Nonprofit Masters - MPA/MPP/MBA/Nonprofit Management? HELP!

[CharKel27]

Hello all,

I am new here so thanks for the patience. I am currently a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine and upon my return I am considering going back to school to get my masters. I am a TEFL volunteer but have loved the grants/youth development projects side of my work here. I do not have a career path nailed down exactly except that I am very interested in nonprofit work, which is partially why I'd like to go back to school in a program focused on nonprofits to learn more about my options. I have done a bunch of internet research on the different applicable degrees but have come up with conflicting viewpoints, which has brought me here. Can someone decipher the differences between these degrees for me (MPA/MPP/MBA with nonprofit specialization/Nonprofit Management, etc)? Which would make the most sense for what I am looking for?

Background on myself, I went to a top 15 liberal arts school, graduated cum laude in '07 with a BA in American History and Soc/Anthro with a 3.4 GPA. GREs are 570V/720Q/5.5. I know that this only gives a tiny idea of who I am / what I have to offer, but what programs could potentially be right for me? I may not be an absolute all-star like many people posting on here but do I have a shot at getting some dollaz thrown my way from anywhere?

Thanks for the help!

[CJ Scudworth]

The commonly-espoused difference between the MPA and the MPP, which I think holds true, is that the MPA is a degree for people who are primarily seeking to become managers. It is geared toward helping you become the administrator/director of a government organization or nonprofit. An MPP is designed to helped you become a policy analyst. There is some blurring between the two, and some institutions use slightly different terms for the degrees.

I am less familiar with MBAs with nonprofit concentrations, but as a "business degree for nonprofits," they are closer in spirit, at least, to the MPA.

[MYRNIST]

Добро пожаловать на град-кафе! Где на Украине вы сейчас проживаете?

Trying to enunciate an exact professional difference between the two degrees that would hold true for all schools is pretty difficult, and pointless. There are plenty of managers with MPPs, and plenty of analysts with MPAs. Not to mention different schools will cram different curricula under the same degree name (i.e. a MPA at Princeton =/= MPA at LBJ). I think it would be more productive for you to focus on finding programs with a really strong background in preparing people for non-profit work, and go for those (regardless of whether its an MPA or MPP).

Non-profits are way out of my batting zone, sorry I can't offer program suggestions.

[piquant777]

I'm an RPCV looking to go into the same field, specifically in the developing world. Feel free to PM with specific Qs as I've done a lotttt of research about it. I basically agree with MYRNIST that you should look less at the type of degree and more at the individual programs to see if they have good non-profit components. Whether or not you want to do this domestically or internationally will also make a big difference. Georgetown has this new Masters in Global Human Development that is basically an intl development practitioner's dream if that's what you want to do (it's less theory and more hands-on practice). Woodrow Wilson is the only school that centers its mission wholly around public service in any aspect (government or non-profit) and plus gives a full stipend...if you can get in. And Yale School of Management is the top MBA program for non-profit management (and gives full loan forgiveness if you make less than the student body's median salary!), followed closely by the Stanford GSB. MBA programs also accept the GRE these days, which make it easier if you want to apply to both types of programs or possibly do a joint. I did this this year and would be happy to chat with you more about it.

Удачи!

[CharKel27]

Привет! Я живу в маленькой деревне недалеко от границы с Румынией.

Thanks for your comments, they were extremely helpful. Instead of focusing on the name of the degree/school I have been looking more into the programs/courses and that has really clarified a lot for me. While I think in general the MPA fits my interests most, I am still definitely looking into other degree programs as well. I have been focusing a lot so far on the schools that take part in the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program because I'm definitely worried about financing this degree. There are some great schools that take part in the program that give some scholarship money but the best deals are offered by schools which aren't as highly ranked. From the posts on this site, I assume most people would go to the best school they were accepted to rather than settling for a school that offered them more money. Do you all agree with this?

I will definitely return here with any other questions, what a great resource!

[fenderpete]

Everyone else has pretty much hit the nail on the head here. Program names/degree titles mean nothing - depending on where I applied I applied to an MPA, MA in International Development (Studies), MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and I only applied to four programs. All those degrees let me focus on what I want, it's just down to the school what they call it.

I think a lot of people pick the schools with the best funding option, or at least a compromise of the two. For example, I didn't even apply to Georgetown because I know they pretty much don't fund. Ideally you want somewhere that combines the course you want, location and a decent funding offer. I need to step out a second, pigs appear to be flying past my window...

I do also know that a lot of schools give loan remittance if you guarantee you'll do X amount of years in public service (American does this) so that's also worth researching. The four schools I applied to are a decent start, as I pretty much targeted places that fund

[K.Ash]

Everyone is definitely giving great feedback here. My thoughts RE: specializing in non-profit work would be proceed with caution. I have a very strong background in volunteerism, did 2 internships with NPOs during undergrad, and have about 2.5 yrs of FT work exp at NPOs since graduating. What I've learned, especially in my yrs of post-undergrad work, is that non-profit work comes with its own special batch of challenges (like most types of work, I'm sure) that are particularly challenging to a young professional looking to establish themselves. While I am positive I want to continue on in public service, I'm not sure if it will be with NPOs. Part of this is due to a desire to actually make enough money to begin saving and feel financially secure. Currently, any major unforseen event (car accident/repair, serious illness, etc) is a HUGE stressor. I also can't travel as much as I would like to, and have a pretty limited 'fun' budget. Part of it is also because I don't feel there is a lot of room for advancement from entry level work. Thats probably less true for larger organizations, however I've also seen that the mid-level work that does exist doesn't necessarily correlate to substantial pay increases. I see myself leaving NPO work for quite awhile, and maybe returning to it in my mid-late 40s.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that a focus in NPOs may limit your possibiltiies, but - for instance - an MPA with a focus in intl devt can be useful at an NPO, in the government, with consulting companies, etc. Personally, I want to ensure I don't pigeonhole myself.

Best of luck!

Edited February 20, 2012 by K.Ash

[trvlr1700]

CharKel, I have a similar background, except with AmeriCorps VISTA for 2 years. I knew I wanted to pursue a Masters after my service but had no idea where to start. I've talked to a few professionals in the NPO field and it seems as thought the title of the degree matters less than what you learned from it and how it prepares you for the work you want to do. Right now I'm deciding between a few offers - some at top schools with no funding and others at good schools with funding. I know this may seem a little out of the box, but Vanderbilt University (in Nashville) has an MEd program in Community Development and Action (among other degrees) that combines nonprofit management instruction with grassroots development coursework/community work. Since they are a private school, they have a ton of funding sources and every student I talked to there got an assistantship if they wanted one. I have no idea why it's an MEd since it seems to be on par with MPA work, but its a good opportunity I've been considering for the fall. Feel free to message me if you want more details about some of the other information I've gathered.

[Hanson's Fan]

Which lens do you want? Government (macro)'s len i.e. policy : Non-profit MPP/MAIPS or MPA.

Business/micro len i.e. managing a museum/an institute MBA w/ non-profit management.

[buffy]

All -

If you are interested in non profits and masters degrees, an mba in this area would probably provide the best set of management skills as it sounds like you have a decent amt. of experience. I heard Heller School at Brandeis has a great program and gives PC scholarships and AC scholarships which would help ease the pain. Just saw rankings top10 in social policy and they have an mpp option as well.