Policy Studies (PhD)

Comprehensive Examination
Doctoral Candidates must complete the comprehensive requirement to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the state of knowledge in their field in the broader context of policy studies. This includes central themes and major debates, the key theoretical and methodological foundations and challenges in their field and policy studies. The comprehensive requirement is based on the core theory and research foundations courses, and the candidate’s required field foundation course. Successful completion of the requirement indicates that the student has the level of knowledge needed to begin work on the dissertation. Normally this must be completed by the end of the second year of registration. Pass/Fail. This is a Milestone.

Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation requires the candidate to produce a substantial piece of supervised work that is worthy of publication and that makes an original contribution to knowledge in the field of Public Policy. Interaction between a graduate student and his or her doctoral advisor is also an important cornerstone for the PhD educational process. Pass/Fail. This is a Milestone.

PD9000 Policy Analysis
This course is designed to provide students with a foundational understanding of the state and societal processes, institutions, actors, ideas and relations which coalesce in the development and understanding of public policy. The course covers how and where policy is made, as well as, how and where policy is analyzed. It introduces the disciplinary and interdisciplinary foundations of policy analysis. Credit 1

PD9001 Policy Theories and Approaches
This course provides students with a critical examination of the intellectual and theoretical foundations of public policy studies. It reviews the analytical approaches and techniques used to understand, develop and analyze public policies. A broad spectrum of frameworks, models and theories are examined throughout the course. This course also examines the nature of interdisciplinary policy analysis. 1 Credit

PD9002 Research Foundations for Policy Studies
This course will provide students with an understanding of the historical perspectives and contemporary debates related to knowledge and evidence in social science and policy research. Various perspectives on knowledge paradigms, roles of disciplinary knowledge and the scientific method will be examined. Strengths and weaknesses of various research paradigms and approaches will be examined to help students articulate their research assumptions and define their research agendas. The roles of context, foci, purpose, ethics and audiences will be considered in what counts as ‘evidence’ in policy research and analysis. Central questions examined in the course will include: What is knowledge in policy research? What is the scientific method and how central is it to ‘good’ policy research? Is policy research science or art? Policy sciences vs. policy studies? What is ‘evidence-based’ policy research? 1 Credit

PD9004 Fdns of Quantitative Research
This course focuses on the various forms of quantitative research that may be used in the development and analysis of public policy, such as surveys, observational studies, experiments, and the statistical analysis of secondary data. Foundational issues such as research design, the relationship between theory and research, ethical practices, sampling, and measurement will also be addressed. Students will learn the basic techniques needed to implement different quantitative research methods, but the focus
will be on developing research literacy and the skills needed to evaluate published research results. 1 Credit

PD9101 Public Policy and Administration
This course focuses on the interface of public policy and public administration. The primary focus is on the theories related to the administrative state and its role in the policy process. The course examines theoretical origins and evolution of public administration as a distinct and interdisciplinary field of intellectual inquiry and research in the broader context of the evolution of the administrative state and its relations with the private and non-profit sectors. An emphasis is placed on theoretical debates and research approaches to understanding the role of the administrative state in policy making, design and implementation for application in any policy area or jurisdiction. The focus will be less on the changing practices, issues and functional areas in public administration and more on the changing concepts and theories that attempt to explain the role and significance of the bureaucracy in public policy. 1 Credit

PD9102 Immigration, Settlement and Diaspora Policies
This course provides advanced examination of policy challenges arising from global migration. This course introduces students to various theoretical and disciplinary approaches to migration. A particular objective is situating Canada’s policy responses in a comparative context with other traditional countries of migration, as well as more recent countries of immigrant settlement. Attention will be devoted to analyzing the role of the state, markets and civil society in shaping migration-related policies. The role of research in policy development and analysis is a recurring course theme. Topics of interest include the policy ramifications of immigration, settlement and diaspora related to such issues as: optimal population size, economic imperatives, multiculturalism, newcomer integration, dual citizenship, transnationalism and refugee admission. 1 Credit

PD9103 Social Policy
This course takes a historical, comparative and critical approach to the study of social policy. The focus is on key theories and perspectives in social policy and the fluid boundaries between social policy, economic policy, health policy, environmental policy and justice policy underpinning interdisciplinary approaches to social policy research. Through an emphasis on the political economy of social welfare policy development at the local, national and international levels, the course provides students with an understanding of the evolution of social conditions and examines the influence of different policy ideas, institutions and interests on social policy development and change. This course also examines social capital, social cohesion, diversity and social justice movements. The emphasis is on defining and understanding the broad and inter-related field of social policy as a foundation for further research in a broad range of social policy areas. 1 Credit

PD9200 Directed Studies
This course is designed for individual students who may need a course related to their area of concentration that is not satisfied through course offerings. It will normally be a reading course under the direct supervision of an assigned faculty member with expertise in the chosen subject field. The course requirements will be negotiated on an individual basis with the supervising faculty member, in consultation with the Program Director. 1 Credit

SS8000 Stat Analysis in Social Science Research
SS8001 Advanced Qualitative Methods
SS8100 Urban Policy
SS8200 Justice Policy
See SOCIAL SCIENCE