Opinion Needed on MPP/MPA

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I’m thinking of doing something else after I finish my MS in civil engineering (water resources emphasis) hopefully by this year…</p>

<p>I’d like to ask for an opinion from CivEs and anyone who wish to give their inputs about these two programs:
[Civil</a> Infrastructure - USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/programs/masters/cross_program_specializations/civil_infrastructure.html]Civil”>http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/programs/masters/cross_program_specializations/civil_infrastructure.html)
[Master</a> of Planning/Master of Business Administration - USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/programs/masters/dual/mpl_mba.html]Master”>http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/programs/masters/dual/mpl_mba.html)</p>

<p>I hope that someone can enlighten me on some of my questions:

  1. Has anyone heard or had any experience or knows someone that went to school for public policy? If yes, what are they currently doing?
  2. What can I possibly do with a masters in public policy and civil engineering background in private industry? I do want to work for the UN, USAID, UNDP, Worldbank or some non-profit/NGO, but not for the rest of my life. Will I be able to work somewhere in private industry later on?</p>
2

<p>Wow 48 views but no response… Anyone? It doesn’t have to be CivE’s…</p>

3

<p>I’ve got a friend who has her masters in urban planning and works for a private firm in Austin… They go around doing urban planning for tiny towns in Texas that aren’t big enough to have planning/development departments.</p>

<p>So, private firms that do the sort of thing you’re interested in <em>do</em> exist… I just have no concept of how many firms like that there are out there…</p>

4

<p>Are you talking more about urban planning or public policy? I used to work for a firm that did urban planning and there were a few who got their MUP’s or were in the process of getting them. The work that came in was usually for EIS preparation.</p>