Program
in Public Policy at SFU
MPP
Degree & Centre for Public Policy Research
Revised Proposal
March 18, 2002
Table of Contents.................................................................................................................... 1
I. Background
and General Information........................................................................... 2
1. General Information....................................................................................................... 2
2. Relationship to University Research Priorities............................................................... 2
3.
Governance.................................................................................................................... 4
II. Academic
Merit and Structural Integrity of the Program.......................................... 4
1.
Relationship to Similar Existing Canadian Programs....................................................... 4
2.
Admissions..................................................................................................................... 8
3.
Curriculum...................................................................................................................... 8
III.
Adequacy of Faculty and Other Resources................................................................ 12
1. Faculty.......................................................................................................................... 12
2. Administrative, Faculty, Library and
Budgetary Needs................................................... 13
IV. Demand
for the Program from Prospective Students............................................... 14
V. Demand
for Graduates From Prospective Employers................................................. 15
APPENDIX
I - Proposed Calendar Language.................................................................. 20
APPENDIX
II - Resumes and CVs of Contributing SFU Faculty................................... 19
I. Background and General Information
This proposal provides for the establishment of a new program at
Simon Fraser University – the Program in Public Policy. The Program will be housed in a
proposed new Division of Professional Programs of the Faculty of Arts.[1] The Program in Public Policy (PPP) will
consist of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), a Schedule A research
centre and the graduate degree of Master's of Public Policy (MPP). The PPP will bring together existing
faculty expertise from across Simon Fraser University to create a new and
innovative graduate teaching program and research centre.
The MPP is a four-semester program to be taken over two years.[2] The MPP
will emphasize the development of techniques to undertake and manage public
policy analysis and planning in public, private, and non-governmental
organizations. The goal is to produce public policy analysts and managers who
can scrutinize a problem, interpret and analyze relevant data, then evaluate
alternative paths of action. This
will be a professional degree program that emphases practical application of
principals and analysis from the social science disciplines. Students will be expected to master a
set of core skills in policy analysis, politics, economics, research methods,
and quantitative methods. The MPP
is a relatively unique degree in Canada.[3] Graduates will find employment in
provincial and federal governments, NGOs, crown corporations, and the private
sector. As indicated by the
external reviewers, there is considerable demand in Canada for graduates with
MPP and MPA (Master's of Public Administration) training.
Subject to approval, the MPP will begin in Fall 2003. The Centre for Public Policy Research
will commence in the Fall of 2002.
Expected enrollment for each cohort in the MPP program will be 15 to 20
students. Total enrollment (first
and second year) is thus expected to be 30 to 40 students.
The
2000 SFU Strategic Research Plan[4]
establishes ten research priority areas. These areas were singled out due to
their actual record of, or potential for, research excellence, their ability to
foster innovative research, their ability to promote intra-and extra-university
collaboration, their ability to create research niches within British Columbia,
and their overall ability to meet the criteria set out in the overall university
research plan. Plans for creating an MPP credential accord with the priorities
established by the SFU University Research Plan which establishes "Policy,
Management and Leadership" as one of ten priority areas for University
advancement.
Creation
of an MPP program would:
·
"build
upon our existing strengths and research excellence and maintain our reputation
as the best comprehensive university in Canada"; by creating a
nodal point for already existing but scattered SFU faculty expertise in areas such
as labour-markets, trade, environment, health, education, economics, housing,
immigration, land use, technology, foreign policy, national and international
security policy, international development policy, Canadian and international
political economy and other policy areas.. The creation of the Centre for
Public Policy Research would also increase the visibility of SFU faculty and
research through a research paper series, seminars, public lectures, workshops,
speakers series, regular conference activity, and enhanced publication of
policy-relevant research.
·
"support
and create opportunities for the pursuit of new knowledge, discovery and
innovation";
by bringing together existing SFU expertise in policy analysis, policy
implementation and evaluation in a number of University units in several
faculties, including Criminology, Economics, Geography, Philosophy, Political
Science, and Sociology within the Faculty of Arts, Communications and Resources
Management within the Faculty of Applied Science, and the Faculties of Business
and Education.
