Setting Her Sights on a Future in Government, Alumna Returns to USC for Online Master’s
After completing her undergraduate studies at USC, Erica Robles decided to join the Master of Public Administration online program (MPAOL).
“After I graduated, I entered the workforce and I told myself that within three years, I was going to go back to grad school, but I wasn’t sure what it was going to be … During that time, it hit me: I want to go back to study public administration,” Robles told USC Online.
Robles always wanted to work in government and she knew a master’s program would give her the necessary knowledge and training to make this next step in her career. After extensive research, Robles realized the MPAOL degree was the perfect fit for her goals and background.
What to Expect in the Online MPA Program at USC Price
Robles’ time in the MPA online program was quite hectic, as she chose to take on a full schedule of classes to complete her degree as quickly as possible. The MPAOL degree is designed to fit the needs of full-time students and working professionals alike, focusing on two areas of managerial competency: institutions and organizations, and analytics.
These courses provided Robles a deeper understanding of how to approach real-world issues. “I prefer to be on the ground actually implementing [policy], and I think it helps if you have the operations and the administrative side. You write better policy because you know how to make things more attainable,” she said.
Being Part of the Trojan Family
For Robles, another major benefit of attending the MPA online program was rejoining the USC community. But it’s not just the strong alumni network that has led to Robles’ lifelong admiration of the school.
“[The staff] is there for you, whether it’s personally or academically. They’re very happy to see you succeed and move forward in your career … Whether it’s online or in person, you have people who are willing to reach out and help. You have counselors [and faculty] to support you,” Robles said.
To learn more about Erica Robles and her experience in the USC Price MPA program online, read the full USC Online article.