Public policy vs. political science: What’s the difference?

Public policy and political science overlap, leaving some students unsure of which to pursue academically or professionally. Clear up your confusion by directly comparing the two fields.

What is public policy?

Public policy is a governmental solution to a specific problem or issue. It follows a cycle defined by these steps:

• Advocacy: An interest group lobbies for action or change.
• Development: Policy is developed by legislative and/or judicial bodies.
• Implementation: The policy goes into effect.
• Outcome: The policy has specific, measurable impacts.
• Evaluation: Policymakers consider whether the policy had the intended effect(s).

Effective policies that operate as intended may be left intact, while policies with undesirable or unintended outcomes can be revised or discontinued.

What is political science?

Political science is the academic study of politics as it functions from the local to global levels. Engaging both theory and practice, the field attempts to understand how political problems develop and resolve. It also examines the differing roles that citizenries and political institutions play in the political process.

What's the difference? Public policy vs. political science

Political science is a general, more theoretical view of government and its relationship to the governed, as well as the institutions that mediate that relationship. Public policy is informed by political science, but focuses closely on the methods and systems government institutions use to address specific real-world problems, concerns, or issues.

See examples of possible careers below, with salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

Start your journey in public policy or political science

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