MPA SIPA Vs MA econ NYU

[Khan]

hi

I have currently offer from MPA Sipa , it is actually a double degree offer with another school meaning I will be doing my second year in SIPA and get two MPA degrees

where as at the same time I have offer from MA economics from NYU , which is again a two years program but i'll have to waste one year that I have been studying in my current public policy course

I am not really a big fan of public policy as per say , I am more concernd with job opporunities ......

I want to know which one of these options is better in terms of job prospects?

any thoughts?

and both of the offers have similar scholarship coverage except for the fact that after doing NYU I will have to leave US

[xnormajeanx]

why will you have to leave the US after NYU?

[brlbrl]

hi

I have currently offer from MPA Sipa , it is actually a double degree offer with another school meaning I will be doing my second year in SIPA and get two MPA degrees

where as at the same time I have offer from MA economics from NYU , which is again a two years program but i'll have to waste one year that I have been studying in my current public policy course

I am not really a big fan of public policy as per say , I am more concernd with job opporunities ......

I want to know which one of these options is better in terms of job prospects?

any thoughts?

and both of the offers have similar scholarship coverage except for the fact that after doing NYU I will have to leave US

If you would like a job that ins quantitatively oriented, there is no question -- the MA in Econ from NYU is superior. Mroeover, there is a glut of folks with MPP/MPA type degrees on the market. I think you will find far fewer people have a master's degree in Economics and yet there is increasing demand for people with such skills. Without knowing much about your career goals, I'd be inclined to go with NYU.

[hambergrrr]

I agree with brlbrl. I was looking into MPP versus MA in economics early on, but knew I wasn't competitive enough to get straight into an econ program... not enough quantitative coursework as an undergrad, so I went the MPP/MPA route because I wanted at least more quantitative work than I got as an undergrad.

I'd say go with the economics degree. It would give a stronger set of quantitative skills that are probably more transferable, no matter the job. I tend to think that quantitative skills are more marketable and less "learnable" on the job, if that makes sense. I've also had a number of professors tell me the same thing indirectly.

[Khan]

Thanks folks for reply

I will have to leave US becuase my scholarship requires me to get back to my home country Pakistan...

But the quant part makes sense to me.