·
"promote
strategic alliances and cross-disciplinary research within the University and
seek new collaborations with all our communities to foster intellectual,
social, cultural, and economic development in the province of BC"; by developing a
graduate level professional credential for the public and private sectors;
·
"recruit
and retain outstanding faculty to enhance research capacity and provide
leadership for new initiatives and key research programs"; by recruiting faculty
for an aP4 position and CRC, and providing a collegial atmosphere for research
and teaching in public policy for faculty in many SFU departments; and
·
"enrich
the learning experience of our students through participation in, and exposure
to, the ground-breaking research and new knowledge being generated by our
outstanding researchers so they can fully participate in the knowledge society
of the 21st Century";
through the creation of the new teaching and research opportunities listed
above.[5]
II. Academic Merit
and Structural Integrity of the Program
Proposed Calendar language is set
out in Appendix I. The following provides background information and additional
explanatory material.
There are currently ten graduate
level professional programs in public administration in English in Canada, with
their key characteristics indicated in Table 1.[6]
Two programs exist in Western Canada; the only current program in British
Columbia is located at the University of Victoria. SFU's MPP will share common
elements with MPA programs, but have a greater emphasis on policy analysis and
relatively less on public policy management than the MPA programs in
Canada. However, SFU MPP students
will be able to opt for public policy management courses as part of their
electives.
Table I: Canadian MPA Program Data - 2001-2002[7]
|
University/ URL |
FTE Faculty |
Program Type/Fees |
# Courses Program Length |
Institutional Location |
Project |
# of students (total enroll-ment) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carleton http://www. carleton.ca/spa |
20 |
MPA/PHD and under-grad
program $2110/ semester for grad
programs |
16 2 years – have
intro- duced a 1-year option |
School of Public Administration. Number of
different specializations: Canadian, Development Innovation, Science and
Environmental Administration |
No |
55 |
|
|
Concordia http://www. concordia.ca |
15 |
MPA/MPP Total program cost = $4314 for Que. Resident $7612 other province for program |
13 2.5 years |
In Department of
Political Science |
Comp. exam |
|
|
|
Dalhousie http://www.mgmt.dal.ca/spa/ |
25 |
MPA $6500 for program |
15 2 years |
Faculty of Management
different types of programs |
Practi-cum |
25 |
|
|
Manitoba/ Winnipeg http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/student/calendar/poli-sci.html http://www. umanitoba.ca/ faculties/arts/ political_studies/ mpa.htm |
5 |
MPA $8206 for program |
16 2 years |
Joint Program through
Depts. of Political Studies (has a one-year
option) |
Option-al thesis or exams |
10-15 |
|
|
Regina http://uregina/ca/~rasm |
6 |
MPA $110/credit hour |
14 (30 credit hours) |
Faculty of Administration |
No |
5-10 |
|
|
McMaster/Guelph http://www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/polisci/grad/collaborative.htm |
4 |
MPPA $4422 per year |
9
1 to 2 years |
Joint through Depts of
Political Science |
Comp Exams |
8-10 |
|
|
Queen's http://qsilver.queensu.ca/sps |
10 |
MPA $5837 |
12 1 year |
School of Policy
Studies |
Option-al |
60 |
|
|
Western http://www.ssc.uwo.ca/localgovernment/MPA-Right.htm |
2.5 |
MPA $5622 |
16 credits 1 year |
Dept. of Political
Science Local Government
Emphasis |
Yes |
18-22 |
|
|
York http://www.schulich.yorku.ca/ssb-extra/mpa.nsf |
4 |
MPA $12,500 per year |
12 2 years |
Faculty of Administration Very management oriented |
No |
10 |
|
|
UVIC http://web.uvic.ca/padm/ |
13 |
MPA $966 per semester |
17 4 terms of courses + 3 coop terms |
School of Public Administration; Diploma in
Aboriginal Management/ Public Sector Management plus Certificate Programs and
jt. MPA/LL.B. |
Yes |
50 |
|
|
SFU Proposal |
3.5 |
MPP $10,000 for program |
14 2 years |
Public Policy Program, Faculty of Arts, Division of Professional Programs |
Yes |
30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The SFU program will employ a small
complement of permanent faculty to teach core courses. It will utilize course
buy-outs to access the teaching time of senior faculty members present in four
university faculties (Arts, Applied Science, Education and Business
Administration) to teach specialized courses and perhaps team teach. Detail on
proposed MPP faculty resources is contained in section 3.1 below. The
core-specialization arrangement provides for continuity in the program while
allowing students to maximize their options in designing their program of
courses and pursuing specific subjects of interest. It allows a flexible, yet
rigorous, program to be created at relatively little cost.
