So now that I have taken a plunge at a MPA degree and will begin soon at APU can someone tell me how this will advance me? I have worked in the psychology field for sometime now. My bosses recently told me this degree will get me further. I will be honest Im scared because when I look up jobs with MPA it talks about County Managers and things like that. I have no clue what those jobs are or even how to do them. So what else can I do with this degree? All I know is psychology is this degree going to open my mind to business ? Is that why I do not see it? Sorry if my question seems odd but just scared of the end result and being stuck.
What field do you work in? Where you directed towards an MPA with a certain concentration such as healthcare? What do you want to do in the future?
If you're not interested in the idea of public office (town manager, state official, etc.) then you should think about managing a non-profit organization. If none of that seems attractive then I'd suggest that you're in the wrong type of program. No offense intended but shouldn't you have asked this question before you even applied to APU?
I believe a MPA will help you in any public or nfp organization - particularly as you progress to management related activities. If you work in a for-profit organization then you might consider transferring to a MBA program.
No offense taken. I did ask and had a clue that I could run a non profit but the thing is I dont see CEO's just moving over anytime soon to give me a job. meaning there is not that many positions out there once im done. Thats why i was looking at job titles to see what else i could do :>) thanks again
An MPA is geared more towards preparing a candidate for work in government or non-profit organizations. As such, an MPA probably won't cover such topics as the stock market and how to interpret the financial reports of for-profit companies. Many city and county managers have or are seeking MPA degrees and NASPAA accreditation is the gold standard for this kind of degree, in addition to regional accreditation. APU/AMU will be seeking it shortly. Many mental health organizations have a direct or indirect need to know about non-profit laws and human resource policies, so maybe that's why your employer suggested that you get an MPA.
In a town near where I work there was an opening for a new Superintendent of Schools. 100% of the applicants were from out of state. At a certain level, if the job doesn't come to you then you have to go to the job.
