journey will change you.
The interests you have in August might look different by May. Internships, professors, and classmates will all shape your perspective. That’s the point of graduate school.
So don’t pressure yourself to have a perfectly mapped-out plan. Pick a concentration that excites you now, and trust that the rest will fall into place.
Final Thought
Choosing a SIPA concentration can feel like a huge decision - but it doesn’t have to be scary.
Think of it as choosing a direction, not a destination.
No matter what you pick, you’ll still leave SIPA with a powerful set of skills, an incredible network, and the flexibility to pursue many different paths.
And if you change your mind along the way?
That just means you’re learning.