The program is intended for students
desiring a professional career.
Students are normally admitted to
the MPP program with a four-year Bachelor's degree. Depending upon the nature
of the degree, the successful completion of qualifying courses may be required
prior to admittance to the program. While work experience will not replace
academic qualifications, admission decisions, which will be taken by the MPP
program Director and Steering Committee, will take into consideration both
academic and experiential qualifications.
Graduate courses will be offered
within a two-semester academic year (fall and spring semesters). All students
will enter the program in the fall semester and will complete seven core courses
in their first year of study. In the second year of the program, students will
complete seven additional courses that include five electives in their fields
of concentration and the two-semester advanced policy analysis project course.
It is expected that most students will be full-time due to the sequencing of
courses, particularly in the first year of the program. However, part-time
study is possible. An internship
to be completed during the summer semester between the first and second year of
the program will be required. The internship will appear as a course on
student's transcript without credit hours attached to it. Successful completion
assessed by the Director. Students
who have had work experience in a public policy setting may receive advanced
standing for the internship. Full-time students are expected to complete the
MPP program within 4 semesters.
The core courses for the program are
intended to cover the basic foundations of policy analysis and ensure students
have the requisite background in the politics and economics of public policy
making and analysis, as well as the necessary quantitative and qualitative
research skills required to undertake analyses in specialized policy fields.
Once these core courses are completed, students will choose program
specializations from those offered by faculty members seconded to the program
or already offered in existing courses at SFU. There will be considerable
flexibility in designing one's second year of the program. The Director and
faculty associated with the PPP will assist students in accessing electives
available each year (depending on the availability of courses) commensurate
with their backgrounds and interests.
Upon the approval of the Director, students may also include advanced
language training opportunities available at SFU as part of their program.
Depending upon their educational and
experiential backgrounds as evaluated by the Director, students may be granted
advance credits towards their degree. In no case, however, shall the degree be
awarded with students taking fewer than 7 courses at SFU.
Courses
are divided into 7 core courses students are expected to take in their first
year in the program, the summer internship, and two core courses and 5 elective
courses in year two. The core courses in year two are the two-semester sequence
in Advanced Policy Analysis. This
course will build on the introduction to policy analysis and require the
student to produce a project that addresses a real public policy issue.
Nine new
three-credit core courses will be created for the MPP program:
1.
Economic
Foundations of Policy Analysis I and II: A two-semester sequence that examines the
basic operation of a market economy and introduces students to key economic
concepts and techniques and how to apply them to public policy issues.
2.
Political
Foundations of Policy Analysis I and II: A two-semester sequence that examines the
structure of government in Canada and its context in the evolving Canadian
political economy, as well as the nature of the political process at the
federal, provincial and local levels. Students are introduced to the nature of
the Canadian policy process with specific attention paid to the behaviour and
activities of key actors in it; including state structures and agencies, societal
actors such as pressure groups, social movements, think tanks and peak
associations. Aspects of the organizational behaviour of these actors are
examined as are the formal and informal institutions and rules which affect
them in their deliberations and decisions.
3.
Research
Techniques and Quantitative Methods I and II: A two-semester sequence that covers
research techniques to include survey design, implementation and analysis,
qualitative approaches, and statistical quantitative methods for policy analysis,
including analysis of variance, and regression techniques.
4.
Introduction
to Policy Analysis:
An introduction to techniques of public policy analysis, evaluation, and
simulation techniques. Group
projects on current public policy issues will constitute a major portion of
this course.
