-What types of undergraduate degrees
will be accepted?
Masters of Public Policy students are
a very diverse group of people with academic backgrounds
in political science, economics, history, literature,
geography, sociology, public policy, science, and more.
Some of our students have had considerable work experience
(some in public policy positions), others not so much.
MPP students range from new graduates to those who have
been away from university for awhile. What all of our
students share is a keen interest in a range of public
policy issues. For a more detailed profile of current
students please visit http://www.sfu.ca/mpp/01about_us/student_profiles.html.
To view alumni profiles please visit http://www.sfu.ca/mpp/01about_us/alumni.html
-Can my employer write a reference?
Yes. We realize that some of our students
may not commence their graduate studies immediately
following the completion of their undergraduate degrees
and therefore may have lost contact with some of the
professors that they may have wished to use as references.
The most important thing is that your references are
strong and are coming from a credible source. Although
we prefer at least one academic resource, references
from well known companies or any source that sheds light
on your personality are encouraged.
-What if I need to change one of
my references once my information has been entered into
the online application system?
The system will not allow you to change
the information you've entered once your application
has been processed. Should you need to change one of
your references, simply send an email outlining your
situation to mpp@sfu.ca.
The departmental manager will then ensure that the new
reference is added to your file and the system is updated.
What if one of my reference letters
arrives past the deadline or my application is not complete
by the deadline? Will my application still be considered?
In most cases, if the student notifies
the department of the possible late arrival of supporting
documentation, the application will still be considered.
However, the admissions committee will not review applications
until they are complete.
-Do you require the GRE, TOEFL and/or
IELTS test(s) be taken?
Applicants with a degree from an accredited
University outside of Canada will have to submit GRE
scores. Applicants who have received their degrees from
non-English speaking Universities are required to submit
TOEFL/IELTS scores.
For more information please see: Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): www.toefl.org
International Language Testing System (IELTS): www.ielts.org
Graduate Record Examination (GRE): www.gre.org
-I have not taken the TOEFL/GRE/IELTS
yet. How should fill out the appropriate fields in the
application form?
Please enter 000 (zeroes) where we ask
for a score and your Application Form should be successfully
submitted.
-What Institution Code should I enter
on the TOEFL/GRE/IETLS for the Public Policy Program?
The Institution Code for MPP is 0999.
This code will direct our Graduate Studies office who
receives the scores to then forward the scores to our
department.
-When should I
apply and how long does it take to get an answer?
SFU requires an online application be
completed for graduate studies. For admission to the
Fall 2009 cohort, the application period is November
1, 2008 - February 2nd, 2009. It is advisable to apply
much earlier than the deadlines. Our Admissions Committee
will commence reviews of applications as soon as they
are complete and each application is reviewed twice
by two independent members of the Admissions Committee.
Offers will then be made once top-ranked applicants
are identified and will continue until all spots in
the cohort have been filled. Students may also be contacted
to remain on a wait list to be admitted should a student
who has accepted an offer change their mind and rescind
their acceptance.
How competitive is the admissions
process? How many applications does the program receive
per year?
The Master of Public Policy Program receives
150-200 applications each year and admits approximately
25-30 students every fall semester.
-I've completed my online application
but I have not yet received an application number and
ID?
There are two reasons for this:
1). The system will not send you your
id information until the payment of your $75 application
fee has been processed. Applicants have 8 days to pay
their application fee after they have submitted their
application.
2). Your application has been suspended.
Submitted applications may be suspended if required
information is missing or the system matches the applicant
with student information already in our database. Two
examples of this are: i). You have previously applied
to SFU. The system will now attempt to match your newly
submitted information to the previously submitted information
in order to find the student id that was previously
assigned to you. ii). You have previously attended SFU
but have since legally changed your name. The system
will be attempting to match up your new information
with the old information that currently exists in the
system.
The Graduate Studies office clears suspended
applications daily (but not on weekends). The applicant
has the full 8 days to pay the application fee once
the application has been cleared.
-Can I pay the application fee after
I am admitted or after my arrival at SFU?
No. In fact, as mentioned above your application
will not even be processed until payment has been received.
-Can the application fee be waived?
No. The program is unable to assess individual
payment waivers.
How do I track which pieces of supporting
documentation the program has received and review the
status of my application?
To check the status of your application,
login at https://go.sfu.ca/goprd/gradapplication.html
with your User ID and password and select 'View Application
Status' from the Application Services page. Through
the Application Services page, you can also update your
personal information and/or review any outstanding documents
that you are requested to submit with your application
(e.g. test scores, transcripts, fees). The information
displayed is updated when items are received, but a
delay in displaying the current status of an item is
likely at busy times.
