Students enter the MA and Diplomas from a wide variety of academic backgrounds.  All, however, are required to complete prerequisite university courses in economics and political science.

The economics prerequisite consists of either a two-semester course or two one-semester courses covering introductory microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. At Carleton University, for example, this material is covered by the two-semester course ECON 1000 Introduction to Economics.  At the University of British Columbia, it is covered by the two one-semester courses: ECON 101 Principles of Microeconomics, and ECON 102 Principles of Macroeconomics.

Some universities offer courses in introductory microeconomic and macroeconomic topics, but topics courses do not satisfy the economics prerequisite.  For example, at the University of Victoria the theory courses ECON 103 plus ECON 104 would satisfy the prerequisite; however, the topics courses ECON 100, ECON 111, ECON 112, or ECON 113 would not.  At the University of Ottawa, the theory courses ECO 1102 plus ECO 1104 would satisfy the prerequisite; however, the topics courses ECO 1302 and ECO 1304 would not.

The political science prerequisite consists of a course at the second-year level or higher that deals with the political and administrative institutions and processes of government, preferably in a Canadian setting. At Carleton University, for example, this material is covered by PSCI 2003 Canadian Political Institutions.  At the University of Toronto, it is covered by POL 214 Canadian Government and Politics.

The economics and political science prerequisites can be satisfied by online courses that cover the required material, if those courses are taken on a ‘for credit’ basis, rather than a ‘challenge for credit’ basis.  For example, at Athabasca University the online courses ECON 247 plus ECON 248 would satisfy the economics prerequisite, and the online course POLI 309 would satisfy the political science prerequisite – if taken ‘for credit’.

By having taken and obtained a grade of B- or better in the prerequisite courses, applicants to the MA or Diplomas have demonstrated their familiarity with, and aptitude for, the subject matter that forms a basis for much of the programs’ curriculum. On occasion, students are admitted to the MA without having completed the prerequisites, on the basis of strengths found elsewhere in their application. Their admission, however, would be conditional on completing the prerequisites during the first academic year.  This is not ideal: the ability of these students to advance through the MA curriculum is often hampered by their need to take the prerequisites during their two-year degree. Hence, applicants without the prerequisites in economics or political science are strongly urged to complete them before starting the program (say, by taking summer courses), and to state clearly in their application cover letter how they plan to do this.  

The basic academic requirement for admission to the MA in Public Administration or the graduate Diplomas in Public Policy and Administration is an undergraduate degree with at least a B+ average, as calculated on the last 10 credits (twenty single-semester courses). Please note, however, that simply satisfying the basic academic requirement does not, in itself, guarantee admission.

Under certain conditions, the School of Public Policy and Administration will consider applications from individuals who do not satisfy the basic academic requirement.

First, these individuals need to have completed their most recent university degree at least five years ago.

Second, they need to demonstrate their academic potential for graduate study by completing and doing very well in particular university courses subsequent to their most recent degree. Those courses start with the undergraduate courses in economics and political science that are prerequisites of the program (see the FAQ #1 on prerequisites). If these individuals are able to complete the prerequisite courses with grades of A- or higher, then they may request permission to take up to two graduate courses from the School of Public Policy and Administration as Special Students (see the FAQ #3 on Special Student status).  By completing these graduate courses and placing in the top half of each class, these individuals can then apply to the MA or Diplomas, using their high achievement in these prerequisite and graduate courses – rather than their undergraduate degree – to demonstrate their academic potential

Yes, this is possible under Special Student designation, defined as students who take individual courses at Carleton University without being registered in an academic program. On occasion, and on an individual basis, Special Students are permitted to take graduate courses offered by the School of Public Policy and Administration. Such permission is dependent both on their academic preparation, and on spaces remaining in particular courses after degree candidates have registered. At the School, permission to take courses as a Special Student is given not by course instructors, but by the MA Supervisor.

Individuals interested in taking courses at the School as a Special Student should provide the School’s Graduate Administrator with the following:

• a recent resume that includes contact information;
• copies of transcripts for all their post-secondary education; and
• a brief statement of their reasons for wanting to be a Special Student.

The School’s MA Supervisor will review these materials. Once degree candidates have registered (normally, at least three weeks before the beginning of term), the MA Supervisor will contact the individuals to let them know which courses they would be permitted to take as a Special Student.