5. Advanced Policy Analysis I and II: Advanced techniques for public policy analysis are covered and applied to individual projects on current public policy issues. Each student's research project is presented and critiqued by the students and course instructors. This course will constitute the project component of the program. The faculty teaching this course will be responsible for the supervision of the students' projects.
Elective courses in year two will be chosen from a large list
of courses offered by MPP and other graduate programs at SFU. MPP electives will be added to the
program as resources for teaching permit.
As noted above, MPP teaching will be done by faculty hired for the
program (the CRC and aP4 positions) and by purchasing teaching services from
departments and Faculties at SFU.
Students will be expected to choose electives that fit together into one
or two areas of specialization.
The groupings below are illustrative of the types of specialization possible,
given existing courses at SFU; other specializations have been proposed and may
be developed over time as interest and resources dictate.[8] All
departments or faculties offering these courses has been consulted and have
agreed in principle to allow MPP students to take these courses if the MPP
student has sufficient prerequisites (if these exist) and there is space in the
course.[9] The
Director and faculty associated with the PPP will work with the MPP student and
graduate chairs of other programs to ensure MPP students select courses
appropriate with their backgrounds and interests. Availability of specific elective courses will differ each
semester.
1. Governance and Public
Management:
Includes courses on subjects such as institutional and policy design;
organizational behaviour; public finance, and public administration.
BUS 831-4 Industrial
Relations
BUS 836-4 Human Resource
Practices for Managers
BUS 837-4 Effective
Leadership & Management in Organizations
BUS 839-4 Organizational
Assessment and Planned Change
BUS 872-4 Seminar in
Managerial Accounting
EDUC 817-5 Policy Processes
REM 625-5 Risk Assessment and Decision
Analysis for Management of Natural Resources
REM 644-5 Public Policy Analysis
and Administration
REM 651-5 Project Evaluation and
Non-Market Valuation Methods
ECON 890-4 Public Finance
2. Local, Urban and Regional Government: Includes
courses on subjects such as city management; regional and urban planning; and
urban politics.
REM 642-5 Regional Planning I
REM 643-5 Environmental Conflict &
Dispute Resoution
REM 645-5 Resource Development
Communities
REM
652-5 Community Tourism Planning and Development
ECON 865-4 Regional Economic Theory
GEOG 626-4 Multinational Corporations and Regional
Development
GEOG 640-4 Selected Topics: Social and Urban Geography
GEOG 644-4 Regional Development and Planning
GERO
810-4 Community Based Housing
for Older People
GERO
811-4 Institutional Living
Arrangements
URB 630-4 Urban Development,
Planning & Policy
URB 640-4 Urban Regions & Urban
Change
URB 650-4 Urban Governance
URB 660-4 Economy, Land Use, and
Transportation in Cities
3. Social Policy and the Political Economy of Public Policy: Includes
courses on social policy subjects such as the family, health, and labour
markets as well as subjects such as political economy and the state.
ECON 881-4 Labor Economics
GERO 801-4 Health Policy & Applied Issues
in Gerontology
GERO 802-4 Development & Evaluation o f
Health Promotion Policies for
The
Elderly
POL 825-5 Canadian Political Economy
POL 827-5 Issues in Canadian
Government and Politics
POL 856-5 Issues in Social and
Economic Policy
POL 861-5 Issues in Political
Development
WS 800-5 Methodology
in Women's Studies Research
SA 886-5 Selected
Problems in Social Analysis
4. Contemporary Policy Issues: Includes
courses on a number of possible policy issues. Two examples are shown below: environmental and resources
policy and an international policy focus.
Other policy areas may include science and technology, immigration,
education and others taught by associated faculty (see Figure II above).
