Interested in what our different concentrations have to offer? In this post in our series about CIPA concentrations, we hear from Zach German. Zach is a first year CIPA fellow focusing in Social Policy, with particular interest in health policy. Here he reflects on the process and importance of choosing a concentration for any prospective student, as well as his experience in the Social Policy concentration.
What will your concentration be? The concentration is one of the most crucial components of a CIPA MPA. Choosing a concentration sets the trajectory for where one can take the degree. Concentrations provide focused study that allows fellows to take the skills learned in foundation courses and apply them to industry-specific study. This component of the program is fundamental in aiding fellows with building a specialized skill set. To me the concentration serves as an asset since having specialized skills is what will communicate critical value to employers and give a CIPA fellow a competitive advantage in the workforce.
My purpose in pursuing an MPA at Cornell was to obtain the skills, abilities, and insight necessary to enter the field of health policy development. When I arrived to CIPA with several years of healthcare experience and clear goals, choosing my concentration was an easy decision. Of the eight defined concentrations, I chose social policy. This concentration includes focused areas of study such as health, education, family, poverty, and inequality and welfare policy. Not only does this concentration allow me to take CIPA courses like “Health Care and Service Marketing”, but it also provides me with the opportunity to take classes such as “Population Health for Health Managers” from the Sloan Program in Health Administration or “Health Law” from the Cornell Law School.
As I stated before, the concentration is an asset. It provides an opportunity to differentiate yourself from the competition, construct clear goals for the purpose of earning your MPA, and develop greater mastery in the discipline that you are passionate about. So, what will your concentration be?
To hear more from Zach, check out his other posts!