In some instances, individuals take courses as a Special Student with the hope of strengthening their candidacy for admission to the MA in Public Administration or the Diplomas in Public Policy and Administration. These individuals should note two things. First, passing courses as a Special Student does not guarantee admission.  Second, in the event of admission, any courses taken as a Special Student do not necessarily transfer into the graduate program. It is a policy of Carleton University that students admitted to graduate programs do not receive credit for courses taken as a Special Student if their performance in those courses was a basis of their admission (i.e., if they would not have been admitted on the basis of their academic record apart from the courses they took as a Special Student).

Advanced standing allows students to satisfy up to 2.5 credits (five half-credit courses) of the MA in Public Administration on the basis of university courses taken before entering the program. Advanced standing comes in one of three forms.

First, graduate courses or courses from completed four-year undergraduate degrees can provide advanced standing with a transfer of credit for the MA degree’s core-course requirements – namely, PADM 5111, 5112, 5113, 5114, 5115, 5116, and 5117. Advanced standing for a core course is based on a student having received a grade of at least B+ in a previous university course that covered comparable material at a comparable level of difficulty or sophistication. For PADM 5113, 5115, 5116 and 5117, those previous courses must be at the fourth-year undergraduate or graduate level.

Second, previous graduate courses that have not been used toward another degree can be used for advanced standing in all courses within the MA (core, concentration and elective).

Third, courses from completed three-year undergraduate degrees can provide advanced standing without a transfer of credit, meaning that they can change the composition of the course requirements, but not reduce their number: the specific courses for which advanced standing has been received must be replaced by electives.

Students must apply to be considered for advanced standing. For a core course, this involves completing the Request for Advanced Standing form, attaching to it the syllabi for the previous university courses that are comparable to the core course, and then submitting these materials to the School’s Graduate Administrator. The decision of whether or not to grant advanced standing is made by the MA Supervisor, acting on the advice of the faculty members who teach the core course in question.

MA students should take the core courses first. These courses – PADM 5111, 5112, 5113, 5114, 5115, 5116, and 5117 – are each self-contained. They can be completed in any order, although, in a given term, most students choose to take some more quantitative courses (PADM 5111, 5112 and 5114) and some less quantitative ones (PADM 5113, 5115, 5116, 5117). Part-time students are expected to have completed all seven core courses before registering in concentration or elective courses. Full-time students are expected to have completed the core courses by the end of their first two terms of study.

Students who take three or more half-credit courses in a given term must register as a full-time student and pay full-time tuition. Students who take one or two half-credit courses in a given term can also register as full-time and pay full-time tuition; or they can register as part-time and pay part-time fees on a per-course basis.

Students may request a change in their status between full- and part-time in response to changes in circumstances (ie.: medical). To do so, they must complete the Academic Change Request form and submit it to the School’s Graduate Administrator. The decision of whether or not to approve a change of status is made by the Graduate Studies Registrar’s Office, on the advice of the School’s MA Supervisor.

Part-time students are not eligible to receive University funding. Students with University funding who request a change from full-time to part-time status forfeit their funding. The only exception is students who do so to complete a co-operative work term.

Under a variety of circumstances – professional, medical, family – students may find themselves temporarily unable to conduct their graduate studies, whether full-time or part-time. In these circumstances, students may apply for a leave of absence. To do so, they must complete the Academic Change Request form and submit it to the School’s Graduate Administrator. The decision of whether or not to approve a leave of absence is made by the Graduate Studies Registrar’s Office, on the advice of the School’s MA Supervisor.

Terms for which a leave of absence has been granted do not count toward the time limit for completing the degree (see the FAQ #10 on time limits). Full-time students receiving university funding normally forfeit the funding assigned to the terms in which they have been granted a leave of absence, unless the underlying reasons are medical ones.

After having satisfactorily completed at least six of the seven core courses, students who choose to take the Cooperative Education Program within the MA are able to apply for two work terms to be undertaken during their MA program. Students who satisfactorily complete the two work terms receive a Co-op designation on their transcript. Most Co-op positions are in the federal public service. Some students have obtained positions with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, the private sector, and the non-governmental / non-profit sector. The work terms provide a number of benefits. During the job search term, students develop job-search and interview skills. The work terms themselves provide career-related experience in policy development, analysis and evaluation and in public administration more generally. They offer an immediate understanding of particular policy or management issues that can support students’ subsequent academic work in concentration and elective courses. Moreover, they generate a range of professional contacts that can lead to ongoing employment.

