Econ MPhil as gap year before HKS/Jackson/SPIA?
I am American and am planning on applying to the full range of MPP/MPA programs in the U.S. This past application cycle, I applied only to Economic programs but have since had a change of perspective. I have been accepted to both Oxford MPhil Econ 2 years and Cambridge MPhil Econ Research 1 year with potential full funding.
Would pursuing either MPhil (1y vs 2y) benefit my application, or would they be interpreted as a mutually exclusive education? As I want to prioritize the policy applications, I need to decide between these degrees or another year of employment. All other aspects of my application (GRE, work experience, GPA) are in line with policy admissions.
I work in climate adaptation & development and am interested in roles in climate finance, project management, or economic positions - hence why I want the ability to explore these careers in policy school and potentially even + MBA.