<p>Can anyone clarify the difference? </p>
<p>Would I be more constricted by an International affairs program to working in or for other countries? </p>
<p>I'm looking at international development programs in that area. What can I do with such a degree?</p>
<p>MPA: teaches management of public organizations, vs. management of business. MPA vs. MBA. The economics are different seeing as how MPAs work with people that do not provide a “demand” but instead have more needs.</p>
<p>Int. Dev: Less on management, more on the theory of development which is really a little econ, a little international affairs, a little sociology, and a lot of explanation of why what we did before didn’t work.</p>
<p>Int. Affairs: Poly Sci with an international perspective.</p>
<p>International development will require you to spend a lot of time overseas in the field before you get any decent headquarters (read: US and rich world) positions. So yes, in that sense it is restrictive.</p>
<p>I think international affairs is less restrictive in that there are a lot more positions based in the US and which focus on liaising with other countries, etc. both in the private and public sector. Working in the US is a prerequisite to overseas work, and you can always stay here.</p>
<p>What is your career goal? I’m in international development and I am doing an MPA because it’s flexible and because I want the skills in statistics (sadly lacking in the development community). I personally have found that what non-profits and public organizations really need is specific expertise combined with background in how the sector works in general. So if you’re looking more at non-profit work, I’d go for the MPA and do a specialization, if at all possible, in medical stats, stats, rural development, environmental science, agriculture, economics, or somesuch.</p>
<p>Those positions are always advertised and re-advertised because they cannot find people with the necessary skills in the hard sciences as well as the desire to work for a pittance with indigents. It is the same for national and international programs.</p>
<p>Economics with a focus on any of the above would be extremely versatile.</p>