Is a Master of Public Affairs a terminal degree?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by lidokeyfl, Oct 2, 2013.

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  1. lidokeyfl

    lidokeyfl New Member

    Is the University of Missouri's new online Master of Public Affairs considered a terminal degree? With such a degree, what types of courses would I be able to teach as an adjunct instructor?

    Thank you!
     
  2. Koolcypher

    Koolcypher Member

    A Masters degree in Public Policy is not considered a terminal degree. A terminal degree is the highest academic degree in a given field of study. Therefore, if you want a terminal degree you will need a PhD or a DPA. Can you teach with a masters degree? Sure, however, the devil is in the details. In order to teach you will need at a minimum 18 graduate credit hours in the field in which you want to teach. Also, you will need some industry experience too. Adjunct teaching is very hard to get into due to the fact that there are tons of doctorate holders looking for these gigs as well. Truckie, a member here, has a DPA and is currently teaching, so hopefully he chimes in.

    Good luck with your studies!
     
  3. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    The following disciplines continue to evolve and overlap:

    Masters in:
    - public affairs
    - policy analysis
    - public administration
     
  4. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I'm not a subject-matter expert, but I suspect "Public Affairs" and "Public Policy" are different. And if "DPA" means "Doctor of Public Administration," then that's different, too.

    Yes, the terminal degree is the highest awarded...but in the academic discipline concerned. There are many professional doctorates awarded in fields that are not necessarily academic. A good practical test would be to see on what basis people get hired at universities.

    Things change over time, too. There was a time when the MBA was often considered terminal (and very not-academic). The emergence of the DBA didn't change that, until we saw people teaching with it. Often, the Ph.D. was awarded in other related areas, like Economics or Finance. But now we see the Ph.D. in Business, so that might be an argument in favor of (a) the Ph.D. being the terminal degree in business, (b) the DBA also being considered a terminal degree (especially if it is designed as an academic degree), and (c) the MBA no longer being the terminal degree in the field.

    I think social work and fine arts are seeing the same dynamic today.
     
  5. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    And library science, I think.
     
  6. truckie270

    truckie270 New Member

    The MPP or MPA are versatile degrees for adjuncting work because the content translates into many different fields. Most of the positions I see are for a holder of either, so I do not think that makes a huge differences other than what courses one will be teaching. The caveat being, while they will be beneficial in getting you adjunct work compared to many other types of degrees I know of no one who has secured a job without significant experience in the public sector in a management-level capacity.

    The whole "18-hours in a subject area" conversation in my view is overplayed here quite a bit as it leads people to believe that 18 hours in a subject are all that are needed to teach. This is a school accreditation block that needs to be checked which results in it often being listed as a minimum qualification for a position. If you are in accounting for example and get 18 hours in finance, I could see some potential cross-over benefits but 18 hours in public admin. for someone with an MBA who works at a bank is not going to work for a PA adjunct position.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 2, 2013

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