Harvard Kennedy School: Mid-Career Master in Public Administration

Over the last few weeks we’ve been talking to those of you who are still in college and thinking about graduate school. With programs such as HBS 2+2, Yale Silver Scholars, UVA Darden Future Year and Stanford Deferred Admission, there are multiple opportunities to gain admittance into a top-tier business program AND expand your professional experience. For this week, we’re changing topics and focusing on those of you who are in the midst of your careers, but who are interested in obtaining an advanced policy degree. Sound like you? Then read on as we introduce you to…

The Harvard Kennedy School Mid-Career Master in Public Administration

If you’re at the point in your career where you know you could be achieving more, then the HKS Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) can help you get there. The HKS Mid-Career program is a one-year master’s program that gives you the freedom to pursue your intellectual interests, develop new capabilities and expose yourself to new approaches to advance your career. As an MC/MPA student who has real-world work experience you will have the freedom and flexibility to design your own curriculum. The program starts with the 5-week summer intensive MC/MPA Summer Program which will jumpstart you into the academic year by helping to build your analytical, conceptual and study skills, and introduce you to the core methodologies used at HKS. This summer will also allow you to interact and connect with your fellow MC/MPA cohort. Once the school year begins, you will have two semesters of full-time coursework where you will complete at least 32 credits to earn your degree. Click here to read how one recent graduate benefited from the HKS Mid-Career experience. You will get to choose from a range of courses to design your own study plan. You will also take at least one course from a pre-approved list in each of the following areas:

• Economics and Quantitative Analysis
• Management and Leadership
• Political Thoughts and Institutions

If you’re an applicant from a transitional economy or developing/newly industrialized nation, then you would apply to a special cohort of the HKS MC/MPA program known as the Edward S. Mason Fellows.

The Edward S. Mason Fellows Program

The Mason Fellows Program looks for motivated leaders who have a record of advancing positive growth and change in their country or region. Mason Fellows come from a vast variety of backgrounds and experience. They come from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Eastern and Central Europe as well as the former Eastern Bloc countries. Click here to read the story of one recent alum. The Mason Fellows program begins with a Summer Seminar that examines cases developed by HKS faculty members. Students will be able to draw from their personal professional experience to explore questions of leadership, strategic management, communication and data-driven policy decision making. Students will then join the rest of their MC/MPA classmates in the five-week MC/MPA Summer Program. Intrigued by the opportunity to tailor a world-class curriculum to your needs and goals? Then read on to find out if you could be a match for the HKS Mid-Career program.

What is HKS looking for in a MC/MPA student?

HKS is looking for those with considerable and meaningful professional work experience. This means that you must have at least seven years of full-time relevant work experience by the time you apply. However, the majority of competitive candidates typically have around 12 years of work experience by the time they submit their applications. Along with a minimum work experience requirement, the MC/MPA program also requires the following:

• A bachelor’s degree.
• GRE or GMAT Scores.
• Evidence of fluency in English if it is not your native language.
• Strong recommendations from individuals in professional and academic settings who know you well.

For those of you looking for even more inspiration to apply to the HKS Mid-Career program, consider the unparalleled network! The HKS MC/MPA program boasts an impressive list of alumni, including a former Secretary General of the U.N, a Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and even the Prime Minister of Singapore.

The possibilities are endless with an MC/MPA, so are you ready to move your career forward? To learn more about what we do and how we can help you, schedule your 15-minute Quick Call with our team today.