Public Policy vs. Public Affairs

I've always wondered why the PAM program and the CIPA program didn't do more things together. Both programs seemed to have the same focus and care about the same issues. This was until I did a little bit more digging and realized that while they are similar, they not quite the same.

While CIPA focuses on Program Implementation, PAM is about Research. The Economics, Sociology, Statistics and Analysis courses are about finding out the rationale behind implemented programs and their impact on their target populations. A part of a job application I was filling out earlier asked about what tangible skills I have. Unlike people who major in Accounting, Computer Science or Marketing, I had to think a little bit about skills that would be useful for an organization that's not a think tank or a non-profit.

Research skills are essential for doing well in graduate school. I just wonder if they're as useful for undergraduates. Is PAM a degree we get to become Research Assistants, until we go to Graduate School?