Interested in pursuing a future in Social Impact, Policy, and Law? Find resources, events, opportunities, and advice to confirm your interest and kickstart your career.
Explore a career path in Social Impact, Policy, and Law
Do you enjoy mission-driven work, combining your technical skills and knowledge with non-technical skills such as collaboration and communication, or solving problems that positively affect communities at the local and global scale? If so, a career in social impact, policy, or law might be a fit for you.
Social Impact
Social impact careers span across many disciplines and industries. These careers involve doing work that has a positive impact. This means you could work in many different fields and types of companies. You might work for:
a non-profit consulting company
the government analyzing renewable energy usage
a research institution finding cures for rare diseases
an academic institution providing educational opportunities to historically excluded groups
a large tech company using AI to make products more accessible
Find your social impact career by thinking about the skills you enjoy using and the causes you care about.
Policy
A career in policy can include working in academia, industry, government, and non-profits to create new policies or change existing policies at the local, state, national, or global scale. Policy could be a fit for you if you like thinking about the big picture and having a widespread, tangible impact. Working in policy often involves collecting and analyzing data, making recommendations based on that research, writing proposals and policies, and communicating with stakeholders to advance your recommendations.
Law
A career in law can be a great way to combine your technical interests with non-technical skills. For example, there is an increasing need for lawyers who understand technology and the law as technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. Getting a law degree is required if you want to practice law. However, there are some instances in which a law degree is not necessary, for example, you don’t need a law degree to become a Patent Agent. A law degree is versatile and a career in the law would allow you to work on interesting and challenging problems with a range of colleagues and clients.
The Career Exploration Series for the spring is now updated! This series is a collaboration between MIT departments, programs, and employers to help all undergraduate and graduate students learn about the different career and graduate/professional school options available to you.
Looking to Connect with MIT Alumni? Join Spring 2025 Graduate Student Mentoring Circles!
Are you hoping to get real-world career advice from MIT alumni this spring? Whether you’re exploring different career paths, curious about specific industries, or looking to expand …
Are you a rising junior or senior considering to law school? Do you need guidance on law school admission, the LSAT, law school classes or legal career paths? Join Washington and Lee’s APEX Program 2025, …
By Tianna Ransom
Tianna RansomAssistant Director, Career Exploration
MIT Reads is a reading program for everyone at MIT, organized by the MIT Libraries.
Together we read a book, then gather outside of our normal classes and workdays to explore the ideas and important issues it raises. Through discussions …
Are you considering careers at the intersection of life sciences, medicine, health, and technology? Curious about the different paths MIT alumni have taken in these fields after graduation?
The upcoming Careers in Medicine & Life Sciences Alumni Speed Networking event …
AccessLex Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to helping talented, purpose-driven students find their path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled …
