wonkish

Without.

carpecc - Do you believe there's any risk in applying for the MIA with little background in a foreign language (with the hope of receiving a one year deferral for a foreign language program)? If so, is it just as possible to switch from the MPA to the MIA? Grad_Nov - programs handle the language proficiency requirement in different ways. SAIS incorporates language classes directly into the curriculum. SIPA MIA expects that you have at least a beginners background in a foreign language for their classes - their website states that they do not offer beginners courses. MSFS only appears to offer one year of language courses. Fletcher does not offer any language courses. A Fletcher admissions officer explicitly told me that they will not accept applicants with little/no background in a foreign language and do not offer deferrals for foreign language programs. If you have heard otherwise, please let me know!

Other than the Harris website, I've found scant information on this forum and elsewhere about the reputation of Harris. Clearly the school is well known for training in economic analysis but is the school well-regarded and have connections to institutions in the international economic realm i.e. ILO, WTO, WB, State Dept.? I'm worried it would be difficult to get an internship related to my intended specialization via Harris. Also any recommendations about whether to apply for the MPP or AM/MA for someone looking to specialize in international economic policy would be appreciated. The MPP program seems to offer several courses on various international econ topics but I've heard nothing about the AM/MA and Harris' reputation for International affairs. Thanks in advance!

carpecc - thanks so much for the reply. My concern is that I will not be able to meet the proficiency requirement by the end of the two year degree. Seeing as you deferred, do you know if SIPA offers deferrals for foreign language programs?

I am applying to various policy programs with the intention of specializing in a few specific international labor policies. Despite my international experience, I cannot meet the foreign language requirement of several schools (Fletcher & SIPA MIA, though IPS and SAIS seem to provide more resources to meet such requirements). Yet after reviewing the curricula for SIPA's MIA and MPA, there seems to be minimal difference in the courses and opportunities they offer. In fact, the only difference listed on their website is that MIA students take an International Affairs course while MPA students take two Politics of Policymaking courses. MIA and MPA students even share the same policy concentrations and specializations. Can any current students or others with some insight on SIPA speak to any differences in the degree programs that I'm not finding? Thanks in advance.

Hi cckrspnl56 - thanks for the SAIS info. Is there a sufficient amount of time to complete those 4 semesters of foreign language classes within the 2-year degree program? Otherwise I was considering gaining acceptance into a foreign language program abroad and submitting the acceptance letter along with my application. I could request a one year deferral and would be able to demonstrate that I'm serious about the proficiency requirement and start learning a language I've always wanted to study. Or is this entirely unnecessary and should simply complete my 4 semesters in the foreign language while at SAIS? Thanks again for your insight.

Thank you for the info! SAIS is also one of my top choices. I wasn't aware that SAIS had any foreign language requirement. On their prerequisites, it only states that proficiency in English is required. Am I misinformed? Thanks again.

How strict are schools (Fletcher, Stanford etc.) about their fluency in a second language requirement? Their websites state that students must prove fluency by graduation (although I believe Fletcher states that you must take a proficiency test prior to admission). Will these schools accept applicants who are not currently proficient in a language? I planned to apply to these schools but doubt I have a level of proficiency they are looking for. Should I still apply? Also would these schools allow students to do a one year language program abroad in between years 1 and 2 to meet the language requirement prior to graduation? Thanks in advance!

After hours upon hours of researching programs, I've heard little about Stanford IPS and have found few mentions of it on GradCafe as well. The program looks stellar based on what I've read. I understand it only enrolls ~25 students each year. Does anyone have thoughts or information regarding the reputation of Stanford's program? I plan to specialize in labor and environmental policy in global supply chains. Does Stanford's International Political Economy concentration rival programs such as SAIS, HKS, Fletcher and WWS in this respect? Any insight is greatly appreciated!

I plan to apply to SAIS, HKS, SIPA, GSPP, Fletcher, WWS and GPPI. I'm also interested in LSE's MPA in Public and Economic Policy but haven't heard much about the program. I've heard great things about GSPP (especially for policy analysis) but am concerned that their program seems primarily focused on domestic policy. Georgetown's MPP/IOMBA Dual Program looks perfect but I won't have enough time to put in the necessary work for a solid GMAT score this application cycle. Looking through past posts has been really helpful but any additional advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for the advice and link - very helpful!

Thanks for the advice - I'll start sifting through those old posts!

I am searching for an online course for Intro to Macroeconomics. What are some universities that offer an affordable/worthwhile online macro course? So far I've found Berkeley offers a class but it costs $715! Do MPP/MPA programs care valuate online courses based on the school - Berkeley vs. no name university? Hypothetically, if I have a very strong application in every other aspect (including other econ courses, research papers, internships etc.), would the absence of a macroeconomics class hurt my application? I have heard about school's giving conditional offers which require applicants to take one of their courses during the summer prior to enrollment; though I am not sure about riskiness and/or likelihood of this outcome... Thanks for the insight.

I believe specific MPP/MPA programs will enable me to develop valuable skills and professional connections in the field I want to enter. Yet, it seems difficult to predict the type of jobs (and corresponding salary) that will be available upon graduation. I am concerned about taking on too much debt considering that most programs come with a price tag of $30,000+/year (not to mention associated living expenses in NYC/Boston/DC). I understand that some school's offer paid positions as TAs or research assistants that cover much of the tuition costs. How can you go about researching which schools/MPP programs offer paid positions such paid positions? Also how can you go about researching other forms of funding to pay for the degree? I know WWS offers pretty generous funding but have had trouble finding information about other programs. Any advice or recommendations about being proactive in getting funding and/or paying for MPP/MPA programs would be incredibly helpful!