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.
7Sage is a test prep company that offers self-study, group classes, and tutoring to prepare for the LSAT. There are discounts and resources available specifically for MIT applicants. Contact MIT’s Pre-Law Advisor, Tianna Ransom, or schedule a meeting through Handshake …
By Tianna Ransom
Tianna RansomAssistant Director, Career Exploration
“I realized that I could raise very interesting questions at the intersection of astronomy and political science,” says Fredlund. Through undergraduate projects at MIT and at institutions such as NASA, Fredlund has been focused on the ways governments are shaping …
Hailing from Manhasset, New York, Emily Kiley earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she competed on the women’s rowing team. Before law school, she interned for X1 Wind, an offshore wind turbine …
CAPD offers a need based undergraduate professional development fund enabling currently enrolled MIT undergraduates to complete professional development opportunities which …
