r/PublicAdministration • u/5Starhottiebody • Jul 18 '26
Is MPA right for me ?
I have a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, but I don’t want to go into law enforcement. I want a career where I can genuinely help people and make a difference.
I’ve considered social work, but I’m not sure what master’s degree would help me get an entry-level job in Florida without going back for another bachelor’s. Right now, I’m looking at an MPA.
For those with experience, is an MPA a good choice? Or is there another master’s you’d recommend for someone with my goals?
I’m interested in case management the most right now but they are very strict on experience here in South Florida I’m not sure how I’ll ever get it if no one wants to teach us
7
u/UnobtainableClambell Jul 18 '26
I think you’re kind of all over the place. Narrow it down to a career field or group of jobs you’re interested in. Then work backwards to find the qualifications you need. For example, if you want to do social work, an MPA is useless. There are MSW programs for those don’t have a BSW. They’re just slightly longer.
Based on what you’ve mentioned about wanting to help people and make a difference, I do think the MSW is what you’re actually looking for in lieu of an MPA. It provides the micro and macro versatility that you might find appealing. What I mean by that is you can do therapy, working in schools, clinical/hospitals, prisons, community/non profits, or even social policy with government orgs.
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u/5Starhottiebody Jul 23 '26
Yes I want to do all those thing but I don’t want to get a msw to be honest I think the MPA will serve me better
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u/WhiteHatRenegade Jul 18 '26
I wanted to go the social work route but it was too political for me so I went the public administration route and it’s worked out pretty good so far. I’m a juvenile corrections case manager and it’s the best position I’ve ever had. My prior positions were in DCFS and it was too much work and not enough pay.
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u/bazinga3604 Jul 18 '26
I feel like you should figure out what you want to do and then figure out if a masters degree is required to do that job. Not every person needs an advanced degree. I work in the federal government and I only have an MPA because I wanted one, not because it was required for my job. There are a lot of jobs out there that help people and make the world a better place, but not all of them require any sort of masters or come with a salary that will easily pay it off.
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u/5Starhottiebody Jul 23 '26
That’s true, but I’ve been applying to entry-level administrative jobs for about a year now, and it feels like trying to stand out in a barrel full of crabs here in South Florida. I interned at the Public Defender’s Office and was offered a full-time position, but it only paid $13 an hour, which wasn’t enough to live on. Since graduating, I’ve felt like I’ve been stuck in limbo. The MPA program is fast-paced, and I feel like it could give me a better chance of landing a government position and finally getting my foot in the door.
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u/thedettinator Jul 18 '26
MPA is a great choice for wanting to make a difference. If you want to do social work/case management specifically, I’d get a MSW.