Masters Urban Planning

[Lindsey G]

I'm interested in earning an MPA. I am a government administration manager now for the state of Hawai'i and I like it so an MPA seems to make sense. Ideally, I would like to move away from strict social services/policy and more into an interdisciplinary approach of government working within the community, which got me thinking. Would urban planning allow me to use social policy, environmental policy, and design to help communities function better for its members? I have no clue...so can you tell me your thoughts on obtaining a Masters in Urban Planning? Would this be a better fit given my goals than an MPA? Thanks for your insights...

[pea-jay]

An MPA/MPP program would be better. A masters in Urban Planning would limit you more closely to that sector. An MPA would open up more opportunities. That said, there are programs that are focused on public administration in the urban realm where you could take planning and administration courses together. Others have a good focus on environmental issues. Check Planetizen.com for planning specific programs ( http://www.planetizen.com/schools/directory ) and then see which house a Public Administration program in the school or university. If both programs are housed in the same school, integration should be tighter and allow you to mix courses to suit your interests.

[modpod77]

I once have a PhD friend working about urban planning in a university in Hawaii, would definitely ask him about this. If I can get anything useful, I will post it back here for you. My personal thought is that: everything needs planning, and especially urban planning is a wide range of multi-disciplinary field, that would help you to fulfill part of your dreams, but not totally since dont expect too much that you can change everything. Sometimes, your thoughts and ideas might be good, but whatever good if they are not to be applied in the real world. Dont want to spoil your ambition, just a small reminder.

[LocoOcotillo]

I'm interested in earning an MPA. I am a government administration manager now for the state of Hawai'i and I like it so an MPA seems to make sense. Ideally, I would like to move away from strict social services/policy and more into an interdisciplinary approach of government working within the community, which got me thinking. Would urban planning allow me to use social policy, environmental policy, and design to help communities function better for its members? I have no clue...so can you tell me your thoughts on obtaining a Masters in Urban Planning? Would this be a better fit given my goals than an MPA? Thanks for your insights...

I can't say whether a Masters in Urban Planning would be the best route for your interests. What I can say is that there are many aspects to urban planning. Though in your case I wouldn't recommend specializing in transportation policy, I suspect that specializing in community development would be a good fit. Definitely check out the various programs, but pay attention to the specializations they offer.