Masters in Criminology vs Masters in Public Policy, need advice

[sdiaz1924]

Hey Everyone, I am in need of some advice. I am in the process of figuring out what schools to apply for grad school this upcoming fall. I recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Criminology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I'm thinking about to master's in Criminology programs and also master's in Public Policy programs. I'm not too sure on what path to take. I plan on applying to a mix of both Public Policy & Criminology programs. Currently I am a research and analysis intern at a criminal justice agency in Illinois and I have enjoyed the work. In the long run I would like to work in research related to youth violence/gang violence/violence prevention, things of that sort. I personally feel that both public policy and criminology programs can benefit me since both programs are very research based. I would just like to see what other people think and if any people have any advice for me.

The schools I am planning to apply to are...

University of Chicago - Public Policy
University of Michigan - Public Policy
University of Minnesota  - Public Policy
Portland State University - Public Policy
University of Washington - Public Policy

University of Illinois at Chicago - Criminology
University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee - Criminology
Loyola University Chicago - Criminology
Illinois State University - Criminology
University of Cincinnati - Criminology
Northeastern University - Criminology

[TBL]

Just an FYI, and this school isn't exactly prestigious, but University of Central Florida just started a dual MPA/MS in Criminal Justice. Although it isn't "prestigious" the MPA has the NASPAA accreditation. Just food for thought. I'm sure other universities would be willing to allow you to dual enroll in the two programs as well if you ask and meet requirements for both colleges. Of course the cost goes up exponentially...