Note: This is the 2023–2024 eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or .
Program Requirements
The Max Bell School of Public Policy's teaching program is a one-year Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis, with a small student cohort to optimize learning and exchange. Combining courses in the theory of public policy with those covering the complexities of the real-world policy process, the program approaches today's most important policy issues in Canada and around the world from varied perspectives to prepare the next generation of policy leaders. The MPP program aims to place more emphasis than is usual in such programs on developing practical skills crucial to future policy leaders, including conflict resolution, persuasive writing, effective presentations and the briefing of officials.
The Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis, is directed at early career professionals, normally with two to five years' professional experience, who are interested in developing expertise in the field of public policy. Recent graduates with an exceptional academic record will also be considered. A Bachelor's degree (or equivalent as recognized by Â鶹AV) is required. The ideal applicant will have completed undergraduate courses in Political Science, Economics, Quantitative Methods, and/or Statistics.
Required Courses (24 credits)
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PPOL 601 Global Macroeconomic Policy (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Development of the key elements of a macro model used by mainstream policymakers in central banks and finance ministries. Examination of important and contentious policy issues, such as the effectiveness of fiscal stimulus, the consequences of high government debt, the case for low inflation, the challenges of inflation targeting, and the policy approaches to enhancing long-run economic growth.
Terms: Winter 2024
Instructors: Ragan, Christopher T S; Alvarez-Cuadrado, Francisco (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 602 Microeconomics for Public Policy (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Examines the essential microeconomic principles for analyzing market behaviour and the consequences of government policies. Emphasis is placed on contrasting competitive markets with oligopolistic and monopolistic ones. Examines the case for relatively free markets and the many situations that suggest a case for government intervention.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Laszlo, Sonia (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
Students must be registered in the MPP program or have the permission of the program director and course instructor. Since incoming students are required to have a macroeconomics course, this course concentrates on microeconomic methods.
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PPOL 603 Comparative Government Structures (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Comparison of the structures of government and policy processes in a number of developed democracies including Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Examination of the relationship between the political and bureaucratic structures, the civil service, the role of citizens, stakeholders, lobbyists, policy institutes and legislators, and the policy development process.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Subramanian, Narendra (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 604 Law, Human Rights and Public Policy (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Explores law as the normative framework for public policy. Law is examined as both a policy driver and a policy outcome for resolving conflict and determining the institutional and policy legitimacy. A critical perspective on the impacts of major Western legal systems on other systems and cultures, and explores how international law and transnational law address some of these challenges. Provides basic legal literacy tools, focusing on human rights and human rights-based approaches.
Terms: Summer 2024
Instructors: Eliadis, Flora Pearl (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 609 Reasoning About Public Policy (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : The investigation of what is involved in reasoning well about public policy, including some of the heuristic tools that have been developed; cost-benefit analysis, harm reduction, the precautionary principle, compromise, "ideal observer". Determining the appropriate sphere of application and how it can be brought together into an overall, coherent conception of practical rationality in the policy context.
Terms: Summer 2024
Instructors: Potter, Jeremy Andrew (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non- Thesis program.
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PPOL 620D1 Client-Focused Policy Laboratory
(4.5 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Students will work in teams with real clients to analyze and address an actual policy problem, delivering a full policy briefing to their client. Clients will include government departments, private businesses, international institutions, and non-profit organizations.
Terms: Winter 2024
Instructors: Duchesnay, Nathalie Marie (Winter)
Students must register for both PPOL 620D1 and PPOL 620D2
No credit will be given for this course unless both PPOL 620D1 and PPOL 620D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 620D2 Client-Focused Policy Laboratory (4.5 credits)
Overview
PPOL : See PPOL 620D1 for description.
Terms: Summer 2024
Instructors: Duchesnay, Nathalie Marie (Summer)
Prerequisite: PPOL 620D1
No credit will be given for this course unless both PPOL 620D1 and PPOL 620D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
Complementary Courses (21 credits)
3 credits selected from the following courses:
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PPOL 611 Canadian Political and Policy Landscape (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : The complexities of the Canadian political and policy landscape including Westminster parliamentary system, multiple major political parties spanning the political spectrum, the relationship to the Crown and the historical treaties with the indigenous peoples of Canada, and Quebec’s Francophone culture and status as a nation within Canada.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Potter, Jeremy Andrew (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 612 U.S. Political and Policy Landscape (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Examination of the complexities of policymaking and policy implementation arising from the dynamism of the U.S. political landscape, including the interaction of the Presidency, the Congress, and the Courts, and how this interaction has shifted over time.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Shribman, David (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 613 Global Political and Policy Landscape (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Introduction to global institutions and agencies, and to the body of applied research on how policy is formulated in the global policy landscape.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Welsh, Jennifer (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
3 credits from the following courses:
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PPOL 606 Experts, Science and Evidence (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : The role of experts, science and evidence, and their utility for public policy. A survey of how policy leaders explore the theory of science, scientific evidence in practice, evidence in the marketplace of ideas, and human fallibility.
Terms: Winter 2024
Instructors: King, Nicholas (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 607 Information and Media Literacy (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Examines the development, role and impact of mass media on the policy process, including an exploration of the nature of the role of the media in shaping public opinion, policy agendas, and political debate; the use of information in new communications technology; and the relationship between news media and social media in the digital information age.
