bahamajoe

Guys, Thinking of pursuing a degree at American University related to public policy and wondering if anyone has any experience with the school in this respect or insight into the nature/quality of the programme. Thanks for any help provided.

Guys, Need some candid advice on the value of certificate/diploma programmes as a CV booster based on anyones personal experience or knowledge of the decision making process of Adcoms. I already have an bachelors dbl hnrs in crim and econ along with an mpa. Applied for a phd in public policy but was not able to get into any of the schools that i preferred. As opposed to settling for a school i wasnt enthusiastic about, I am deciding to take a break from re-applying for 2-3 years. I am anticipating a transfer at work that will move me into more relevant and unconventional work experience in the short term which will enhance my CV. I am also thinking of doing a relevant certificate/diploma programme - either in an area relevant to my research or an area that is relevant to the kinds of courses i'd be taking in a phd public policy programme - alongside my new work opportunity. Any idea whether certificates/diplomas are looked upon favourably as adding weight to a CV or are not given any serious consideration due to the fact that they are akin to the equivalent of a minor concentration in something? I was thinking of looking into a part time phd but am not sure a part time phd is a work load i want to take on with my new job and not sure of how part time phd's look when it comes time to seek out jobs in academia. Hence, considering the certificate/diploma option, which would be around 4-6 courses, as something potentially doable that might keep me academically engaged and possibly enhance the CV. Thanks for any help provided.

My test for schools i decided to apply to was just trying to find programmes that had some strength in the areas that I wanted to research or do my dissertation in. It is hard though with so many good schools out there. Done applications now and its a bit nerve-racking waiting to see if i get in anywhere.

I'm applying for Phd Programmes because after two years of foreign policy work I really want to get back into academia. My work in foreign policy has given me some memorable experiences thus far but technical public sector work can place contraints on research freedom, one's ability to be creative and it can get very monotonous. Further, at heart, I really love researching. I'm actually mostly interested in research on human capital and transnational migration. I have an MPA already, which more than prepared me for the policy analysis skills needed for my current job, but I yearn a bit more research freedom to set my own paramaters for the work that I do. In terms of applications I'm basically applying to the current top PhD programmes in the US but my dream would be Berkeley.