You are now in the main content area

Public Administration and Governance

Public Administration and Governance (Part-Time Only)

Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Program Website: ryerson.ca/politics/programs/undergraduate/pag (opens in new window) 
Administered by: Department of Politics and Public Administration
Program Format: Part-time, first-year entry.

Ryerson offers the only part-time undergraduate degree program in public administration in Ontario. The program is specifically designed for those working in the public and para-public sectors and in non-governmental organizations and advocacy groups, those aspiring to careers in the broader public service, private-sector employees who are in regular contact with government, and those interested in gaining knowledge about public administration and public policy in Canada.

O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses, including Grade 12 U English. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be eligible for admission under Ryerson's  (opens in new window) Mature Student guidelines (opens in new window) .   NOTES:
  1. ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English.
  2. The grade required in the subject prerequisite (normally in the 70 percent range) will be determined subject to competition.
  3. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.
  4. Students are admitted three times a year in the fall, winter and spring/summer terms.

The curriculum reflects the latest developments in public sector issues and initiatives, and features a mix of courses providing students with a broad understanding of the Canadian political process. The courses emphasize the importance of linking the theory and practice of public administration to concerns of political economy and public policy.

The program is also delivered to First Nations administrators through a partnership with the First Nations Technical Institute (external link, opens in new window)  (FNTI) and to fire services personnel through a slightly modified curriculum.

The program provides students with:

  • a better understanding of organizations and operations in the public sector
  • the attainment of analytic, administrative, communication and management skills necessary for career development in the public sector and in organizations that deal with it
  • an awareness of the political forces that shape public administration and policy

Those currently working in or dealing with the public sector will enjoy the immediate benefit of improved understanding of their work environment and greater potential for long-term career development and mobility.

To enhance the flexibility of learning opportunities, the program offers courses in various teaching modes including classes at Ryerson campus, distance education, intensive study, and on-site delivery at various locations.

The Public Administration and Governance program consists of three separate, but interrelated levels of study that allow students to set their own educational goals. Students may apply to graduate with a Certificate after completing Level 1, with an Advanced Certificate after completing Level 2, and with a Bachelor of Arts Degree after completing Level 3.

Each level features a mix of program courses in Canadian politics, policy, and public administration, complemented by professionally-related offerings in areas such as accounting, economics, communication, human resource management, and business technology management. Also included are liberal studies courses to broaden intellectual horizons and create an awareness of the philosophical and moral premises upon which many public administration activities are based.

CERTIFICATE (LEVEL 1): In order to earn a Certificate, students are required to take eight courses. Students will be introduced to the basics of public administration. They can then choose two courses in Canadian, Ontario, Local, or Indigenous Politics. Students may also develop or enhance administrative skills by choosing professionally-related courses in accounting, communication, economics, human resources management, information technology management, law, nonprofit and voluntary sector management, and occupational and public health.

ADVANCED CERTIFICATE (LEVEL 2): Students can continue into Level 2 of the program and obtain an Advanced Certificate after completing eight additional courses. At this level, students will analyse the framework of public policy, and will have the opportunity to explore the relationship between government and labour, the ideological basis for administrative institutions and financial management. Students will continue to develop their administrative and communication skills by choosing additional professionally-related courses from a lengthy table.

DEGREE (LEVEL 3): Students at Level 3 will participate in a sophisticated investigation of specialized areas in public administration, beginning with a required course in Research Methods. Students will then select eight courses that allow for the exploration of theories of bureaucracy and organization, administrative law, e-Government, financial planning and management, intergovernmental relations, collaborative governance, program planning and evaluation, current issues, and comparative public policy. Administrative skill development continues in Level 3 with a minimum of two professionally-related courses from the lengthy table. Students who have a minimum of two years of work experience in the public, para-public or voluntary/nonprofit sectors may apply to pursue the practicum option. Students eligible for the practicum are encouraged to situate their practicum paper in an area related to their work environment. Students who pursue the Research Paper Option must complete an additional two professional courses, an additional five professionally-related courses, and a Public Policy Research Paper. Students admitted through a First Nations partnership follow the general outline of the Practicum Option, but complete a series of courses specially designed to address an Indigenous context. Upon successful completion of Level 3, students may apply to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Public Administration and Governance.

