Public Policy & Administration

Maple leaf

Public Policy & Administration minor

Students enrolled in any degree program or plan may pursue a minor designation in Public Policy and Administration.

Housed in the Department of Political Science, this minor is intended to appeal to students with an interest in Canadian government and politics, and particularly those interested in a career in areas such as public service, policy analysis, program evaluation and policy advocacy. The courses selected for the Minor build students’ knowledge of the machinery of government, the relationships between elected officials and appointed administrators, and the actors, interests and institutions involved in the development and implementation of public policy.

Requirements

The Public Policy and Administration Minor requires successful completion of a minimum of four academic course units (eight courses) with a minimum cumulative average of 65%, including:

Required (3 credits) One course in statistics or quantitative methods (0.5 credits) One of (0.5 credits)
  • Political Science 100
  • Political Science 260
  • Political Science 331
  • Political Science 334
  • Economics 101
  • Economics 102                                     
  • Political Science 314
  • ARTS 280
  • Economics 221
  • Environmental Studies 278
  • Social Development Studies 250R
  • Kinesiology 222
  • Psychology 292
  • Recreation & Leisure Studies 371
  • Sexuality, Marriage & Family Studies 230
  • Sociology 280/Legal Studies 280                       
  • Statistics 202, 206, 211, 221, 231 or 241
  • Political Science 360, 431, 433, 434, 461, 463, 472
  • Economics 341, 342, 361, 363
  • Social Development Studies 311R, 312R, 331R, or 400R  

* Students should check the pre-requisites for courses they are interested in early

Master of Political Science 

Focus on Canadian Politics

A number of faculty in the department have research interests relating to different aspects of the theme of state and society in the domestic context in Canada and elsewhere.  Some explore the study of politics in a given country in and of itself while others are interested in examining domestic politics of a nation-state in a comparative or global context.

Over 10 Professors are available to supervise MA students and have expertise in a number of related issues including:

  • Parties and elections
  • Courts and constitutional issues
  • Political institutions
  • Social and health policy
  • Energy and environmental issues
  • Quebec politics
  • Government and business relations
  • Indigenous peoples
  • Foreign policy, Canada-US relations and North American integration
  • Urban security and counter-terrorism
  • Local government
  • Public policy and administration

Master of Public Service (MPS)

The Master of Public Service program is a professional graduate degree, which prepares students from different undergraduate backgrounds to be effective public service employees. It aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and experience to effectively design and implement policies and deliver services to Canadians, at all levels of government.

MPS students take ten graduate courses from September to April. From May to December, they complete up to eight months of co-op employment. Our students have successfully served as policy analysts, program advisors, business analysts, research analysts, and in many other capacities. In the final term, students work collaboratively in teams to research a public issue and prepare a professional, comprehensive report that draws on the expertise they have developed throughout the program.

Graduate courses offered in the MPS program

  • Government, Politics & the Public Service
  • Government Finance I
  • The Politics of Difference in Canada
  • Communicating with Diverse Audiences
  • Effective Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
  • Values and Ethics in Government
  • Public Policy Development
  • Government Finance II
  • Effective Leadership and Management
  • Project Management in Government