Something discouraging I noticed about MPAs

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by badmajon, Apr 19, 2014.

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  1. badmajon

    badmajon New Member

    So I am interested in getting an MPA so I decided to go around looking for jobs online which required or encouraged applicants to have earned one. I noticed something kind of disturbing- most of these jobs require an MPA and associated experience in that industry or field.

    For example, a healthcare services administrator job wanted the MPA, PLUS 5 years in the healthcare industry or a health related BA. A forestry program manager job wanted the MPA plus forestry experience. An ecology program manager job wanted the MPA plus ecology experience and/or related BA.

    I was thinking I could get this degree, and then be able to choose across a wide swath of potential jobs. However from what I have seen, I'm wondering if a MPA is more of a tool for people already working in that field to break whatever glass ceiling they might be facing and enter management.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    I think it's more a sign of our crappy economy than anything else. There are literally millions of people out of work or underemployed in the United States alone right now. Because of that, employers know they can be just a picky and choosy and they want. With so many people out of work, it's now common for employers to get dozens (sometimes hundreds) of applicants for each open position they post. By requiring work experience in addition to education, employers can narrow the field more easily and even cut way back on the number of applicants they have to sift through to find the strongest applicant for the job.
     
  3. truckie270

    truckie270 New Member

    Not to be harsh, but why would you expect to be able to walk into a public sector management job without any sort of experience in the public sector just because you have a Master's degree in Public Administration?
     
  4. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    From what I've seen, most people in the public sector who have MPAs got their degree after being in government work for several years i.e. law enforcement, fire services, health care, etc.

    True. The economy tanked in 2008 and prior to that, jobs and industry have been steadily outsourced over the past 40 years. However, people are expecting good, high-paying, career oriented jobs to magically re-materialize. Proud people may begin to grovel before that happens because it may get significantly worse before it gets better, if it ever gets better.

    In 2009, a dean said that she got 200+ applications for one (1) graduate level online teaching position. My university used to accept Masters degrees when I was first hired, but now they only accept applications from doctoral degree holders.

    However, having an MPA is good. I'll have one by the end of this year.
     
  5. badmajon

    badmajon New Member

    That is a good point. Here's my situation. I have a BA in Political Studies from the University of London SOAS, and I have been in the US Military for the last 6 years. I'm not crazy about what I do, let's just say it involves information.

    My plan was to get an MPA so when my contract expires in 2017 I will have some options to go do other things. I was hoping general public sector management experience as an NCO plus an MPA would allow me to get out of the current field I am in and go do something totally different.

    The main reason for picking the MPA was because I want a way out of what I'm currently doing now, and be able to competitive for a wider range of job opportunities.
     
  6. nyvrem

    nyvrem Active Member

    Just wondering, why is having an MPA good?
    Does it give more utility when finding a job?
    I'm just wondering, since i'm on the lookout for a graduate program to do.
    Just keeping my options open.
     
  7. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Is it possible that you might like your current job better if it were done in the public sector? I ask because your best chances would be in getting a master's involving what you are currently doing, or something similar, and then moving into the civilian world with experience and a master's degree. Otherwise, you would have to start at the bottom in a new field and work your way up, even with your master's degree. The degree would help, but it's not going to be the magic ticket. It's not like it used to be in years past; now a large number of job candidates have a degree, even a graduate degree, and it has become just a basic requirement rather than a ticket to the top.

    __________________________________
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2014
  8. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    An MPA is a good degree in the context that any graduate degree is good. However, if you're not sure what you want to do, then an MBA might be a more versatile option because business is more universal to local, regional and global economics. Conversely, an MPA is sort of pigeonholed into government administrative work or working with non-profit organizations. An MPA is probably best for people who are already in a government career and they need a degree for political and promotional advancement. It's also good for people who want a career as a city administrator. If you're an NCO working in MI as a SA (or in a similar field), it's hard to direct you to a specific graduate degree for employment purposes because that's such an esoteric field. Your post-military goals would probably dictate the kind of graduate degree that you should pursue, if any. You may not need any post-graduate degree at all. Sometimes a bachelors degree is all a person needs.
     
  9. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    Exactly. When applying for a job your education is only one piece of the total package you are offering employers. A lot of people expect opportunities to suddenly materialize just because they earn a graduate degree in something. It doesn't work like that. Your experience matters. In fact, I'm sure this guy could tell you how earning a PhD in management from Capella didn't open a floodgate of opportunities for him. He's currently working as a receiving associate for Wal-Mart.

    https://www.linkedin.com/pub/darryle-huffman/15/B18/593
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2014
  10. nyvrem

    nyvrem Active Member


    Thanks for the insights.
    I've been working for an NGO for 6 years, while finishing up my BA in polysci online. Caught between doing an MA in IR/Gov or MBA/MPA would be better if I was to find new employment later on.
    I was just trying to find a MA that can complement my work experience at the moment.

    :)
     
  11. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    An MA in Government and politics with a concentration in International Relations?

    You may want to consider pursuing an MA only if you become established in a career that you want to stay in.
     
  12. PuppyMama

    PuppyMama New Member

    Lets not forget that there was a time in this country when this was actually true in many cases. Students who expect employment after graduation did not make up this fantasy in their own heads. They saw their parents prosper immediately following college and they believed university recruiters who promised them wealth with their "marketable" degrees. I know you know everything that I am saying here... I'm just saying that at this point, I'm wondering how ANYONE qualifies for ANY job. It just seems that you cannot have enough experience or degrees or certifications when a hiring manager is only interested in hiring his brother-in-law.

    Sorry, I didn't mean to get too far off of the topic.
     
  13. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    Those are all valid points. It really wasn't too terribly long ago that a person could, indeed, land a good job right after graduation with a "marketable" degree. Maybe someday when the economy turns around we can see those days again, but for now it's kind of a crap shoot.
     
  14. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    According to one article, the per capita growth of those with Bachelors degrees has quadrupled from 1960 to 2010:

    1960: 7% of the population had a Bachelors degree
    2010: 29% of the population had a Bachelors degree


    When only 7% of the population has a Bachelors degree, it really means something. However, when everyone has one, it's employment value diminishes drastically.
     
  15. notmeagain

    notmeagain New Member

    An MBA is the new high school diploma of business, an MPA is the wave of the future with the US economy socializing the good jobs going forward will be in the government. Better to have an education at the front of that curve than the back.
     
  16. rook901

    rook901 New Member

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  17. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    The Census Bureau has detailed historical numbers here. Even in 1970, only 11.0 % of adult Americans (25 and older) had a bachelor's (or higher) degree.

    For 2012, that number was 30.9 % (and rising).

    That's the national average; in many parts of the country, it's actually quite a bit more than that. In the most educated metro areas (like DC, SF, or Boston), you can expect that around 40-45 % of the adult population (25 and older) will have a bachelor's or higher degree.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 25, 2014
  18. dudeman74

    dudeman74 New Member

    Good point and I agree completely, I think this applies to not just MPA master's degrees earned online. while degrees may help substitute some for some lack of experience they will not completely make up for not having any related experience. I completed my master's degree recently in a criminology/criminal justice related field, and while in my courses there were some students thinking they were going to become Special Agents or Intelligence Analysts with the FBI after getting their degree, even though they had little or no relevant work experience or were trying to switch fields. Online master's degrees are only really useful if you are already a professional in your field and are just looking to get promoted or get higher pay. They won't help much if you are trying to get into a field with no relevant work experience.
     

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