Public Administration vs. Public/International Affairs

[ArtsyGirl]

Hi all!  I am curious, what made some of you decide to apply to/accept admission to masters of public administration vs. public/international affairs or vice versa?  Particularly in instances where the universities may have had both programs and they were very similar in course and internship requirements.  Does having one credential over the other make you more/less desirable as a job candidate at NGOs/non-profits/government?

[Gov2School]

Public Affairs to me connotes a program that's focused on media/press/public relations.  Generally in the government the office of Public Affairs at an agency is the office that deals with media/public outreach.  

 

The MIA programs at most schools are very similar to the MPA programs, except that they have a more explicit focus on international issues.  So they're more likely to require things like a language requirement or look for overseas experience.  But I don't think there's a particular advantage to doing an MPA focused on international affairs vs. a specific MIA degree in terms of your future job prospects.  The letters in the name of the degree don't mean as much as the skills and training you get in the program and through your internship.  So the important thing is to choose the program that provides what you want, and not get too hung up on what the degree is specifically called.