Terms: Winter 2024
Instructors: Owen, Taylor (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
3 credits selected from the following courses:
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PPOL 605 Analytical Methods for Policy Evaluation
(3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Concepts and analytical techniques necessary for the evaluation of specific public policies, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Specific topics include sampling theory, applied statistical inference, applied regression analysis, the use of surveys and interviews, and randomized controlled trials.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: El-Attar Vilalta, Mayssun (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
Students must be registered in the MPP program or have the permission of the program director and course instructor. Since this is the state-of-the-art in policy evaluation, students in a public policy program should be at a minimum trained to read and understand the results of studies.
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PPOL 608 Theory and Practice of Program Evaluation (3 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Exploration of the need for and the practice of rigorous program evaluation for the improvement of public policies. Specific analytical tools will be examined, including logic models, stakeholder engagement and reporting, data collection, performance indicators, and cost-benefit analysis.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Fierro, Leslie (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non- Thesis program
4 credits from the following courses:
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PPOL 631 Policy Case Study 1 (1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Fall 2023, Summer 2024
Instructors: Field, Debbie (Fall) McAdoo, Michael (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 632 Policy Case Study 2 (1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Fall 2023, Winter 2024
Instructors: Topp, Brian (Fall) Druet, Dirk (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 633 Policy Case Study 3 (1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Fall 2023, Winter 2024
Instructors: Rigby, Vincent (Fall) James, Yolande (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 634 Policy Case Study 4 (1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Fall 2023, Winter 2024
Instructors: Smith, Olivia (Fall) Eliadis, Flora Pearl (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 635 Policy Case Study 5
(1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Winter 2024, Summer 2024
Instructors: McCormick, Jesse (Winter) Eliadis, Flora Pearl (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 636 Policy Case Study 6 (1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Summer 2024
Instructors: Pyun, Pierre (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 637 Policy Case Study 7 (1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Winter 2024, Summer 2024
Instructors: Ng, Andrew (Winter) Scott, Ian (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 638 Policy Case Study 8 (1 credit)
Overview
PPOL : Selected case studies in public policy based on the experience of a policy practitioner. This course will develop the complete narrative arc of a specific policy and provide its multi-dimensional complexity in an interactive environment between the practitioner and students.
Terms: Winter 2024
Instructors: Dawson, Laura (Winter)
Restrictions: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
8 credits from the following courses:
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PPOL 640 Policymaking in a World of Business
(2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Influence of business on public policy. Policy examples to examine the complexity of the policymaking process in contexts where decision-makers and leaders from the private sector play a key role.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 641 Rhetoric and Communication of Public Policy (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : The art of persuasive speaking and writing and its impact on the policymaking process.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Oates, Cheryl (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 642 Policy and Globalization (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Exploration of how international rules, norms, markets, funding, and knowledge may influence the development and implementation of policies at the domestic level.
Terms: Summer 2024
Instructors: Karaguesian, Julian (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 643 Ethical Dimensions of Policymaking
(2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Extralegal ethical issues inherent to setting and administering policy: the types of conflicts of interest that policymakers encounter, moral principles policymakers adopt to govern their own behaviour, the importance of the power of administrative discretion and its impact on the implementation of policy, how power should be exercised, and what constitutes an abuse of this power.
Terms: Winter 2024
Instructors: Potter, Jeremy Andrew (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 644 Stakeholder Management (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Managing stakeholders in the policy development process, including the management process from the perspectives of government and lobbyists.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Kelley, Geoffrey (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 645 Partisan Politics and Policy
Process
(2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : The role of partisan politics in the policy process and examination of how partisanship can be navigated or harnessed in the development and implementation of policy.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Kheiriddin, Tasha (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 646 Budgeting and Fiscal Policy (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : Exploration of key variables in a budget, budget rules, the internal and external dynamics of budgeting, and the impact of debt burdens on countries.
Terms: Summer 2024
Instructors: Lévesque, Louis (Summer)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 647 Achieving Policy Transparency
(2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : A survey of an array of transparency challenges related to public finance, central banks, trade, income inequality, climate change and access to information laws.
Terms: Winter 2024
Instructors: Page, Kevin (Winter)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the third lecture day.
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PPOL 648 Race, Inequality, and Public Policy (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : This seminar examines the dynamics and persistence of racial inequality in Canada and other advanced industrialized societies. Students will explore the ways that public policy has worked to aggravate and/or ameliorate these circumstances and analyze the impactof racial inequality on democratic norms and institutions.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Owusu-Bempah, Akwasi (Fall)
Restrictions: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 650 Special Topics in Policy Complexity 1 (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : A selected topic of public policy complexity.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Potter, Jeremy Andrew (Fall)
Topic varies from term to term.
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
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PPOL 651 Special Topics in Policy Complexity 2 (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : A selected topic of public policy complexity.
Terms: Fall 2023
Instructors: Stewart, John (Fall)
Restriction: Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
Topic varies from term to term.
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PPOL 652 Special Topics in Policy Complexity 3 (2 credits)
Overview
PPOL : A selected topic of public policy complexity.
Terms: Summer 2024
Instructors: Boessenkool, Kenneth (Summer)
Restriction(s): Only open to students in the Master of Public Policy; Non-Thesis program.
Faculty of Arts—2023-2024 (last updated Aug. 31, 2023) (disclaimer)
