Joëlle van der Meer, student Public Administration and Organisational Sciences

After my Bachelor in Public Administration at Erasmus University I decided to follow the Research Master Public Administration and Organisational Sciences, since I was very interested in research subjects. In addition, it was very appealing to me that this programme is organised over the course of two years, instead of during one year. As a student, you have more time to develop your research skills which are necessary for the specific subjects you are interested in. Another interesting aspect of the Research Master is the cooperation between six universities. You get the opportunity to be in touch with professors, who are all specialised in a certain area of Public Administration. The contact between professors and students is very informal and there are many possibilities to be in touch with professors individually. This was very helpful for me as it stimulated me to discover my own interests in the developments on the labour market. There are small and interactive classes. Thanks to the study trip at the beginning of the year the group became very close. Everyone in our group is very motivated and has a critical attitude and I have learned a lot from this.

This master programme is also known as a challenging programme. Nonetheless, in my experience, it it definitely rewards you with something. Within the programme, you have to manage your own research projects. In addition, you are forced to work together with students on different assignments. For example, we conducted an applied research for a ‘real client’, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. Thus, this master programme has given me much practical experience and a critical attitude. These skills are very useful now during my internship at a research institute. The Master’s programme has not merely given me valuable academic experience, but has also enabled me to pursue a career in the field of consultancy, policy making and beyond.