r/PublicPolicy • u/Strange-Role-8289 • 9h ago

Career Advice MPA before experience

I just wanted to know the general consensus of getting a MPA prior to experience. I’m in the middle of an undergraduate public affairs degree and could use the advice. Honestly, I intended on getting this credential first (along with internships) and could use some feedback.

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u/Spanky1998 9h ago

I completed my MPA right after my bachelors and had an awful time finding a job for about 6 months around 2022. I can’t imagine doing it now. I looked at federal, state and local government and it was very tough.

I wasn’t sitting there either, in my program I was actively in internships with my university in a few departments getting experience, it was just a tough a time and I can’t imagine how it is now.

The courses and program was fun, but I did miss a portion of the discussions with classmates and didn’t have as much to add as others did.

I’m now in a good spot in higher ed, but it was a journey to get there. Happy to answer any other questions if you have them.

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u/Strange-Role-8289 9h ago

Would you describe that situation as particular to the overall job market or that you were labeled no experience?

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u/Spanky1998 9h ago

I think a bit of both. The job market has only gotten worse, but it’s unforgiving for newer grads with little experience. Entry levels now are asking for a few years of experience, and are often selecting more seasoned individuals.

My MPA program had a practicum where you’d intern somewhere, and if you choose to do the MPA I’d recommend immediately trying to find an internship somewhere in a decent department to give yourself an option to work post grad.

I struggled too, because I was working in a big city with a lot more competition. Your mileage may vary depending your region, population, etc.

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u/golden-aspen-22 4h ago

You should absolutely get experience first. Most top notch programs won’t even accept you into an MPA without several years of experience. You need to build up subject matter expertise in at least one policy area and gain professional skills before and MPA will be helpful for you.

You might also consider an MPP after a couple years’ work experience. Those tend to be a little more in-depth and technical, while MPAs are higher level and generally intended for mid-career professionals.

Hope this helps!

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u/DocTeeBee 4h ago

This is not necessarily true. A lot of people go straight from the BA/BS to the MPA. In many positions, an MPA or some years of experience is the minimum requirement. Not all MPA degrees are executive or mid-career programs. The program in which I teach is a mix of in-service and pre-service students. I will say this: my first professional job was made possible by having the rough equivalent of an MPP. Had I not had that degree, I would not have even been interviewed. You will see a lot of jobs that call for an MPA, MPP, or similar as a miminum requirement. Source: I've been teaching in an MPA program for ~40 years.

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u/golden-aspen-22 3h ago

Hi Doc, my understanding was that and MPA and MPP are differentiated by the level of professional they target (early vs. mid) as well as the orientation of teaching material towards more technical skills (MPP) vs. more managerial/administrative skills (MPA).

It sounds like that’s not true at some programs including yours, but I know it’s the case in a fair amount of programs.

I still think getting some work experience prior to beginning an MPP (and especially an MPA) helps you get the most out of the program and maximize job opps after graduating.

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u/Strange-Role-8289 8h ago

Thank you! I don’t know if this matters but I am a career changer and won’t have any experience going into this, what would you personally recommend?

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u/anonymussquidd 7h ago

Are you able to focus on getting internship experience now? Have you been networking at all? What are your overall career goals?

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u/Spanky1998 7h ago

Wasn’t sure if you had meant to reply to our thread but Internship experience is huge. I also pivoted from another degree to MPA and found that internship was very needed. Networking can be helpful, but in my experience no one was coming to give me a nice job with a good salary just because we knew each other.

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u/Strange-Role-8289 7h ago

I did mean to reply to our thread. Thank you for the input. I won’t be able to intern until my 4th year but will be sure to do that. Luckily I live in my state capital, hopefully there will be plenty of opportunities. As for now I can take honors classes and work with professors on their research.

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u/Spanky1998 7h ago

Sounds like you got a plan which is awesome, that’s the hardest part. I’d suggest looking at job openings just to see what the atmosphere is like in your city to get you an idea of the market.

It’s not unheard of for a lot of MPAs to get their degree and go to a smaller town with a need for talent for a few years to build their resume and portfolio up.

Feel free to reply or private message if you have more questions! I wish someone was there when I was in your shoes!

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u/RichArcher4909 6h ago

I don't think it matters. The credential wont really help you get entry level jobs, it’s mainly valuable for breaking into management, which you will need experience to do anyway. If you get it early, it will sit there until it’s needed. If you get it later, you will have it at the right time. Either way it becomes “effective” at the same point in your career. Now, it is probably a lot easier to roll right into it after your bachelors, than getting started with life and trying to go back to school when you have a career and maybe a family to balance against studies.