Comments about Master Public Policy and Public Administration - At the institution - Montreal - Québec
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Objectives
Through an innovative blending of scholarly and vocational values, the Master of/Magisteriate in Arts - Public Policy and Public Administration (MPPPA) program is designed to provide an educational milieu that prepares its graduates for further studies at the doctoral level, and for employment in the public or private sector. The involvement of faculty members from various departments within the university and specialists from outside of the university ensures that students have a broad exposure to the most crucial elements of Public Policy and Administration. The multi-disciplinary approach provides the students with the skills and understanding needed by those who wish to become creative participants in the shaping of their community. The aim of the program is to combine academic excellence with professional expertise in order to facilitate an understanding of how public policy is formulated and administered in Canada, Québec and the world. The program enables students to study a challenging array of policy issues in the context of the administrative and policy making processes that operate nationally and internationally. A core element of the program involves an understanding of the management process through which policies are implemented in the public sector, and an awareness of the dynamic interdependence between public and private responsibilities.
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Practical experience
There is an internship option associated with this program.
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Academic title
Master Public Policy and Public Administration
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Course description
This program has common requirements (POLI 636 and POLI 644) that apply to all students, but also have five concentrations that allows students flexibility in courses.
In addition, the program offers areas of concentration which permit students to choose the field of study that is most appropriate in terms of their interests and long-term goals.
Upon application, some students are admitted to Option A (MPPPA with Courses). Once in the program, students have the opportunity to transfer to Option C (MPPPA with Thesis) or to Option B (MPPA with Internship). To enter the internship students must complete the prescribed number of courses and achieve an acceptable level of academic excellence.
Master of Arts with Courses Only (Option A)
* Core Courses: POLI 636 and POLI 644 (6 credits).
* Concentration Courses: Any five 3-credit courses chosen from one of the following concentrations (15 credits).
- Public Administration and Decision Making
- Public Policy and Social and Political Theory
- International Public Policy and Administration
- Political Economy and Public Policy
- Comparative Public Policy
* Approved Elective and Cognate Courses: Six 3-credit courses chosen from the fields of concentration in the program or from courses offered in related disciplines. Approval of the Director is required. In some cases approval for registration in cognate courses must be obtained from the department involved (18 credits).
* Extended Research Essay: POLI 691. The Extended Research Essay is a directed study supervised by a faculty member with whom a student completed a course in their area of concentration. This degree requirement builds on a term paper submitted at the graduate level and is considered to be a significant revision and extension of the term paper submitted in the concentration course (6 credits).
Master of Arts with Internship (Option B)
Upon admission into the program, students are registered in Option A. Acceptance into Option B is based on availability of internships, completion of course work, and the student's performance while in the program.
* Core Courses: POLI 636 and POLI 644 (6 credits).
* Concentration Courses: Four 3-credit courses to be chosen from one of the following fields of concentration (12 credits).
- Public Administration and Decision Making
- Public Policy and Social and Political Theory
- International Public Policy and Administration
- Political Economy and Public Policy
- Comparative Public Policy
* Approved Elective and Cognate Courses: Four 3-credit courses chosen from the fields of concentration in the program or from courses offered in related disciplines. Approval of the Director is required. In some cases approval for registration in cognate courses must be obtained from the department involved (12 credits).
* Internship with Research Paper: POLI 693. The internship is a four-month job placement in either the public or private sector. Students work with their faculty supervisor to prepare a written research paper which is presented in an oral examination. The internship research paper is an original theoretical work that comprises a series of policy recommendations that contribute to the policy process in Canada (15 credits).
Master of Arts with Thesis (Option C)
Students will submit a thesis proposal for approval and register for this option after at least one term of full-time study.
* Core Courses. POLI 636 and POLI 644 (6 credits).
* Concentration Courses. Three 3-credit courses chosen from one of the following concentrations (9 credits).
- Public Administration and Decision Making
- Public Policy and Social and Political Theory
- International Public Policy and Administration
- Political Economy and Public Policy
- Comparative Public Policy
* Approved Elective and Cognate Courses: Two 3-credit courses chosen from the fields of concentration in the program or from courses offered in related disciplines. Approval of the Director is required. In some cases approval for registration in cognate courses must be obtained from the department involved (6 credits).
* Thesis Proposal: POLI 694. This course is a directed study involving a comprehensive understanding of the literature in the area of research directly relevant to the thesis topic under the direction of a faculty supervisor. The written assignments involve a comprehensive literature review, annotated bibliography and research design that culminate in a thesis proposal presented in an oral defence (3 credits).
* Thesis: POLI 696. Students who elect this option work under the supervision of a faculty thesis director on a topic approved by the graduate committee. The thesis is defended before a committee consisting of the thesis director and two faculty members in the graduate program (21 credits).
