Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Program Description

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, accredited by the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA), is designed to prepare students for careers in public administration and policy work in diverse areas such as non-government organizations, industry associations, and, of course, the public service. MPA students are exposed to core concepts in policy formation and analysis, and have the opportunity to explore substantive areas such as social policy, health policy, innovation policy, trade and immigration policy, resource and environmental policy, and public sector management. This combination of theory, application and research ensures that our graduates have the ability to:

inspire support for a vision or course of action and successfully direct the teams, processes, and changes required to accomplish it;

analyze and contribute content to at least one applied policy field;
identify key issues and problems, analyze them systematically, and reach sound, innovative conclusions;

understand how organizational and public policies are formulated, their impact on public policy and management and how to influence their development;

communicate effectively and build enduring, trust-based interpersonal, professional relationships; and are
committed to on-going evaluation for continuous organizational and personal improvement.
Students entering the program are required to participate in the “Get Connected!” academic orientation offered in the fall.

The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) made changes to the MPA program, which took effect for students who began in the fall 2015 semester. We have expanded the program to 13 courses, including the introduction of more required courses and fewer electives. Those MPA students who started the program prior to then will be required to meet the program as it was constructed when they were admitted.

Courses

MPA students are required to complete 36 credit units, consisting of eleven core courses (30 credit units) and two elective courses (6 credit units).

All MPA students are required to complete the following set of core courses:

JSGS 801 - Governance and Administration (3 CUs)
JSGS 802 - Public Finance (3 CUs)
JSGS 805 - Economics for Public Policy Analysis (3 CUs)
JSGS 806 - Public Policy Analysis (3 CUs)
JSGS 807 - Statistics for Public Managers (3 CUs)
JSGS 808 - Ethical Leadership and Democracy in Public Service (3 CUs)
JSGS 838 - Public Sector Financial Management (3 CUs)
JSGS 880 - Advanced Governance Analysis (3 CUs)
JSGS 882 - Strategic Management in the Public Sector (3 CUs)
JSGS 883 - Essentials for Public Policy and Administration (1 week block course in September. 1 CU (U of S), 1.5 CU (U of R))

JSGS 884 - Professional Planning (Submission and presentation of a professional portfolio at the end of the MPA program, 2 CUs (U of S), 1.5 CUs (U of R))

The two remaining elective courses (6 credit units) must be selected from the courses offered by the school and can be taken at either campus. Students wishing to take JSGS online courses must first have approval from the graduate chair at their home campus. Please note, space is limited in online courses and priority will be given to students enrolled in the MIT and MHA programs. For all courses taken, the rules and regulations of the university through which the course is taken will apply to the student.

Additional courses required by Graduate Studies and Research at each university

University of Saskatchewan campus

JSGS 990 Public Policy Seminar Series (0-credit course, continuous registration required)
GSR 960 Introduction to Ethics and Integrity (0-credit course, taken in the first term of study)

University of Regina campus

GRST 800AA Academic Integrity Tutorial (0-credit course, taken in the first term of study)
These are non-credit courses required by Graduate Studies and Research at each campus and are offered at no cost to the student.

Internships

The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School (JSGS) offers MPA and MPP students the opportunity to enhance their postgraduate work with an internship in the federal or provincial public service, municipal government, the Saskatchewan School Boards Association or in health services research. The many concrete benefits to interns in the Johnson Shoyama Executive Internship Program include initial job placement, valuable career preparation and experience, the development of an extensive professional network as well as accelerated professional growth and advancement.

Application Qualifications

Admission to the MPA program is very competitive. Please note that because the number of applications received greatly exceeds the number of available places (we typically admit 25-30 students a year per campus), not all qualified applicants will be offered admission (i.e., successful candidates will typically have an average in excess of 75 per cent [or upper second class]).

University of Regina

All applicants must meet the entrance requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Applicants must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree in any area with a GPA of at least 75 per cent.

University of Saskatchewan

Applicants must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree from a recognized university. An average of 75 per cent or better must be maintained during the final two years (60 credit units) of the undergraduate program or in the graduate program if students are entering the MPA after a graduate degree.

Students from a wide variety of disciplines - including everything from the fine arts to the humanities to the social sciences to the physical sciences to professional college disciplines - are eligible. While it is not necessary, some knowledge of economics, statistics and social science is generally an advantage.

Funding

The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School offers at least ten scholarships (minimum five awarded at each campus) for MPA applicants. Scholarships will be awarded to students based on academic standing. To be eligible for a scholarship, students must be enrolled in the school on a full-time basis. All complete applications received by February 1 will automatically be considered for funding.

In addition to potential funding from the school, there are scholarships and awards available for students at the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan.

Tuition

For all new MPA students enrolled for September 2017, tuition for the 36-credit MPA program is approximately $15,015. Please note that all students must also pay a graduate student fee, as well as an international surcharge (if applicable).

Tuition and fees are subject to change. Should there be a discrepancy between the information posted on the institution's website and information posted on the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy website, the institution website should be viewed as accurate.

University of Regina Fees
University of Saskatchewan Fees

ateneo graduate school public administration, graduate school public administration scholarships, uga graduate school public administration
Source: http://docphy.com/business-industry/higher-education/master-public-administration-mpa.html