Jump to content

Mid-Career MPAs - is there any point?


Recommended Posts

Hi there,

 

Is there anyone on here who's been working in public policy for a while and considering a mid-career MPA or has done one and is willing to share their experience? 

 

My background is in diplomacy and have been working in the foreign service for nearly 9 years now. I'm interested in doing an MPA/MPP to frame some of my professional experience and take some time to consider my policy area of choice (conflict/stabilisation) in a bit more depth than my current work allows. I'm also interested in making a career pivot  - looking these issues from more of a development perspective. 

 

Given that time is not an issue (I can take 2 yrs off work with minimal harm to my career) - and cost is not (yet) a determining factor - is there any value in doing mid-career MPAs? I've heard that HKS' mid-career offering is, bluntly, not very good and simply a money-spinner for the university. Are there Mid-Career MPAs out there with a good reputation?

 

Alternatively is it better to aim for simple MPA (or MPA2 to return to the Harvard example) programme, even though some of the career development/internship stuff may be less relevant? Other candidates could be SIPA (for their good rep on conflict), Fletcher or even WWS. 

 

I know there are not many on these boards in a similar position but any feedback would be most welcome.

 

Ta 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are some masters programs you can bid on in the Foreign Service.  There's an MPP at Princeton, MS in S&T Policy at GWU, and a few more.  Nice to get State to pay for it, rather than worrying about the cost yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When it comes to mid-career MPA or MPPs, I think there is no one-size-fits-all kind of reasoning for you to go through with it; it will be highly circumstantial and depend on your unique circumstances, experience and where exactly you want to go. It sounds like you have some good reasons to consider it, so at this point, instead of soliciting general advice, you should directly reach out to those programs (HKS, WWS, Fletcher) that you're interested in and ask about their mid-career students and what trajectories they've taken. Check with alums of said programs to see if it was worth their investment; GradCafé is great for getting a sense of the diversity of experiences that are out there, but I would take what people say about other programs with a grain of salt if they haven't gone there themselves. Also, good old-fashioned networking, as in talking with people in positions/industries that you want to work in, and hearing about their stories can help you decide whether the degree is worth it. Good luck!

Edited by chocolatecheesecake
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I echo what chocolatecheesecake said above about talking to people about your specific circumstances. 

For what it's worth, I'm about to start a mid-career MPA. I've chosen to do this rather than a two-year program for several reasons. (1) Cost - half the tuition fees and half the foregone income. Neither a one year or a two year would add much to my earning potential, so that's a wash. (2) Time - I think a year in the classroom will be enough for me. If I decide I want to wait another year before going back to my career, I'd rather spend it interning/volunteering somewhere left-field that I couldn't do professionally otherwise. (3) Flexibility - most two-year programs have multiple compulsory courses, most one-year programs have few or none so you can focus on what you want to do. (4) Peer group - I think I'll learn a lot from being around people who also have significant work experience under their belt.

PM me if you want to discuss further.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Hello everybody,

 

Im not sure if this is the right forum to post my query. I have visited the HKS campus and met with the acad counsellor in Jun 2012, however was not in a position to apply for my MC MPA then due to personal exigencies. Now, i believe is a good time for me to apply. However, i have interacted with alumni in the past couple years and understand applicants essentially come from a political sciences or diplomatic background. a snapshot of my profile is below:

 

Education: Mechanical engineer and MBA

Professional Profile: Business and IT Strategy consultant for international clients including IT strategy for 2 government institutions

Total experience: 11 years

Reason for studies: Looking at moving into government affairs

 

Does this remotely seem to even be a fit for candidature for the MC MPA course.

 

I plan to work on my SOPs and LORs and bring to closure in the next 30 days so i can apply by 2nd Dec.

 

Will be helpful if you can PM on this. Appreciate your advise.

 

Regards,

Mysticimage15

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hi there,

 

Is there anyone on here who's been working in public policy for a while and considering a mid-career MPA or has done one and is willing to share their experience? 

 

My background is in diplomacy and have been working in the foreign service for nearly 9 years now. I'm interested in doing an MPA/MPP to frame some of my professional experience and take some time to consider my policy area of choice (conflict/stabilisation) in a bit more depth than my current work allows. I'm also interested in making a career pivot  - looking these issues from more of a development perspective. 

 

Given that time is not an issue (I can take 2 yrs off work with minimal harm to my career) - and cost is not (yet) a determining factor - is there any value in doing mid-career MPAs? I've heard that HKS' mid-career offering is, bluntly, not very good and simply a money-spinner for the university. Are there Mid-Career MPAs out there with a good reputation?

 

Alternatively is it better to aim for simple MPA (or MPA2 to return to the Harvard example) programme, even though some of the career development/internship stuff may be less relevant? Other candidates could be SIPA (for their good rep on conflict), Fletcher or even WWS. 

 

I know there are not many on these boards in a similar position but any feedback would be most welcome.

 

Ta 

Hi! I'm in a similar position to you..and posted on this forum recently but haven't got any responses yet...have you found out anything since you last posted which has made things clearer? One option I'm considering is the executive MPA at Maxwell, as I want a fairly rigorous programme that adds value to existing experience in academia and provides a good base to transition into INGOs and multilateral institutions after the program.

The HKS one looks good from the outside and I have known people who're alumni, but I haven't got a sense of people actually moving in a slightly different direction or jobs afterwards? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use