decision time

[platypi]

hey everyone,

i just found this site and have browsed around quite a bit, incredibly helpful. wish i had found this last fall.

anyway, i'm deciding between two (very different) programs and was curious to see if there were any opinions out there that may help. the two are the MPIA at IR/PS UCSD and the Masters in Public Diplomacy at USC. given, the MPD program is very young, but it's been difficult to find much about success rate of graduates. that said, i find PD incredibly interesting, and if i were to pursue it, USC is a great place to do so.

i'm very interested in Latin America, though, making IR/PS attractive, on top of which is the quantitative skill set i'd get, which as of now i have no background in.

as for ideal job afterward, i'm not sure, raising the argument for the cheaper UCSD. also, it seems a job may NOT hire me because i lack a quantitative skill set, however, i don't see a job saying no because i don't have the MPD.

any thoughts/opinions would be much appreciated. thanks.

[platypi]

and, i guess further, if there are any MPD alums out there (or friends of) do you (they) feel like you came out with a marketable skill set?

thanks again