Curriculum Overview

Students must complete 10 courses or equivalent: four required core courses, and six elective courses or equivalent.

The curriculum in the program has several goals:

To provide students with an understanding of the context, theory and practice of public policy and public administration in Canada in the global context.
To allow students to gain an understanding of the relationships between the public, private and third (including the para-public, voluntary, and not-for-profit) sectors as they affect the world of public policy and administration.
To provide a curriculum that emphasizes the intergovernmental character of public policy and public administration in Canada, with an emphasis on the realities of governance facing federal, Ontario and municipal public servants.
To develop the capacity of students to think critically and communicate effectively commensurate with the demands of a career in the public service or related areas.
To foster a sense of professional and public responsibility among our graduates and a sense of the public sector's positive contribution to Canadian society.
To provide students with a strong research foundation to pursue doctoral studies in related fields.

There are two path of study options: a course option or a research option. The course option requires completion of 10 one-semester courses. The research option requires 8 courses and a major research paper (2 course equivalents), or, 6 courses and a master's thesis (4 course equivalents).

Depending on the path of study, most full-time students will complete the program in 12-16 months [the maximum time for completion is 36 months (three years)], and most part-time students in 20-28 months [the maximum time for completion is 60 months (five years)]. Please note that regardless of the program stream chosen, part- or full-time, a minimum of three terms of full-time fees are required.