About the Program
The graduate diplomas are intended to serve the needs for continuous learning for public servants and other professionals who seek to strengthen or broaden their conceptual and technical skills in public administration and policy analysis. Students enter the program with widely varying backgrounds, including those who already have advanced degrees in other fields but who wish to increase their knowledge and skills in particular areas of specialization relevant to the public sector.
The areas are: Public Policy and Program Evaluation, Public Management, Sustainable Development, and Health Policy.
The three-credit program is designed to be completed in two years while working full-time, although students may take the program on either a part-time or full-time basis.
Academic Regulations
- See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
- All candidates are required to obtain a grade of B- or higher in each course in the program.
Admission Requirements
- Applicants must have a bachelor's degree (or equivalent). Normally, an average of B+ or higher is required for admission.
- Students taking PADM 5111 or PADM 5112 must have completed a university course [1.0 credit] covering micro- and macroeconomic theory (ECON 1000 or the equivalent).
- Students taking PADM 5116 or PADM 5117 must have completed a university political science course [0.5 credit] at the second-year level or higher dealing with the institutions and processes by which governments legitimize and exercise power, ideally in a Canadian setting (PSCI 2003 or equivalent). Several years of relevant professional experience in the public sector may be considered as equivalent to this prerequisite.
- Students whose first language is not English, or who have not completed a previous degree at an English speaking university, must demonstrate an adequate command of English by attaining, at least: a TOEFL score of 580 written, or 237 CBT (computer-based test), or 86 IBT (internet-based test) with a minimum score in each component (22 in writing, 22 in speaking, 20 in reading, and 20 in listening); or a CAEL score of 70; or an IELTS score of 7.0.
- Note that students in the Diploma programs are not eligible to receive university funding.
Program Requirements
Each of the Diplomas comprises 3.0 credits. The composition of the required and elective courses varies by specialization, as outlined below.
Public Policy and Program Evaluation
Students must complete:
- 2.0 credits of required courses:
- PADM 5113 Research Methods and Design I
- PADM 5114 Research Methods and Design II
- PADM 5420 Policy and Program Evaluation
- PADM 5424 Evaluation Cases and Applications
- 1.0 credit in electives from the following list:
- PADM 5116 Policy Analysis and Contemporary Governance
- PADM 5117 Public Management
- PADM 5213 Gender and Public Policy
- PADM 5215 Benefit-Cost Analysis
- PADM 5217 Applied Microeconomic Policy Analysis
- PADM 5218 Analysis of Socio-economic Data
- PADM 5219 Advanced Statistical Policy Analysis
- PADM 5220 Regulation and Public Policy
- PADM 5411 Organization Theory
- PADM 5415 Strategic Management in the Public Sector
- PADM 5416 Budgetary Management for the Public Sector
- PADM 5613 Science, Risk and Evaluation
- PADM 5812 Governance in Developing Countries
- PADM 5813 The Evolution of World Bank/IMF Policy
- PADM 5814 Program and Project Management
- PADM 5816 Program Evaluation in Developing Countries
- PADM 5272 Policy Seminar (Policy Analysis)
- PADM 5472 Policy Seminar (Public Management)
- Other PADM courses as approved by the M.A. Supervisor.
Public Management
Students must complete:
- 0.5 credit in required course PADM 5117 Public Management
- 2.5 credits electives from the following list:
- PADM 5411 Organization Theory
- PADM 5412 Ethics and Accountability in the Public Sector
- PADM 5413 Law of Public Authorities I
- PADM 5414 Law of Public Authorities II
- PADM 5415 Strategic Management in the Public Sector
- PADM 5416 Budgetary Management for the Public Sector
- PADM 5417 Principles of Finance
- PADM 5418 Human Resources Management
- PADM 5419 Industrial Relations and Public Sector Collective Bargaining
- PADM 5420 Policy and Program Evaluation
- PADM 5421 Globalizing Public Management
- PADM 5422 Urban and Local Government
- PADM 5423 Third Sector Governance and Management
- PADM 5472 Policy Seminar (Public Management)
- Other PADM courses as approved by the M.A. Supervisor.
Sustainable Development
Students must complete 3.0 credits in:
- 0.5 credit in required course PADM 5112 Macroeconomics for Policy Analysis
- 2.5 credits electives from the following list:
- PADM 5611 Science and Technology Policies
- PADM 5612 Industrial Policy, Innovation and Sustainable Production
- PADM 5613 Science, Risk and Evaluation
- PADM 5614 Natural Resource Management
- PADM 5615 Sustainable Energy Policy
- PADM 5616 Environmental Policy
- PADM 5617 Implementing Sustainable Development in Industrialized Countries
- PADM 5618 Environmental and Ecological Economics
- PADM 5619 Urban Sustainability
- PADM 5620 The Science, Politics and Economics of Global Climate Change
- PADM 5220 Regulation and Public Policy
- PADM 5672 Policy Seminar (Innovation, Science and Environment)
- Other PADM courses as approved by the M.A. Supervisor
Health Policy
Students must complete 3.0 credits in:
- 1.0 credit in required courses
- PADM 5111 Microeconomics for Policy Analysis
- PADM 5116 Policy Analysis and Contemporary Governance.
- 1.5 credits electives from the following list:
- PADM 5221 Health Policy in Canada
- PADM 5222 Economics and Health Policy
- PADM 5229 The Health of Populations
- PADM 5817 Health Policy in Developing Countries
- 0.5 credit in other PADM courses as approved by the M.A. Supervisor.