Environmental
& Resources Policy
REM 613-5 Current Topics in Fisheries
Management
REM 621-5 Ecological Economics
REM 647-5 Parks & Outdoor
Recreation Planning
REM 649-5 Tourism Planning &
Policy
REM 650-5 Energy Management and Policy
REM 652-5 Community Tourism
Planning & Development
REM 655-5 Water Planning &
Management
ECON 860-4 Environmental Economics
ECON 861-4 Natural Resource Economics
GEOG 620-4 Selected Topics: Economic and Environmental
Geography
GEOG 645-4 Resource Management
GEOG 685-4 Resources, Environment and Food Production
International
Policy Focus
ECON 855-4 Theories of Economic Development
ECON 857-4 Studies in Economic Development
GEOG 622-4 Theories
and Practices of Development
GEOG 666-4 Geography, Development Theory, and Latin
America
LAS 815-5 Latin American
Economics & Society
LAS 835-5 Latin American
Politics and the State
POL 843-5 Canadian Foreign Policy
POL 844-5 International Political
Economy
POL 845-5 Foreign Policy Analysis
POL 846-5 International Security
Studies
5. Law and Society: Includes discussion of the
administration of justice, legal issues surrounding regulatory processes, and
state-society relations.
CRIM 810-3 The Phenomena of Crime I
CRIM 820-3 Criminal Justice Policy Analysis I
CRIM 830-3 Law and Social Control I
CRIM 870-3 Directed Readings (topics vary by
semester)
ECON 888-4 The Economics of Legal Relationships
ECON 889-4 Seminar in Law and Economics
GEOG 681-4 Law and the Geographies of Power
PSYC 790-5 Proseminar in Law and Psychology
PSYC 815-3 Mental Health Law and Policy
REM 641-5 Law and Resources
III. Adequacy of Faculty and Other Resources
Simon Fraser University is currently
home to several of Canada's outstanding experts in fields such as
labour-markets, environment, trade, social policy, immigration, Canadian and
international political economy, policy analysis, international development
policy, First Nations, housing, land use, gerontology, communication,
demographics, foreign policy, national and international security policy, among
others. SFU faculty have authored widely-used texts in public policy processes
and analysis as well as within specific policy fields. At present, this
expertise is fragmented. Although many faculty members at Simon Fraser
currently teach in the areas of public policy, public administration and public
management, no specific research centre or professional degree in public policy
analysis or management is currently awarded.
Teaching resources for the program
will be based in core courses offered by a small continuing faculty and the
utilization of many specialized courses already existing throughout the
university. Over time, if demand for the program and its graduates warrants,
additional faculty for the PPP may be sought. Faculty areas of teaching and research among interim
steering committee members are set out in Figure II below for illustrative
purposes. Brief resumes and full CVs of contributing faculty are set out in
Appendix II.
Figure II - Teaching Specializations and
Research Interests of SFU Faculty
|
Department or Unit Name |
Faculty |
Research and Teaching Interests |
|
|
|
|
|
Economics |
Arts |
Microeconomic and macroeconomic policy, labour economics policy, public
sector economics, resource and environmental policies, education, immigration
(RIIM), urban and regional economic policy, quantitative methods for policy
analysis |
|
Political Science |
Arts |
Public sector management, provincial politics,
policy process, resource and environmental policy, national and international
security policy, foreign policy, labour market policy,
Canadian and international political economy, international development
policy, comparative public policy, urban and regional policy, and governance |
|
Criminology |
Arts |
Law and society, crime, forensics |
|
Geography |
Arts |
Land use, resource policy, tourism |
|
Gerontology |
Arts |
Health, aging, demography |
|
Philosophy |
Arts |
Ethics, philosophy of the public sphere |
|
Psychology |
Arts |
Law and society |
|
Sociology |
Arts |
Demography, immigration, family and gender
policy, aboriginal policy, social policy |
|
Natural Resources and Environmental Management |
Applied Science |
Resource and environmental policy, alternate
dispute resolution, conflict management |
|
Communications |
Applied Science |
Science and technology, communications policy,
industrial policy, agricultural policy, comparative administration, political
communications, management, media studies |
|
Professional Programs |
Business |
Social policy, Canadian political economy, policy evaluation,
microeconomics, policy process, management, human resource policy |
|
Professional Programs |
Education |
Policy evaluation, education policy, policy
analysis, policy cultures |
|
|
|
|
This faculty complement is
consistent with similar programs found in other Canadian provinces (See Figure
I above). With the faculty expertise currently at SFU, it is possible to offer
an exceptional program at relatively low cost and to assist in coordinating and
showcasing public policy research at SFU through the CPPR.
