Public Policy

General information

The Diploma in Public Policy is an undergraduate diploma offered by the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (Political Science program). The program consists of 24 credit hours. This program may be taken on a part-time or full-time basis. Taken full-time, the program can be completed in two semesters. The program is open to students who are currently enrolled in or who have completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline.

Admission requirements

Admission is limited to students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at Ontario Tech University or who have completed an undergraduate program in any discipline from an accredited university. Students who have completed an Ontario College diploma with a minimum 80 per cent average may be considered. Admission is competitive. The specific average or standing required for admission varies from year to year. Students are selected by taking into consideration a wide range of criteria including school marks, distribution of subjects taken, and performance in subjects relevant to the academic program. Possession of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Preference will be given to applicants with the best qualifications.

Practicum

With permission of the instructor and minimum GPA, a limited number of fourth-year students are granted an opportunity to participate in a learning experience with a community organization. The practicum course consists of 100 hours of fieldwork, in-class seminars, a set of academic assignments and a major research paper and poster. As part of the pre-practicum process, students will be required to acquire a Vulnerable Sector check. For additional information, please refer to the course description for SSCI 4098U .

Diploma requirements

The Diploma in Public Policy requires the completion of 24 credit hours, as outlined in the program map below. Each year prior to course registration, the order and timing of course offerings will be released by the university and communicated to students.

Note: Not all elective courses are offered every year.

Required

24 credit hours are required. Courses to be taken in the order they are scheduled.

• POSC 1200U – Introduction to Democracy in Theory & Practice
• POSC 2200U – Fundamentals of Policy Theory
• Choose at least two courses (6 credit hours) of Group A
• Choose at least two courses (6 credit hours) of Group B
• The remaining two courses (6 credit hours) may be selected from either A or B

Group A (choose at least two)

• LGLS 1000U – Foundations of Legal Studies (Note: Choose this course if you plan to take other LGLS courses)
• LGLS 2120U – International Law
• LGLS 2420U – Canadian Human Rights Law
• LGLS 3430U – International Human Rights
• LGLS 3520U – Law and Technology
• POSC 2000U – Canadian Politics
• POSC 2100U – Global Politics
• POSC 2502U – Community Development and Social Change
• POSC 3000U – Policy, Democracy and Governance
• POSC 3300U – Building Sustainable Communities
• POSC 3301U – Eco-Justice
• POSC 3302U – Environment and Globalization
• POSC 4010U – Policy Development
• SSCI 2900U – Research Methods (Note: Choose this course if you plan to do either POSC 4005U  or POSC 4104U )

Group B (choose at least two)

• LGLS 3310U – Indigenous Peoples, Law and the State in Canada
• LGLS 3530U – Intellectual Property
• LGLS 4040U – Law and the Environment
• LGLS 4070U – Public Governance through Law
• POSC 3100U – Political Economy of Global Development
• POSC 3101U – Inequality, Environment and Development
• POSC 3201U – Rural Communities
• POSC 3203U – Urban Development
• POSC 3303U – Policies for Sustainability
• POSC 3501U – Politics and Poverty
• POSC 3600U – Politics of Education in Canada
• POSC 3601U – The Politics of Health
• POSC 3603U – The Politics of Housing
• POSC 3700U – Technology, Politics and Social Theory
• POSC 3751U – Media, War and Conflict
• POSC 3800U – Business, Politics and the Macroeconomy
• POSC 4000U – International Politics and Policy
• POSC 4005U – Independent Study (Note: minimum GPA and approval of instructor required. Topic must be on a policy-related issue.)
• POSC 4104U – Directed Research (Note: minimum GPA and approval of instructor required. Topic must be on a policy-related issue.)
• SSCI 4098U – Practicum (Note: minimum GPA and approval of instructor required)

Alternate program map

Students concurrently enrolled in the Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and who have taken the Political Science courses listed above as part of their degree program, must follow the path listed below.

Required

• LGLS 1000U – Foundations of Legal Studies
• LGLS 2200U – Legal Theory
• Three other LGLS courses

Two of:

• LGLS 4070U – Public Governance through Law or
• POSC 4005U – Independent Study (Note: minimum GPA and approval of instructor required. Topic must be on a policy-related issue.) or
• POSC 4104U – Directed Research (Note: minimum GPA and approval of instructor required. Topic must be on a policy-related issue.) or
• SSCI 4098U – Practicum (Note: minimum GPA and approval of instructor required. Topic must be on a policy-related issue.) or
• SSCI 4101U – Honours Thesis I (Note: minimum GPA and approval of instructor required. Topic must be on a policy-related issue.)