The application deadline for the Fall 2009 cohort is
February 2, 2009. Applications will accepted starting
November 1, 2008 through the on-line
graduate application system.
All admission documents (including all supporting documents)
must be received in our office by the deadline. The
admissions committee recommends that you submit your
application early, if possible (late fall/early new
year).
Please send ALL supporting documents directly
to the Public Policy Program Office at the following
address:
Public Policy Program
SFU Vancouver
515 West Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC
V6B 5K3
Students must submit the following documentation
when applying: 1) Application Form: The SFU graduate application form is accessible
online through the Graduate
Studies Application System. The application period
for Public Policy runs from November 1, 2008 to the
application deadline of February 2, 2009.
2) Application Fee: $75 graduate application
fee.
3) Official transcripts: One official
transcripts from ALL post-secondary institutions attended. 4) Letters of Reference:Three confidential letters of reference
mailed directly by the referees or received in sealed,
signed envelopes. At least two references should come
from faculty members at universities. This requirement
may be waived for mid-career applicants with professional
experience. In this case, letters from employers may
be substituted for references from university faculty.
Reference Forms are available in PDF format. Please
click HERE
for this form.
Referees can choose to use either the Reference Form
provided or to provide a written letter. Please give
each referee a copy of the Reference Form even if they
choose to write a letter as the form will provide them
with an idea of information that the admission committee
would find useful in its evaluation. 5) Letter of Intent: A Letter of Intent
that explains why the applicant wishes to pursue the
MPP degree and what types of policy issues in which
they are interested (approximately 500 words). Please
see extended Letter of Intent instructions below.
6) Resume/CV: A complete
resume or CV showing employment, volunteer, education
and any other appropriate information.
7) GRE: A GRE score for
applicants without a Canadian undergraduate or graduate
degree.
8) TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language) for those 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. Minimum TOEFL score is 570
or 230 on computer based score and a score of 5 or above
on the Test of Written English.
General Admission Requirements
The Public Policy Program uses a broad
base admission criteria for determining admission. Criteria
for admission includes post secondary education grades,
letters of reference, letter of intent and the TOEFL
and GRE scores if applicable.
A prospective MPP 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.
The normal minimum undergraduate grade point average
required for admission is 3.0 (or equivalent), although
the Admissions Committee and Program Director may take
relevant work experience into account in determining
eligibility for admission to the program.
The normal admission date is the Fall
Semester that begins the day after Labour Day each year.
It is expected that approximately 25-30 students will
be directly admitted in any one year to the program.
Letter of Intent Extended Instructions
Your letter of intent offers you the opportunity
to describe to the admissions committee your interest
in the MPP program. It also provides you the opportunity
to clearly detail your public policy interests and goals,
your background, your hopes for the future and the ideas
and problems that drive you to focus on public policy.
You do NOT need to have a well developed
policy proposal however, the committee does like to
see that you can clearly articulate your interests and
ideas and IF you do have a specific project that you
are committed to, please include that information in
your letter.
This letter is an opportunity to show
your personality, to say something original and distinctive,
something that sets you apart from other applicants.
