How I Landed in the MPA Program

With an undergraduate degree from Maryland in mathematics, someone today asked me how I ended up studying public policy. It's kind of an interesting story.

I had worked for a Federal agency for a few years and done some volunteer work with nonprofits in Howard County and at UMD. I became interested in governmental and nonprofit management and even gained some knowledge in government finance. So I began looking for a graduate program that may meet those interests. In Maryland, two programs stood out. The first is the UMBC program in economic policy analysis. The second was the University of Baltimore program in public administration.

The UB program offered a few niceties the UMBC program didn't. It was designed for working professionals, allowing me to schedule courses around work. The MPA program's flexibility even allowed me to schedule around my volunteer activites. This was nice. The MPA program also offers an articulation option with the UMBC doctoral program in public policy, allowing me to extend my education past graduation from UB. I took that option.

I spent four semesters taking classes at both UB and UMBC, which offered many different perspectives on some material. Additionally, UMBC offers some economics courses UB does not. But UB offers financial management courses UMBC does not. I was able to get the best of both worlds this way. I am now finishing my first full year at UMBC, grateful for the preperation in social sciences the UB program gave a math geek. And what I learned in the UB program I continue to extend in my professional and volunteer lives, and even at home.