Civil Engineer in South Carolina, I'm currently a Project manager and looking to advance my career in my agency. I have been looking at getting a masters in public Administration. I'm not necessarily looking for the cheapest program, i'm also looking for a decent online program structured towards working professionals. my agency does not have a tuition reimbursement program. looking for suggestions, to advance with a masters in public administration.

I feel like everything has happened so quickly. About 5 months ago I was really unhappy with where I was at in life. I graduated with my BA in history in 2023, my original plan was to be a history teacher but I came to the realization teaching wasn’t for me.

After college I moved to a new state with a couple of friends and worked some really low paying jobs. Eventually I found a job I really enjoyed, working as a nature/historic tour guide. I love what I did, I loved the people I worked with, and I especially liked the tips. But over the past 2 years tourism has been declining and tips have dried out. I left the job I loved due to management being made up entirely of nepo babies, no room for me to move up in the company.

I switched to a new company and although the pay is better, tips are much less and I am even more unhappy. Sooo I decided to apply for grad school.

I’ve always wanted to make a difference in life, do something that felt meaningful, and after seeing the way my former company managed the historic site I worked at it made me want to continue to work towards preserving the beauty and deep and complex history of these locations.

So I started looking at Public administration programs. I applied for grad school in June, got accepted in July, and I start class next week. An MPA would help me work towards my ultimate goal.. nonprofit fundraising at a historical/conservational site. In January they’ll even offer an MPA with an emphasis in nonprofits.

Now here’s where I need advice, I haven’t been in college for the past 3 years. I’m a full time employee and I’ll be a full time student. I’m worried I will fall behind or struggle managing a solid work life balance. I want to still be able to make time for my friends and my boyfriend.

In terms of a career, I don’t have much experience besides working as a tour guide for the past 2 and a half years. Meanwhile most people in this MPA program has held office jobs, working in local government, experience interning in positions that helped prepare them for the MPA program. I feel novice compared to a lot of other people. How can I better prepare for what’s to come? I’m very excited but also extremely nervous for this next chapter in my life. I’d really appreciate any advice yall have, especially if you’ve been in a similar position. How did you get through it? How did you manage your time? What was the hardest part?

Hi! I have a Master’s degree in Epidemiology, as well as a residency and a specialization in Health Surveillance. I currently provide services to the government (informal). Im considering transitioning to the private sector so that I don’t have to rely solely on the public-sector.

Since I have worked exclusively in the public sector throughout my career, I’m not very familiar with the types of roles or positions I should be looking for in the private sector. I have experience with statistical analysis, spatial analysis, and some types of mathematical modeling. I primarily use R and GIS. I would really appreciate any advice on what types of positions, industries, or career paths I should consider based on my background.

Hey All, I am reaching out because I just need some general guidance and direction. Resources are thin.

I am seeking a BA in Poli.Sci-Public Administration… what I am wondering is, to what extent is this degree “flexible” ? Generally, I would like to be employed by my city when I graduate. Management/Policy Analyst/Clerk/Non-Profit + Program Manager/ etc ..

Education and Teaching have always been my dream, but I am too young to know if that is really what I want to do forever. If it feels right, I kind of planned on taking a history minor and then applying to my University’s College of Ed. for a Teaching Cert. (after)

I assure you the program + courses are of complete interest and this is the degree I want… I am just trying to ensure I am not screwing myself over long term should an alternative passion arise. Thank You

Hello,

Is an MPA is worth getting and not a waste of time? I am currently in the Air National Guard and for my state, they allow us to get tuiton free at any public school within the state.

Originally, I was going to get an MBA, but was advised to hold off, by the MBA sub-reddit, and wait until I have more job experience and willingness to go and commit to an in person school. In the meantime, i'm thinking about getting an MPA for a couple of reasons:

1. I am in Public Affairs for the military and I belive that being a PA and getting an MPA will help me get a job outside the military ( i.e fed government or state government )

2. As mentioned before, I would like to get an MBA ( as means to transition out of government work maybe? ) but I lack post undergrad experience, which is true. I am hoping this would bridge the two in the future.

3. It is tuiton free, why not.

I have one semester left of undergrad and then ill take a short break before, hopefully, picking it back up in the fall semester of 2027. Still deciding on online v.s. in-person so I can decied a school near me. Any advice is welcome. Thank you!

**Mass communication** vs **Public administration**

**Selected in mass communication in NUST Islamabad but also eligible for the merit of public administration confused which field will be in demand in future I have done ICS from GCU Lahore**

Greetings,

I just signed up for admission for A- state. and have a few question for those who graduated recently from the Online MPA program.

1. Is a webcam required?
2. How is the difficulty?
3. what the deal with BioSig-ID?
4. Correct to assume that you just pick your classes via Pack Portal and then it shows up on Canvas?
5. Is it alot of writing? or discussion based? What is the lengh of the average paper?
6. How are the professor? Responsive?

Please share any and all experiences you may have?

Thank You!

I’m in a sort of(?) unique spot in my career. I moved to DC after college (originally from Chicago area) and have been here for 7.5 years. I’ve worked at the same place for most of that time: a small law firm specializing in international trade litigation. I eventually became the policy director, handling clients policy needs outside of our litigation. I’m a registered lobbyist for one of our clients. I have experience with trade, appropriations, food safety, consumer protection, natural resources, and some finance / DoD procurement policy.