Students may apply for transfer credit or advanced standing based on previous post-secondary studies. Consult the Department of Politics and Public Administration for details.

Curriculum Information

Course Identification

Part-time courses are administered by either the program department or The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. The mode of delivery is not reflected in this calendar. Continuing education courses are identified in your course enrollment selection process with a 'C' prefix. These identifiers are for internal use only and do not affect the equivalency.

Course Equivalencies:

New Courses Former Courses
PPA 101 PPA 322
PPA 102 PPA 422
PPA 120 POL 332, POG 210, POL 302
PPA 121 POG 310, PPA 522
PPA 122 POL 122
PPA 124 POG 440, POL 440
PPA 125 POG 315, PPA 521
PPA 211 PPA 623
PPA 235 PPA 525
PPA 301 PPA 629
PPA 303 PPA 600
PPA 319 POG 319, PPA 533
PPA 333 POG 230, PPA 524
PPA 335 PPA 624
PPA 401 PPA 601
PPA 402 PPA 602
PPA 403 POG 413, PPA 633
PPA 404 PPA 604
PPA 414 PPA 603
PPA 425 PPA 650
PPA 50A/B PPA 30A/B
PPA 51A/B PPA 31A/B

Liberal Studies

  • Level 1 students must take one lower level liberal studies course in order to graduate.
  • Level 2 students must take one lower level liberal studies course in order to graduate.
  • Level 3 students must take a total of four liberal studies courses to graduate. At least three must be upper level liberal studies courses.
  • Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major. 

Please refer to the liberal studies chapter of this calendar for more information on the Liberal Studies Policy. Further information on liberal studies can also be found at the Faculty of Arts' Liberal Studies website (opens in new window) .

Table A - Lower Level Restrictions

Politics courses are not available for credit.  

Table B - Upper Level Restrictions

Politics courses are not available for credit.  

Minors

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Ryerson (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education Certificates

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window)  for complete details.

  

Level 1

REQUIRED:

PPA 101 Cdn Public Administration I: Institutions
PPA 102 Cdn Public Administration II: Processes
PPA 125 Rights, Equity and the State

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Two courses from the following:

PPA 120 Canadian Politics and Government
PPA 121 Ontario Politics and Government
PPA 122 Local Politics and Government
PPA 124 Indigenous Politics and Governance

LIBERAL STUDIES: One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED: Two courses from Table I.

NOTE: Upon successful completion of Level 1, students may apply for a Certificate in Public Administration and Governance (opens in new window) .

  

Level 2

REQUIRED:

PPA 211 Public Policy

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Three courses from the following (not previously taken):

PPA 120 Canadian Politics and Government
PPA 121 Ontario Politics and Government
PPA 122 Local Politics and Government
PPA 124 Indigenous Politics and Governance
PPA 235 Theories of the State
PPA 303 Financial Management
PPA 319 Politics of Work and Labour
PPA 703 Dispute Resolution in Indigenous Context
PPA 705 Sustainable Development and First Nations

† Offered only through First Nations partnership

LIBERAL STUDIES: One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED: One course from the following:

ECN 104 Introductory Microeconomics
ECN 204 Introductory Macroeconomics
ECN 210 Understanding Economics
ECN 220 Evolution of the Global Economy
ECN 320 Introduction to Financial Economics

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED: Two courses from Table I.

† First Nations students will complete PPA 705 and PPA 703 in lieu of PPA 235 and PPA 319 respectively.

NOTE: Upon successful completion of Level 2, students may apply for an Advanced Certificate in Public Administration and Governance (opens in new window) .

Students admitted before Fall 2011 should follow the curriculum as it appeared in the calendar in effect at the time of their admission. Students admitted before Fall 2011 who wish to follow the new curriculum (above) should contact the Department of Politics and Public Administration and complete a plan change form.

