PUBLIC SERVICE CAREERS

Should you go to graduate school?? Here is what NASPAA has to say (NASPAA is the National Association of Schools of Public Administration and Affairs; it serves as our credentialing body)

You want a public service career....now what?  Graduate school is not a requirement for a public service career. You can choose to begin your career now and possibly pursue further education at a later date.

 For graduate students, the opportunities are not only greater, but salaries can be higher. According to the Bureau of the Census, in 1998, the mean annual income of individuals holding a Master’s was approximately $51,100 -- $9,108 higher than with a Bachelor’s degree. Over a lifetime, it is estimated that a Master’s degree is worth approximately $248,000 more than a Bachelor’s degree.

Examples of career opportunities for graduate students include opportunities in the local, state, or federal government, including the Presidential Management Internship Program which in 1999 started graduate students at $34,000 and after a two year fellowship allows participants a potential salary of at least $45,236 including comprehensive benefits. There are also many opportunities available in the nonprofit sector.

Generally, students pursuing a career in public management or policy usually obtain degrees in public administration, policy, or management. Each degree is slightly different. 

 

   The Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) is well suited for students seeking a public service career. This degree will enable a student to work in a variety of fields from government service to non-profit management. 

 

   The Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) is also a good start for a public service career. It will provide students with a strong background in policy analysis with a stronger emphasis on quantitative analysis (we do not have this program, but you have the opportunity to develop a concentration public policy or pursue a Public Policy Ph.D. degree at the U of A)


Remember, there is no cut and dry path; you can pursue almost any field of graduate study and match your interests with public service careers. A Master’s in economics, environmental science, history, a foreign language or psychology can be successful in the public service arena.

 

So, I want to go to Graduate School...how do I choose a program?

Typically, students pursuing a career in public service work towards a Masters of Public Administration, Public Affairs, Public Policy, Urban Affairs, Nonprofit Management or law degree. These degrees seem identical, but their course work is quite diverse. A typical semester may look very different:

 

     Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) Intergovernmental Relations, Management Teamwork and Operations, and Public Budgeting and Finance.   

 

      Master’s of Public Policy (MPP):  Quantitative Methods, Public Finance, Political Values and Social Policy.  

     Master’s of Urban Policy: Managing Public Service Organizations, Microeconomics, Transportation Policy, Urban Economic and Community Development.  

    Master’s of Arts in Public Management: Management and Leadership, Conflict Analysis and Response, Strategic Leadership in the Knowledge Age and Negotiation Theory and Practice.  

     Master’s of Arts in Nonprofit Management: Organizational Theory and Behavior, Marketing and Fund-raising for Nonprofit Organizations, and Qualitative Research and Program Evaluation Methods.

 

Many of these can be developed as 15 hours specialized focus in our MPA program.

Remember, there are no boundaries. Increasingly, public service careers are requiring technical specialties such as degrees in engineering, public relations, or science. One could receive a Master’s in Economics and work for a nonprofit organization, concentrate in environmental science and work for the Environmental Protection Agency or receive a law degree and work for the Department of Justice.

 

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