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Professional Master of Public Administration (PMPA)

Program renewal is essential to ensure the School of Policy Studies remains strong going forward. As a result, the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen's has temporarily suspended admissions to our Professional Master of Public Administration (PMPA) program for Fall 2024. The temporary suspension of admissions will last for two years, as per the Senate Guidelines.


The PMPA curriculum includes core courses in leadership, governance, economics, research methods, policy analysis and  management and quantitative methods. In elective courses and a final capstone group project, program participants apply their learning to the analysis and resolution of real-world policy and management issues. 

PMPA students complete 10 courses in all to earn their MPA degree.

Core Courses

The core curriculum consists of six (3-credit) courses and two new (1.5-credit) courses in leadership.

First-year core courses are foundational to the program.  They introduce students to concepts of leadership and strengthen their understanding of the role of government and the nature of policy-making. As well they enhance students analytical and research skills. 

Second-year core course build on the first-year curriculum and include courses in policy analysis and management.

A final “capstone” in the third-year fall term (only) is an integrative group project in which students apply their leadership and skills to the analysis, development and implementation of a policy response to a real-world problem with policy leaders.

1. Public Sector Leadership

2. Analytical Tools

3. Governance and Management

4. Integration

 

Elective Courses

In addition, PMPA students can complete three (3) elective courses, one in their first winter term and/or their first summer term and two in their second summer term, selected from a rotating list of courses in substance policy and management fields.

 

Program Schedule

The PMPA class schedule allows participants to combine full-time professional responsibilities with part-time graduate studies. Classes are held on one Friday and Saturday each month from September to April and for one week—7 days in May. Electronic technologies facilitate research as well as ongoing communication among faculty and students between on-campus sessions.  Road to Completion

YEAR 1

MPA 823
MPA 800
MPA 804
MPA 806

 

Public Policy Leadership (1.5 credits)
Governing Institutions (3.0 credits)
Principles of Economics (3.0 credits)
Analytical Tools for Policy Research (3.0 credits)

One Elective Course (3.0 credits)

Fall, September (3 days)
Fall/Winter (October to March)
Fall (September to December - online)
Summer (one week in May - 7 days)

Summer (one week in May - 7 days)
YEAR 2

MPA 824
MPA 802
MPA 809

 

Policy Leadership in Practice (1.5 credits)
Approaches to Policy Analysis (3.0 credits)
Implementing Public Policy (3.0 credits)

Two Elective Courses (3.0 credits each)

Fall, September (3 days)
Fall/Winter (October to March)
Fall/Winter (October to March)

Summer (one week in May - 7 days)
YEAR 3 MPA 825 Team Leadership Project (3.0 credits) Fall Term (September to December)