Library and other start-up costs for
the new program will be minimal as instruction in most of the areas covered in
the program already exist in the University.
Initial faculty staffing for the
program will be provided from a variety of sources. A senior academic position
has been authorized from the University allocation of Canada Research Chairs
(Tier I renewable indefinitely). The VP Academic has also committed an aP4
position to the PPP and a support staff position.[10] The Faculty of Arts is providing
funding for administrative release and course time for an Internal Program
Director, and funding for a Senior Research Fellow position which will include
at least a one course teaching load. Combined, these positions will provide a
permanent base for approximately 8 semester courses, including most of the
program core courses. The fees for the program are intended to cover course
equivalent buy-outs for existing faculty in order to cover costs associated
with teaching needs for the core program and electives that cannot be provided
by other departments/faculties.
Infrastructure costs will be covered
at least in part from CFI New Opportunities grants associated with the CRC
position. Part of the cost of mounting the program will be recovered from the
fees, tentatively set in the range of
$400 to $500 per credit hour for core courses in MPP which amounts to
$10,000 to $12,000 for the two-year program (there are no additional fees for
elective courses). This fee is required to offset the additional costs
associated with mounting a multi-faculty, multi-disciplinary program without a
core faculty or base budget for salaries and reflects the additional earning
capacity graduates will attain as a result of their specialized, professional
training. A portion of the fees collected from the program will be allocated to
financial assistance for students with demonstrated need.[11] Research assistantships with faculty
associated with the program may also be possible.
V. Demand for the Program from Prospective Students
Creation of a
graduate-level professional program in public policy directly benefits the
external community. This includes
local, regional, provincial and federal agencies and Crown Corporations, as
well as NGOs, think tanks, community associations, and other non-government
actors, and furthers University priorities in these areas such as those set out
by the President's Committee on University Planning and others.[12]
The program will enhance the learning experience of students through participation
in, and exposure to, ground-breaking research and provide increased student
understanding and practice of diverse research approaches, paradigms, and
perspectives.
It is expected that the majority of
admitted students will be relatively recent university social science graduates
with some policy-related job experience who are seeking to acquire specific
additional skills and knowledge in order to enhance their employment and career
prospects. However, it is also expected that mid-career entrants who are
willing and able to pursue full-time study for at least one consecutive
two-semester period will also enroll in the program in order to further their
training and career possibilities.
V. Demand for Graduates From Prospective Employers
Graduates of the MPPM program can
expect to find employment in a variety of public, private and not-for-profit
enterprises and organizations who partake in public policy-making in the local
community, the province and the country as a whole. The establishment of such a
program will improve the capacity of SFU to train future participants in public
policy-making and management in British Columbia, Canada, and abroad and
provides obvious benefits to the University and University community in so
doing.
It is expected that there will be
significant growth in the demand for public policy analysts and managers over
the coming years. The public sector (and economy as a whole) faces labour
shortages in many areas due to demographic factors and economic growth. For
example, the Ottawa Citizen reported that the civil service is
to hire 12,000 new employees per year over the decade to replace retiring baby
boomers.[13] The Canadian Occupational Projection
System (COPS) projects employment in senior management occupations to grow at
an annual rate of 2.2%, faster than the average for all occupations. According to this projection, a total
of 7,770 positions will become available from 1998 to 2008. Slightly more than
half these openings will result from growth in the number of new positions, and
the rest will result from retirements.[14] The external reviewers of the MPP all
noted that there should be high demand for the MPP graduates in a variety of
occupations and sectors of the economy for most of Canada, but also in the U.S.
and abroad.[15]
The academic credentials for
employment and promotion in the analyst and managerial ranks continue to
increase. Employment opportunities in the non-profit sector are also
significant and are expected to increase over the next decade. There are an
increasing number of opportunities in private sector organizations with an
interest in public policy issues and business-government relations.
APPENDIX I - Proposed Calendar
Language
MPP Program
Program Director
TBA
Faculty
TBA
This program offers the skills, insights and
frameworks that public sector and non-profit policy analysts and managers need
to prepare for their careers. The program focuses on the political and economic
contexts of public policy analysis and offers opportunities for specialized
study in a number of policy areas. The program is designed to develop the
strategic and global perspective required of tomorrow's senior policy analysts
and managers. The program uses a cohort model where students take courses in
the same sequence, and encourages student interaction and co-operation. An individual research project
undertaken in the Advanced Policy Analysis course sequence is an integral part
of the program of study.