  

Level 3 - Research Paper Option

REQUIRED:

PPA 333 Research Methods in Public Administration
PPA 51A/B Public Policy Research Paper

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Eight courses from the following (not previously taken):

PPA 235 Theories of the State
PPA 301 Administrative Law
PPA 303 Financial Management
PPA 319 Politics of Work and Labour
PPA 335 Theories of Bureaucracy
PPA 401 Collaborative Governance
PPA 402 Program Planning and Evaluation
PPA 403 e-Government
PPA 404 Issues in Public Administration
PPA 414 Comparative Public Policy
PPA 425 Intergovernmental Relations
PPA 490 Public Administration Themes
PPA 501 Public Sector Leadership

REQUIRED GROUP 2: Two courses from the following:

POG 316 Social Policy
POG 317 Education Politics and Policy
POG 411 Canadian Foreign Policy
POG 412 Government and the Economy
POG 415 Environmental Politics and Policy
POG 443 Global Cities

LIBERAL STUDIES: One course from Table A; Three courses from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED: Seven courses from Table I.

Upon successful completion of Level 3, any of the three options, students may apply for a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Public Administration and Governance.

  

Level 3 - Practicum Option

REQUIRED:

PPA 333 Research Methods in Public Administration
PPA 50A/B Practicum

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Eight courses from the following (not previously taken):

PPA 235 Theories of the State
PPA 301 Administrative Law
PPA 303 Financial Management
PPA 319 Politics of Work and Labour
PPA 335 Theories of Bureaucracy
PPA 401 Collaborative Governance
PPA 402 Program Planning and Evaluation
PPA 403 e-Government
PPA 404 Issues in Public Administration
PPA 414 Comparative Public Policy
PPA 425 Intergovernmental Relations
PPA 490 Public Administration Themes
PPA 501 Public Sector Leadership

LIBERAL STUDIES: One course from Table A; Three courses from Table B.

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED: Two courses from Table I.

  

Level 3 - Practicum Option: First Nations

REQUIRED:

PPA 333 Research Methods in Public Administration
PPA 50A/B Practicum

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Eight courses from the following (not previously taken):

PPA 303 Financial Management
PPA 335 Theories of Bureaucracy
PPA 402 Program Planning and Evaluation
PPA 403 e-Government
PPA 425 Intergovernmental Relations
PPA 700 Comparative Indigenous Politics/Policies
PPA 701 Indigenous Public/Private Partnerships
PPA 702 Administrative Law in Indigenous Context
PPA 703 Dispute Resolution in Indigenous Context
PPA 704 Current Issues in Indigenous Governance
PPA 705 Sustainable Development and First Nations

LIBERAL STUDIES: One course from Table A; Three courses from Table B.

PROFESSIONALLY-RELATED: Two courses from Table I.

First Nations students admitted through the First Nations partnership are, as part of the admission criteria, eligible to complete the Practicum Option.

Students who are accepted into the Practicum Option are exempt from the Required Group 2 requirement in the Research Paper Option, and require only two Professionally-Related electives.

Upon successful completion of Level 3, any of the three options, students may apply for a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Public Administration and Governance.

A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see  (PDF file) Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils).

Doug Allen
Research Representative

Canadian Union of Public Employees

Dr. Isabella Bakker
Professor

Department of Political Science York University

John Campey
Executive Director

Ralph Thornton Centre

Steven Davidson
Associate Secretary of Cabinet
Deputy Minister,
Policy and Delivery
Government of Ontario

Jenny A. Gumbs
Honorary Consul General

Consulate General of Grenada in Toronto

Brian Mckenna
Partner

Deloitte Inc.

Glen Murray
Member of Provincial Parliament
(Lib: Toronto-Centre)
Government of Ontario

Shirley Phillips
Deputy Minister,
International Trade
Government of Ontario

Patricia Walcott
General Manager,
Employment and Social Services
City Of Toronto