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I went to the admitted students event in DC a few weeks ago, and I'm pretty sure they said there that if you are in either the MAIR or MPA programs, you can add the other program on once you start and it's pretty easy to do. I would contact them with this question to double-check though. I don't know anything about a dual degree with econ.

It doesn't look like the Maxwell website provides much info on how to do this, other than that it does appear that you need to be on the MPA side (or joint MPA/MAIR) and not just the IR side. I would just call them and ask what you can do. If they allow the MPA/MAIR students to do it, then you should be able to just add the MPA to your MAIR once you enroll (which I'm pretty sure they said was easy to do), and it seems like it should work out...? I don't think there's any danger in asking, especially if it's going to affect where you decide to enroll. If they've already admitted you, what's the worst that can happen?

This is a really old thread, but I'll ask anyway. I'll be moving to Syracuse this June to start the MPA program. My boyfriend is planning to move up there with me, but neither of us know much/anything about the job prospects in the area. Does anyone know anything about this or have any advice? He's got a BA in education studies, but is willing to do pretty much anything for the year I need to be there. Any recommendations for where/how to start looking outside of what's posted on craigslist and syracuse.com?

I'm just MPA, and the email I got said they won't make placement decisions for assistantships until later when they know who will actually be attending and what their own needs are. I don't know anything about the MAIR program or if their awards or awards process are any different...

covers tuition for 24 credits plus a stipend

I'll be in the MPA program this summer also!

I actually got an email this morning about an assistantship (!!). good luck to everyone else also, hope you hear good news soon!

I'm in the same spot. Since it appears that I got passed over on the first rounds of funding from the other schools I got into, I'm expecting zero from Syracuse, but I really want to know for sure. I'm pretty positive I'm going to Syracuse either way, but I feel like I should get all the info before accepting admission (and declining other schools).

Ok, I just read this on Harvard's page: "The figures below are the costs of attendance for the 2011-2012 academic year at Harvard Kennedy School." A total of $86,000+ over 2 years is unbelievable. I agree that plenty of people in the MPA field do have knowledge of and respect for Maxwell's program, and I've heard from alumni directly that the alum network is super strong they take care of their own very well in helping people get good jobs afterward. I know the 12-month program means you can't work part-time during the year or get a summer internship, but personally I would rather save the $36k and get back into a full-time working position after 1 year instead of 2. Getting back to the topic of Harvard's program vs. Syracuse though, I've heard that Harvard has a more theoretical focus (and appears to have minimal proscriptive coursework, so it may be more flexible), and Maxwell is more practical and focused on building applicable skills. Could just depend on what you really want out of your degree.

Sorry to change the subject somewhat, but this is maybe the tenth time I've heard someone quote Syracuse's MPA program as being significantly cheaper than other programs, and I'm not seeing it. Harvard tuition+fees appears to be just over $43k (http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/sfs/prospective-students/tuition/domestic) Syracuse tuition+fees appears to be just under $50k (http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/pa.aspx?id=679) Am I missing something? (I hope I am, as I am also planning to go to Syracuse this summer for the MPA, and if someone can convince me it'll cost less than $50k, that'd be great.)

I went to the admitted students day in DC last week and asked about this. They said they planned to have all of the funding decisions made by the end of this week, so hopefully they will send out the letters/emails by Monday...? I also heard the same things from alums there about even if you don't get funding initially, a lot of people manage to get something secured during the year, but they "can't guarantee anything."