Government or NGO careers and DL

Hi everyone,

I was wondering what type of Master's Degree would be best for someone with a career interest in NGO/ PAC Management, Global Affairs, or International Relations? My ideal career would be one within an organization that provides economic and physical relief from disasters, famine, disease or war overseas or domestically. I'm also interested in Environmental Management.

Master's Degrees from American Military U that I am interested in:
The M.S. Criminal Justice, which has an international focus in the curriculum. Coursework in areas such as International Crime and Terrorism.

The degree in Public Health features coursework in disaster management and epidemiology.

Public Administration degree features coursework in Local and State Politics.

Intelligence Studies with a concentration in International and Transnational Security features coursework in International Law, Politics, Economics and Organizations.

Would it be impossible to be hired for a criminal justice, strategic intelligence, or public management position with no related experience? I expect to be hired on the ground floor. Would volunteer experience help?

So....Which degree would be best?

MS Public Administration
MS Criminal Justice
MS Strategic Intelligence
MS Public Health
MS International Relations
MS International Business

My background: Will be graduating with a B.S.L.S in Psychology in November. I'm 26, female, married with two kids. Employed as a Cost Analyst for a DOD contractor for the last 4 years. Security Clearance.

Thanks to those that take the time to respond!

Rhonda

 

The University of Connecticut offers an online MPS in Humanitarian Services Administration which may be worth looking into.

http://continuingstudies.uconn.edu/mps/programs/hsa.html

Good luck.

 

as one working in that *type* of organization, I can only share my observations: (1) Experience. Experience. Experience. Such as Peace Corps, Teaching English, Mormon Excursion, etc. Get overseas somehow for the experience. That is almost always a key ingredient. (2) Absent experience, NGO's and major international Departments gravitate towards top tier universities. The majors are all over the place, from PolySci, JD's, Astronomy, etc.

Again -- all just an observation, but I firmly believe the experience is ever so important. Look into international programs and also at the UN for jobs/seconded appointments. They usually are the hook into NGO's. You also have a greater chance at NGO employment if you are willing to travel to high-risk locations. It all depends on your desire to travel.

Just some thoughts. I can share more offline if you would like.

SMAS

 

No to strategic intel without extensive experience AND a TS-SBI clearance. Most of the openings in this field are with contractors, and the job descriptions for these positions are deliberately written as to mandate them.

The contractor has every incentive to maximize the requirements for these positions - the narrower the candidate pool, the larger the hourly rate it can charge the government.

 

FEMA has a nice list of DL emergency management programs to get you started.

http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/collegelist/dl/

I also like Tulane's International Development program:

http://payson.tulane.edu/graduate/index.htm

 

Hi Rhonda - My advise may not seem that helpful because it does not tell you what to do, exactly. But I think it's solid, nonetheless. First - go to the organizations website and do some research. Who has the job you want? Look them up. What credentials do they have? Recreate them in your own fashion. Seond - how high to you want to rise? If your goal is to be the boss of bosses then it matters less what letters follow your name and matters more how much of your life you are willing to dedicate. Do you want to work 16 hour days for the next 10 years? Maybe you'll make it to the top. If not then set your sights lower and make the necessary target adjustments. Third - Do you see yourself ever earning a doctoral degree? If the answer is yes then I suggest that your selection of the proper Masters program take your Doctoral degree aspirations into account. After all that it's really quite simple. (smiley malfunction)