Master’s program

MA in Public Administration

General information and program requirements - Master of Arts Public Administration

General information and program requirements - Public Administration - Specialization in Feminist and Gender Studies

Study how policy decisions are implemented.

The program looks at complex problems connected to public policy and public management. You will develop critical thinking skills and acquire conceptual tools related to areas such as democratic governance, public participation and public ethics. The program offers two choices of specialization: Feminist and Gender Studies, and Environmental Sustainability. Some career options? Manager or policy analyst in the public service, an international organization or a consulting firm.

Work and network at the centre of Canada’s public service.

You can include two paid work placements during your master’s, letting you work where national policy decisions are made and implemented. Furthermore, the school’s professors promote the study of real cases. They will help you discover professional networks through leading speakers and joint projects with a variety of partners.

Make the most of funding opportunities that also enrich your experience.

You can qualify for a teaching assistant position that guarantees you $12,500 a year. As well, the Institute for Science, Society and Policy, the Centre on Governance and the International Francophonie Research Chair on Cultural Heritage Policies offer a pool of relevant jobs right in the school.

Your master's degree any way you wish: full-time or part-time, in French or English. Two paths lead to a Master's degree in public administration.

Options:

  • Research paper - 1 year (short duration master's)
  • Thesis - 2 years

Co-op experience: No matter which path you choose, you can participate in the co-op program and gain valuable (and paid) work experience in government or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

In collaboration with the Institute of Feminist and Gender Studies and the Institute for Science, Society, and Policy, you can obtain the following specializations:

  • Specialization in Women's Studies
  • Specialization in Science, Society and Policy               

Scholarships, research and teaching assistantship available.

PhD program

Doctorate (PhD) in Public Administration

General information and program requirements - Doctorate in Philosophy Public Administration 

The School of Political Studies offers a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Public Administration. The PhD program aims to prepare students for academic and research careers. The various components of the doctoral program (courses, comprehensive examination, thesis proposal, thesis and defence) are all designed to develop the student’s capacity for high level independent research in social sciences.

The program offers two fields or concentrations in public administration: public management and public policy. The Ph.D. program is offered only with a thesis profile.

Doctoral thesis by articles in Public Administration (PAP)

Rules for a doctoral thesis by articles:

  1. The thesis supervisor must agree beforehand with the choice of the option of thesis by articles.
  2. The thesis by articles must meet the following requirements:
    1. The thesis must include a minimum of three articles. The student must be the sole author of at least two of the articles and the first author of the article(s) written in collaboration (in the case where the data used is not the property of the student).
    2. Articles must be written for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Articles must be of publishable quality, whether submitted or not. It is preferable that the thesis committee gives advice on the articles and chapters of the thesis (see point 3) before submission, but it is up to the jury to evaluate the thesis as a whole.
    3. In addition to the articles, the thesis by articles must also include the following chapters:
      1. An introductory chapter
      2. A chapter on the theoretical framework, literature review, and the methodology(ies).
      3. A conclusion that presents the problematic of the thesis, summarizes the conclusions and specifies the contribution in the field.
    4. Even if the articles have been accepted for publication, the members of the jury may require modifications to the articles that make up the thesis as part of a verdict 1 or a verdict 2.
    5. The thesis by articles is a trial project for 5 years. Based on the experience accumulated in PAP and other known experiences, the program will decide to maintain this option, modify it or withdraw it.

Scholarships, research and teaching assistantship available.

Microprograms

Microprograms in Public Administration

Ethics and Cultural Heritage Policy

9 credits

All students must successfully complete the course PAP 6520 and must be able to speak French and read texts in French and in English.

Two major partners will be directly involved in this graduate microprogram: the Research Chair in International Francophonie on Cultural Heritage Policies and the Centre on Governance. These two partners offer research and training activities that will make it possible to animate this Graduate Studies Microprogram in different ways.

Governance and Public Management

9 credits

All students must successfully complete the course PAP 6502 and must be able to speak French and read texts in French and in English.

Governance and Public Policy Analysis

9 credits

All students must successfully complete the course PAP 6502 and must be able to speak French and read texts in French and in English.

Graduate students working on a solution on a glass board

Graduate programs at the Faculty of Social Sciences

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Contact us

School of Political Studies

Faculty of Social Sciences
Social Sciences Building 
120 University Private, Room 7005
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5
Canada (map)

Tel.: 613-562-5754

[email protected]

Office Hours
Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(June to August: closed at 3:30 p.m.)

Supervisor of MA and Doctoral Studies (Public Administration)

Christian Rouillard
Social Sciences Building
Room 7027
Tel.:  613-562-5800 ext. 2697
[email protected]