The MPP program has the following seven core
courses that must be successfully completed by all students in their first year
of study:
Economic
Foundations of Policy Analysis I and II
Political
Foundations of Policy Analysis I and II
Research
Techniques and Quantitative Methods I and II
Introduction
to Policy Analysis
Summer
Internship
In the
second year of the program, students are required to take a two-semester core
course, Advanced Policy Analysis I and II and five elective courses.
Admission
For admission, a student must have a bachelor's
degree from a recognized university, normally in an Arts or Social Sciences
discipline. Students admitted with other credentials or those with Arts degrees
who in the judgement of the Program Director are without adequate foundation in
the social sciences, may be required to make up any deficiency without graduate
credit.
Students are normally admitted in September. It
is expected that approximately 20 students will be directly admitted in any one
year to the program. The normal minimum undergraduate grade point average
required for admission is 3.0 (or equivalent), although the Program Director
may take relevant work experience into account in determining eligibility for
admission to the program. Criteria for admission, in addition to undergraduate
grades, include strong letters of reference, an essay, and for students whose
native language is not English, acceptable TOEFL scores (570 minimum) and a
score of 5 or above on the Test of Written English.
Courses are sequenced through the fall and
spring semesters. The maximum course load is four courses per semester. The full-time students is expected to
complete the degree program within two years.
Application
Students must submit the following documentation
when applying.
·
Simon
Fraser University graduate application form
·
Official
transcript of undergraduate grades (mailed directly from the granting
institution)
·
Three
confidential letters of reference (mailed directly by the referees), at least
two of which come from faculty members at universities. (Forms are supplied for
references.)
·
A
one-page essay that explains why the applicant wishes to pursue the MPP degree
·
Students
whose first language is not English and whose undergraduate degrees have not
been obtained at an institution where English is the language of instruction,
require scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the
Test of Written English.
Degree Requirements
To qualify for the MPP degree, the candidate
must complete nine core MPP courses, a summer internship, plus five additional
elective courses approved by the MPP Program Director.
Core Courses
MPP 801 -
Economic Foundations of Policy Analysis I
MPP 802 -
Economic Foundations of Policy Analysis II
MPP 803 -
Political Foundations of Policy Analysis I
MPP 804 -
Political Foundations of Policy Analysis II
MPP 805 -
Research Techniques and Quantitative Methods I
MPP 806 -
Research Techniques and Quantitative Methods II
MPP 807 -
Introduction to Policy Analysis
MPP 808
– Advanced Policy Analysis I
MPP 809
– Advanced Policy Analysis II
MPP 850-0 Internship
Elective Courses
The MPPM Program Director, in consultation with
the student, selects supporting courses, from graduate courses offered in units
affiliated with the program. MPPM 810, MPPM 811, MPPM 812, MPPM 813, MPPM 825
and MPPM 826 may be used when appropriate to satisfy elective requirements.
MPP 810-3
Issues in Public Policy
I
MPP
811-3 Issues in Public Policy II
MPP 812-3 Selected Topics in
Public Policy I
MPP 813-3
Selected Topics in
Public Policy II
MPP 825-3
MPP Directed Readings I
MPP 826-3
MPP Directed Readings
II
MPP Core Course Descriptions
MPP 801-3
Economic Foundations of Policy Analysis I: An examination of the basic
operation of a market economy and introduction to key economic concepts and
techniques.
MPP 802-3
Economic Foundations of Policy Analysis II: Application of economic
concepts and techniques to a variety of public policy issues.
MPP 803-3 Political Foundations of Policy Analysis I: The first of a two-semester sequence that examines the basic structures and processes of government policy-making in Canada. This first course outlines the basic institutions of government in Canada and their context in the evolving Canadian political economy. It also introduces students to key actors in the policy process and examines their structure and behaviour. Examples of relevant actors include federal, provincial and local state structures and agencies, and a variety of societal actors such as pressure groups, social movements, think tanks and peak associations.