-Can supporting documentation be
emailed?
No. The program asks that all of your
supporting documentation; transcripts, letter of reference,
CV and letter of intent be mailed. They may be mailed
together in one package or separately, however transcripts
and letters of reference must remain individually sealed
to be considered official by the department. Letters
of intent and CVs may also be faxed should there not
be sufficient time for receipt by post.
PROGRAM
-Do you have a part-time program?
We do not have an official part-time program.
The program is run as a full-time cohort program where
student interaction and co-operative work both within
and across classes, is encouraged. Under extremely special
circumstances and after extensive consultation with
the Program Director, 1 or 2 part-time students may
be admitted per year. In this case, we usually require
students to undertake 2 courses per semester. Students
undertaking this option would complete their MPP degree
in 3 years.
-How long does it take to get an
MPP degree?
The normal time to finish the MPP program
is 5 semesters. 4 regular study semesters and one summer
co-op semester. With full-time study, students normally
complete their degrees in just under 2 years (for example:
September 2006-April 2008).
-How many courses does an MPP degree
require?
Fourteen courses are required for the
MPP plus a co-op/internship. These include ten core
courses in economics, political analysis, quantitative
methods, and policy analysis plus four electives to
be taken in the MPP program or in related graduate courses
in other departments. Under the Western Dean's Agreement,
you may be able to take graduate courses at other Western
Canadian Universities.
-What are the areas of specialty
of faculty?
Our program features faculty members specializing
in many diverse areas of public policy such as:social
policy, environmental policy, first nations policy,
health policy, educational policy, tax policy and issues
such as sustainability, governance, globalization, gender
and cost-benefit analysis.
-What types of careers do MPP graduates
pursue with their degree?
Our graduates are highly coveted among
public, private and NGO sectors. Most of our graduates
have begun their careers as policy analysts in wide-ranging
departments of both the Federal and Provincial Government
including HRSDC, Department of National Defense, Indian
Affairs, Finance, (AETP) and CIDA.
FINANCIAL QUESTIONS
-How much is tuition?
MPP charges per credit hour fees. The
current (2008) cost per credit hour is $213.59. First
year MPP students are enrolled in 40 credits per year.
In their second year, MPP students normally enroll in
30 credits per year. Tuition and student fees based
on 30 credit hours and (2008 information) total $6,790.63.
*Note fees are subject to change.
-How does MPP provide financial support
to students? Are there scholarships?
Graduate Bursary
Graduate Bursaries are awarded each semester and are
issued on a need-based system. Students are required
to submit an application for each semester in which
they are interested in receiving funding. The application
deadlines are normally six to eight weeks before the
semester begins. The application is available on the
Registrar’s Office downloadable forms web site
http://students.sfu.ca/pdfforms/
Fellowships
Students whose Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
is 3.5 or higher may be eligible a Graduate Fellowship
Award (currently worth $6,250). The fellowship application
deadline is in the spring of each year. An application
form is available at http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/forms.htm
We encourage all qualified students to apply.
Social Sciences
and Humanities Research (MA SSHRC)
Funding in the amount of $17,500 (12 months non-renewable)
is available to Masters students through the MA SSHRC
program. Students should review all SSHRC eligibility
criteria on the SSHRC web site at www.sshrc.ca.
Deadline for application is usually mid-Fall.
Graduate Student
Travel Fund
Small travel grants are available for students who are
presenting a paper or chairing a session at a national
or international meeting of a professional association
or equivalent group. The Dean of Graduate Studies Office
will post procedures for application.
Research
Assistantship
Research Assistant positions are available throughout
the year as funding becomes available. Positions are
posted via email and on the departmental bulletin board.
Teaching Assistantship
Teaching Assistant positions are not available through
the Public Policy Program, as we do not have an undergraduate
component. Students are welcome to apply for TA positions
through other SFU programs. Students should contact
those programs directly for information on their application
process.
Student Loans
Canadian citizens and permanent residents may apply
for funding through the student loan programs. Please
visit www.bcsap.bc.cafor details on the application
procedures for BC residents.
Other scholarships, awards, research assistant
positions are announced periodically throughout the
year. The MPP office will pass these along via email
as they are announced.
Terms of Reference for
Awards
Refer to the Calendar or the web for the terms of reference
and application deadlines.
Full admission details including a PDF
application package, minimum admission requirements
and course schedules are available on our Student
Information site.The best resource of information
on our graduate program is online. However, if you still
have questions or need specific material and are not
able to find it online, please do not hesitate to contact
the program office by emailing mpp@sfu.ca
