Canada: UVic MPA vs. UofT MPP

[NeroDavola]

I've been accepted to both and am looking for input! I'm aiming to pursue a career in European public administration or global governance/intl NGO work. Both schools have European Centres of Excellence. Here's the pros as I see them:

UVic MPA

- I've secured a supervisor who's on the leading edge of borderlands and urban policy research.

- Elective courses offered in precisely my field of research.

- 2-3 semesters of paid internship.

- Management orientation, with emphasis on technical competencies.

- Living in BC.

UofT

- A school with excellent international recognition.

- Small cohort (40 students/intake)

- Opportunity to participate in exchange program with Sciences Po - Paris or the Hertie School of Management (Berlin)

- Huge school resources, but is also the more expensive of the two.

Thoughts?

[nugget]

Congratulations! Do you plan to work in Canada after you graduate? If not, I'd look more closely at U of T as I believe U of T has a great international reputation and it's the most recognized university of the two. I can't speak specifically to your field, but it terms of general name recognition it's definitely U of T.

[Nerd_For_Life]

I vote UVic. But that is entirely based on personal bias resulting from having attended both schools for social science degrees (UVic BA(hons); UofT MA) and finding the environment of UVic (supportive, collegial, profs that care) to be much more to my taste than UofT (isolating, profs too busy with their own research to give you any help, peers too worried about having their 'ideas' stolen to brainstorm and problem solve with their cohort).

 

Also, are you planning on going on to your PhD?

[NeroDavola]

Thanks for the quick replies!

 

Jenste: Yeah, the international reputation of UofT is a definite draw, and so is their exchange program with two of Europe's top policy schools. I hope to pursue employment in Europe after graduation, which is why I'm focusing my research pretty narrowly. 

Nerd4Life: Thanks so much for your input, this is precisely the kind of stuff that isn't in any brochure, and you wont get in correspondence with staff/faculty. I've already done one MA at UWO, and had a similar (though not quite so extreme) experience. So I really appreciate the insight! I am not wishing to progress immediately to a phd, as I want to get some practical experience first, but I would like to keep that option open for a few years down the road. I've planned out my research direction to be in an emerging field of public administration partially for that reason.