MPP
804-3 Political Foundations of Policy Analysis II:
Building upon MPP 803, this course provides a detailed examination of the
policy process - the stages through which public policies are developed. The
course outlines the nature of the policy cycle and examines the formal and
informal institutions and rules that affect policy actors in their
deliberations and decisions. Specific attention is paid to the nature of policy
communities and policy networks in Canada and their impact upon policy content
and policy change.
MPP
805-3 Research Techniques and Quantitative Methods I: An
introduction to research techniques to include survey design, implementation
and analysis, statistical inference, and qualitative methods of analysis.
MPP 806-3
Research Techniques and Quantitative Methods II: Application
of statistical quantitative methods for policy analysis, including analysis of
variance, and regression techniques.
MPP 807-3
Introduction to Policy Analysis: An introduction to techniques of
public policy analysis, evaluation, and simulation techniques. Group projects on current public policy
issues will constitute a major portion of this course.
MPP 808-3
Advanced Policy Analysis I: Advanced policy analysis techniques, public
affairs, communication, and client interaction are covered and applied by
students to individual projects on current public policy issues. This course
will constitute the project component of the program.
MPP 809-3
Advanced Policy Analysis II: Advanced policy analysis techniques
are covered and applied by students to individual projects on current public
policy issues. This course will constitute the project component of the
program. Students are required to present
and defend their projects in this course.
APPENDIX
II - Resumes and CVs of Contributing SFU Faculty
As in first draft of proposal. – not attached to this file
[1] The Division of Professional Studies in the Faculty of Arts may also include the Master's in Publishing and Gerontology Program. New programs may be added as they are developed.
[2] The program will be discontinuous with the summer semester between the first and second year used for employment or an internship.
[3] The MPP has been a degree program in the United States for many years. The SFU program will have a number of common elements with these programs. The Master's of Public Administration is the predominant program in Canada. While the MPA has common elements with the MPP, they may differ in emphasis with the MPP focusing more on policy analysis and the MPA on managing the policy process.
[4] Simon Fraser University
Canada Research Chairs - Strategic Research Plan at URL http://www.sfu.ca/vpresearch/crc/crcsumff.html
[5] Simon Fraser University Canada Research Chairs - Strategic Research Plan Summary 31 July 2000 http://www.sfu.ca/vpresearch/crc/crcsumff.html.
[6] The largest French language program is located at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration Publique. It offers an MPA and Ph.D. degree with approximately 40 faculty and over 100 students.
[7] Most of this information is available on line through the WWW homepage of the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) at URL: http://uregina.ca/~rasmussk/ and updated to 2001-02 from each program's web pages. More information on specific programs can be found on their individual web sites as shown in Table 1.
[8] These may include such
areas as Democratic Administration – which would includes courses on subjects
such as public participation, freedom of information and privacy, and
alternative dispute resolution processes;
Administrative Ethics - including material on the politics and
philosophy of the public sphere, as well as the moral and ethical aspects of
public sector behaviour and conduct; Political Communications - including courses on
subjects such as public relations; media relations; and surveys and polling;
and First Nations Public Policy issues.
[9] Discussions are ongoing with the Faculty of Business about the specific courses that might be appropriate for MPP students.
[10] It is expected that there may be sharing of support staff with the other programs in the proposed Division of Professional Studies.
[11] There are no teaching assistantships available for the MPP students because the PPP does not have any undergraduate teaching. The PPP could not impose on other departments/faculties/programs to employ its MPP students as teaching assistants in their undergraduate courses.
[12] President's Committee on University Planning, Graduate Studies and Research Discussion Paper, Burnaby: Supplement to Simon Fraser News, October 19, 1995
[13] Ottawa Citizen, August 13, 2000, "Decade-long hiring spress to replace retiring baby boomers".
[14]Electronic data available at URL: http://workfutures.bc.ca/En/def/occs/00___e1.html
[15] While the current climate for public sector hiring in British Columbia is not robust, MPP graduates will be able to compete favourably with MPAs for jobs across Canada.