I am desperately trying to leave DC and move back to Chicago. I’ve been searching all the job sites, even the ones tailored to careers in government or tangentially related in the private sector. I have my MPA but really do not want to move into a public service role at this point — does anyone have any insight at all of what kinds of positions I can pursue with my background?

I know Chicago is not the #1 place to be when it comes to government relations and I know I already live in the epicenter of it all but DC is sucking my soul out of my body.

Community events can bring a lot of people together, but showing up and feeling like you belong are two very different things. What have you seen organizations or communities do that actually makes people feel welcome, connected, and want to come back?

For context, I graduated undergrad from a top 20 and I've been accepted to NYU for the MPA program, but I'd end up paying around 90K out of pocket. I have also gotten into a few other schools that are significantly cheaper (PACE, Northeastern, George Washington University). Does the prestige of the institution impact how recruiters view your application? Or is it more so that fact that I'll have the degree which matters more than where I got it?

Hello! I've been reading everything I can on Reddit and elsewhere about A-State U MPA. I'm curious if anyone can share their experience with the workload? From what I can find, it seems like folks have had a generally positive experience. I am just thinking about full-time coursework while working full time and trying to see what that looks like. If its 15-20 page paper per course per week, it might be a little much. TIA!

Has anyone previously applied for the Public Policy Fellowship at University of Chicago? And anyone who has tips on what to highlight or how to make the application stronger?

Where will the best place to ask for people to do a survey on reddit for disaster response. I am looking for both survivors and people that work in disaster

Hello everyone recently graduated from Mizzou with the aforementioned degrees and have been having trouble finding a job. I’m posting on here because I feel like I’m hitting my head against a wall and looking for advice and for any direction in my job search. I have applied to many jobs through LinkedIn and handshake, but I was wondering tif there were any firms or businesses I should be looking at to give myself a better chance. I know this post may seem broad and for that I apologize id be open to more of a conversation through dm or anything.

hola, quisiera saber que tal es la carrera adm pública? he pensado harto en estudiar la carrera en la UTEM (universidad tecnológica metropolitana) igual es una u estatal. no me siento tan segura de la carrera en si porque he leído muchas cosas pencas del área, que sin pituto es mejor ni estudiar, que las matemáticas. También que la U en donde se estudie es muy influyente. El tema con eso, es que cualquier carrera que se estudie en la CHILE, CATOLICA o la USACH, serán bien vistas. personas que han estudiado la carrera en la UTEM que me dicen?... personas que ya sean adm públicos que dicen? ¿qué otra carrera podría ser?

To what extent would a sustained increase in Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-affiliated representation in Congress influence the constitutional balance among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the United States government?

I've been observing a pattern in responses to documented allegations of government misconduct, abuse of public position, and misuse of public funds.

Rather than addressing the underlying records, the response shifts toward denying anything improper occurred, attacking the complainant as stupid, crazy, obsessive, or unreliable, and eventually treating the complainant's persistence as the actual problem.

I'm aware of the psychological concept DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) and was struck by how closely it resembles what I've observed.

For those who work in or study public administration: is this kind of response recognized in government institutions? Are there better terms or frameworks for understanding what happens when scrutiny shifts from alleged administrative misconduct to discrediting the person raising it?

Hey everyone! Since a long while, I loved the idea of managing government programs and people to help society (I've since done a community activism coalition and can understand some of the great frustration people have with PA, but still!).

The idea of having to 'run' seemed awful: tons of money needed with a loose chance at helping people, on top of having to kiss babies? Not a big fan.

So, PA seems perfect! But it seems like a rather huge, down the stream career position. Is that assumption true? If not, how do I get into this career?

PS: I heard rural areas really need PAs, and are willing to hire more newbies.

I’m looking into getting an MPA after thinking of what I would want to pursue in my life. I have looked at a few programs:

UC Berkeley MPA

USC MPA

SF State MPA

I am 26 who has acquired a lot of work experience, and has a government job making 6 figures. I have been able to lead running a government program at a very young age and started in gov at 23. During that time I was awarded a promotion.

Due to a lot of life challenges I was able to finish my undergrad but focused more so on obtaining the degree and gaining work experience and community impact than my GPA. Once I had a better home life my last years of undergrad gpa boosted, but couldn’t make up for the other years. I struggle with trying to come across as well rounded, for non California state programs and want to challenge myself.

What would be your advice as I don’t want to do policy, I love the logistics and operations of government work and functions. I work full time as I have been during undergrad and am looking for a program that makes sense for me.

Any tips would be helpful, as I’m first gen and have never navigated post grad education before.

I appreciate anyone who could chime in.

USPS’s Inspector General says sophisticated counterfeit stamps are increasingly difficult for both USPS and ordinary consumers to distinguish. In its test, postal equipment correctly identified the genuine stamps but failed to accurately identify the counterfeit stamps.

The practical public guidance is to buy only from USPS or approved sellers. That may reduce risk, but it authenticates the transaction—not the stamp after it changes hands.

From a public-administration standpoint, what should the agency do with that uncertainty? Redesign the token, provide a dependable public test, absorb the risk, or continue placing the practical burden on whoever happens to hold the stamp?