For MBA applicants who want to supplement their business education with either an MPP (master of public policy) or MPA (master of public administration), here are some questions to consider:
Do I need an MPP or an MPA along with the MBA?
An MPP trains students in policy analysis and program evaluation. In other words, students learn to think about how public policy is designed and implemented, whether it’s working, and how it might be changed.
MPA programs are similar to MPP programs in many ways; the primary difference is that they focus less on the policy process and more on training students to administer programs or lead organizations—everything from United Nations agencies to advocacy groups and nonprofits.
To decide which degrees you need, you should identify which of these two avenues interests you more. To learn more about the differences between these degrees, see “Considering an MPP or MPA? Questions to Ask Before Applying.”
How do I want to earn my public policy, business, or joint degree?
Some schools offer an MBA/MPP joint degree, such as Harvard (through the Harvard Kennedy School [HKS]) and Columbia (through its School of International and Public Affairs). In these programs, you take both business and public policy coursework.
At the Harvard Kennedy School, students can earn an MPP or MPA and concurrently earn an MBA from Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Wharton, Stanford, or Tuck. Students earn both degrees in three years instead of the four it would take to finish them separately.
Do I really need both degrees to reach my goals?
Higher education is expensive; it’s one of the biggest investments you will make in your life other than buying a house. Therefore, it is a good idea to do some deep self-reflection on your short- and long-term goals so you can determine if you really need both degrees.
For example, if you want a management role in a local nonprofit someday, you might be well suited for an MPP or MPA program. You could enroll in some leadership classes in your program to help you get the management experience you need. Also, MPP or MPA students at some schools can take MBA classes as well. For example, MPP or MPA students at HKS can take business courses at HBS or MIT Sloan during their second year.
However, if your plan is to lead a large, global non-governmental organization with $1B in operating revenue and deep ties to business, the MBA might be a better fit for you. To get the public policy or public administration exposure you need, it might be enough to take nonprofit management classes through the MBA program. Or you could take classes in a university’s MPP or MPA program to get a more well-rounded perspective on public policy and public management. Or perhaps you want to cover all these bases and go for a joint MBA/MPP or MPA.
We at Stratus recommend doing research on these different paths to help you determine YOUR needs. Talking to people who have earned an MPP or MPA along with an MBA and learning where that has taken them would be helpful. Reaching out to alumni in your field of interest who have earned the joint MPP/MPA OR the MBA and gaining their feedback could be enlightening as well. Through these conversations, you might learn something that tips the scale one way or the other to help you move forward.
When Should I Apply?
Some candidates know from the start that they need a joint MBA/MPP or MPA to achieve their goals, while others may begin by applying to either just MBA programs or just MPP/MPA programs. Stratus recently worked with a client whose goals were in social impact. After a few months at Wharton, she realized that a basic assumption in microeconomics, “The free market will always be more efficient than government intervention,” was accepted at face value by most of her peers. However, she wanted to explore how government intervention might be more effective and how government and the private sector might work together to address societal challenges. She applied to and was accepted by HKS during her first year at Wharton.
Conversely, last year we worked with a client who had come up short when he applied to MBA/MPP programs and was about to start at HKS. In his initial applications, he had leaned into the social impact he wanted to make but failed to explain why an MBA was essential for him to accomplish his goals. As a reapplicant to MBA programs, he focused on the importance of learning about finance in order to ultimately run a social impact fund. He was accepted to Stanford GSB and will be starting his MBA studies this fall after interning with a social impact fund.
Learn how Stratus’s team approach can help you gain admission to one of your top-choice schools. Start with a FREE consultation with one of our Admissions Counselors. Our team is ready to dive into your goals and help you boost your appeal to admissions committees!