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[opus500]

My first career was in the arts.  Equipped with an MFA, I began teaching at various SLACs, adjuncting for a few years and then getting an assistant professor position.  Unfortunately, for various reasons I was under a great deal of stress, and my bipolar disorder, which had been in remission for several years, precipitated a manic episode and I had a crisis situation, losing my job, etc.

I have been on disability since then.  My health has been at times tenuous for the past four years, but recently I feel I have been recovering after having "bottomed out."  For example, I've been invited to perform at a small venue and I've been happy and optimistic about my practicing.

My query comes because I have been admitted to a MPA program--yes, public administration, not fine arts. It's been of growing interest to me and has in many ways more appeal to me than my first career.  My worry, though, is my health.  Is it worth the risk?  I'd also be taking on some debt to return to school, so there are financial concerns as well. 

I've also considered other options, such as moving abroad to the country my family lives in, although it would be unclear to me what I would do there.

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in Leaving Academe, but health problem sounded right.

Many thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

[voxprincipalis]

My first career was in the arts.  Equipped with an MFA, I began teaching at various SLACs, adjuncting for a few years and then getting an assistant professor position.  Unfortunately, for various reasons I was under a great deal of stress, and my bipolar disorder, which had been in remission for several years, precipitated a manic episode and I had a crisis situation, losing my job, etc.

I have been on disability since then.  My health has been at times tenuous for the past four years, but recently I feel I have been recovering after having "bottomed out."  For example, I've been invited to perform at a small venue and I've been happy and optimistic about my practicing.

My query comes because I have been admitted to a MPA program--yes, public administration, not fine arts. It's been of growing interest to me and has in many ways more appeal to me than my first career.  My worry, though, is my health.  Is it worth the risk?

From your post you sound like you might be a musician (although it is uncommon for schools to give out the MFA in music these days). I don't know much about public administration programs, but I do know about music programs, and there is no way an MPA program would be as stressful, time-consuming, and demanding as a graduate degree in music.

That being said, I don't know whether an MPA is either a necessarily or sufficient criterion for employment.

Good luck!

VP

[prytania3]

I have a theory that many BP folk gravitate toward the arts when they aren't sufficiently treated for their condition; then, once they are properly treated, they are like, "Hey, I don’t want to do this anymore. " This is based on a study of n=1, me. I teach English and am a former poet but am studying for a post-retirement career in accounting. So going from music to public administration doesn't sound odd at all to me.

I would probably finance the education venture with borrowed money not in the form of student loans as I don't like no-exit plans.

Good luck.

[msparticularity]

Just a bit of additional info on the student loan angle: while student loans can be discharged for disability, it is not permitted if the disability already existed at the time the student loans were taken out. IOW, if you take out student loans to pursue this degree and once again become disabled by the BP, you will not be eligible for discharge based upon disability.

You should also know that public administration positions tend to go to individuals who have not only the degree, but substantial practical experience in the sector. In fact, the majority of people in good PA programs come in with considerable experience already in their desired area. Are you pursuing this degree to work in some specific kind of setting--such as the arts--with which you have some basic familiarity? If not, you should be very careful to look for programs that include very substantial internships to give you some experience--or perhaps consider working in some kind of a job for awhile first.

[opus500]

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful comments.

Thanks for the warnings about school loans. I was looking at a public university program, so that will help keep the costs low, although I was thinking about taking out some loans.  That's terrible that loans are not dischargable should I (or anyone in that situation) become disabled again...

And I'll look into some internships, too...