The Cooperative Education Program is administered by the Co-op and Career Services Office at Carleton University. Although most students secure their work terms through the positions posted on the Co‑op Services job portal, students are encouraged to self-develop job opportunities as well. Co‑op Services provides sessions both to guide students through the job search process and to assist them once on the job. Online modules cover resume writing and interview skills and career counselors are available for one-on-one sessions. The co-op coordinator visits the work site during the term to discuss how the work is progressing from the point of view of both the student and the employer.

At the end of the work term, students submit a work term report to the faculty advisor who is the School’s Co-op Liaison. This report outlines their work term role and responsibilities, identifies challenges and accomplishments, analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of their work experience, and relates that experience to their previous academic work. Also at the end of the work term, the employer evaluates the student’s performance, and discusses this evaluation with the student.

For further information about the co-op program, please refer to: Pam Ramsay, Co-op Coordinator for MA Public Administration

Full-time students have six academic terms (two academic years) in which to complete the MA degree.  Part-time students have 18 terms (six academic years) in which to complete the degree.  These terms include those for which a student does not register in courses.  They exclude those for which a student is enrolled in a co-op work term, or for which a student has been granted a leave of absence (see the FAQ above on co-operative work terms and leaves of absence).

A grade of B- or better must normally be obtained in each course used toward the MA or the graduate Diplomas. MA students may, with the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, be allowed to use grades of C+ in up to 1.0 credit of courses. To be in good standing, students in the MA and Diploma programs need to maintain a grade point average at least 7.0 (B- under Carleton’s 12-point scale), as calculated on their most recent courses. For full-time students, the GPA is calculated on the courses from the last two academic terms in which they were registered. For part-time students, the GPA is calculated on the last 2.0 credits (four single-semester courses).

MA students can take courses at Carleton University outside the School of Public Policy and Administration, and apply them to their degree as electives. The courses must be at the graduate level or, under certain conditions, the fourth-year undergraduate level. The MA Supervisor must also approve that they cover material relevant to public policy and administration.

MA students in good standing can take courses at other universities in Canada, and apply them to their degree. The courses: must be at the graduate level or, under certain conditions, the fourth-year undergraduate level; must be used by the other universities toward their own degree programs; and must be approved by the MA Supervisor as covering material relevant to public policy and administration.

If those other universities are in Ontario, then the students pay tuition to Carleton University. For the University of Ottawa, these arrangements are handled under the Graduate Student Exchange Agreement between the two universities. The application form is available from the School’s Graduate Administrator. For other Ontario universities, these arrangements are handled under the Ontario Visiting Graduate Student program. The application form is available from the Documents and Forms page.

If those Canadian universities are outside Ontario, then the students pay tuition to those universities.

MA students in good standing who have completed at least 6 of the 7 core courses can take courses at an international university, and apply them as electives to their degree. For these courses to apply to the MA in Public Administration, they must satisfy the following conditions:

• be approved by the MA Supervisor as covering material relevant to public policy and administration;
• be at the graduate level (i.e. the international university must apply the same courses toward its own post-graduate degrees);
• be weighted such that they correspond to the credit system at Carleton (i.e., 6 ECTS at a university in Europe correspond to 0.5 credit at Carleton);
• be taken for credit (i.e. not on a pass/fail or audit basis); and
• be graded using a system that could distinguish the student’s performance as being higher than B-/B level.

Before the courses can be transferred to Carleton and applied to the MA degree, the School of Public Policy and Administration must receive an official original transcript from the international university, verifying the courses completed, the weights assigned, and the grades received. If the international university is one with which Carleton has a formal exchange agreement, and if the students have been approved to participate on that exchange, then they pay tuition to their ‘home’ university (the university conferring the degree) for courses taken at the ‘host’ university abroad. This enables the students to avoid paying tuition at a foreign-student rate. For information on these formal exchange agreements, contact Carleton International: http://www.carleton.ca/ci/contact/ If the students take courses at an international university without participating in a formal exchange agreement, then they pay tuition to the international university.

The School of Public Policy and Administration encourages students who are preparing to work in or with government to strengthen their French language skills. Students can register in French language courses offered through the French Department at Carleton University. These courses are at the undergraduate level and would appear on the transcript as ‘extra to degree’ – meaning that they will neither count toward the MA or Diplomas, nor affect the graduate-level grade point average.