Program Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Public Policy Research is designed for those directly involved in policy analysis and development and to those involved in policy decisions who want to increase their understanding of the overall policy process. It will provide students with a basic foundation in public policy analysis, development, and evaluation.

Students will develop analytic skills and gain a solid understanding of the basics of public policy implementation and development.

JSGS does not recommend graduate certificate programs to international students for the following reasons:

  • The certificates are only 3 courses (9 credit units) in length, and to be considered a full-time student, you must register in 6 credit units (2 courses) per term.
    • For example, if a graduate certificate student wants to maintain full-time status, the maximum time in the graduate certificate program would be 6 months if starting in January (encompasses Winter and Spring terms), or 8 months if starting in May (encompasses Spring and Fall terms) or September (encompasses Fall and Winter terms), and a student would need to take a fourth course and pay additional tuition to have full-time status in each term.
  • JSGS cannot guarantee that courses required for our graduate certificate programs will be available each term.
  • If a required course is unavailable, it can affect the opportunity for full-time studies.

Quick Facts

Program Type Graduate Certificate
Program Length 1 year (course-based)
Start Date Entry is possible in any semester (September/Fall, January/Winter, and May/Spring).
Application Deadline Please note that while we are not opening general admissions for the Graduate Certificate in Public Policy Research, the program is still available. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Tuition

Domestic students: $1,725.87 CAD

International students: $3,020.27 CAD

Students are also required to pay on-campus graduate student fees.

JSGS Scholarship Funding None
GRE/GMAT Requirement None
English Language Requirements Proof of language proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
Location Classes are offered online
Potential Career Paths Manager, Program Advisor

Courses

The certificate program consists of three electives (nine credit units) from the following options:

This course provides students with the statistical concepts and techniques required for conducting research and critically evaluating empirical studies. Topics include statistical inference, sampling theory, and data and regression analysis as applied to problems in public policy.

This course provides students with the opportunity to learn and practice inquiry processes for conducting qualitative research. Students will examine the following topics: issues in qualitative data (ontology, epistemology, methodology and method), collection of qualitative data (e.g., interviewing, ethnography, focus groups, case studies), analysis of data, and combining qualitative and quantitative data.

In this course, students examine the manner in which decisions are made in organizations, with a particular focus on policy decisions. The course uses a wide variety of behavioural theories to look at phenomena such as policy traps, framing, unwarranted optimism, and group think.

This course examines key readings in the public policy literature and provides students with an overview of key concepts and outcomes from political science, economics, sociology, and law that are germane to the theory and practice of public policy. The aim of the course is to provide the participants with a greater understanding of classical and contemporary theories of public policy and the ability to critically analyze and compare public policy. The material covered in the course serves as the foundation for the PhD comprehensive exam.

Tuition

Effective September 1, 2024, the tuition rate per three-credit-unit course for domestic students is approximately $1,725.87 and $3,020.27 for international students. Students are also required to pay on-campus graduate student fees.

If you are offered admission into the program, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $1,000 CAD is required to save your seat. You have 30 days from the date of the offer of admission being made to accept. If you enroll in the program consistent with the terms of the offer, the $1,000 deposit will be applied to your student account. If you do not enroll, the deposit is retained by JSGS.

NOTE: Tuition and fees are subject to change. Should there be a discrepancy between the information posted on the institution's website and information posted on the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy website, the institution's website should be viewed as accurate.

NOTICE: If you are an Indigenous student from Canada, you are eligible for a waiver for the non-refundable deposit. For more information, please contact the advisor for the program and campus to which you are applying.

Admissions and Deadlines

Application Deadlines

Applications to Graduate Certificate programs are accepted on an ongoing basis and are reviewed in the order in which they are completed. Therefore, it is to your advantage to submit a completed application as early as possible, as enrollment is limited. The admission process is competitive and late application submissions may be at a disadvantage. 

Entry is possible in any semester (September/Fall, January/Winter, and May/Spring).

Program Entry Latest Application Deadline for International Students*  Latest Application Deadline for Domestic Students
September/Fall May 1  May 1
January/Winter October 1 October 1
May/Spring February 1 February 1

To meet these deadlines, ALL components of your application must be received by the dates above. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed nor will they be deferred to future terms.

* JSGS does not recommend graduate certificate programs to international students due to complications with maintaining registration across terms and course offerings per term that may affect full-time student status.

Application Requirements

Please ensure that you meet the entrance requirements of either the University of Regina Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research or the University of Saskatchewan College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (depending on your choice of campus).

Application Qualifications
Standard admission
  • Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English. A minimum overall TOEFL score of 86 is required with a minimum score of 20 in each area, or a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum score of 6.0 in each area, or another approved test as outlined in the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Academic Policies.
  • A four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study
  • A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
Non-standard admission

Applicants who do not meet the standard admission requirements can apply using the non‐standard application process. In this case, applicants must:

  • Have completed at least one year (18 credit units) of higher education
  • Taken a minimum five-year break from formal higher education
  • Possess a minimum of ten years of work experience with at least five years of management experience

Application Process and Required Documentation

The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy has aligned its application requirements (where possible) across its two university campuses; however, please note that the application portal varies by campus.

Please apply through one campus only

When applying to the JSGS University of Regina campus, please note that you must submit an application through the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

You may choose to upload unofficial transcripts, supporting documents, letter of intent, and resume via your online application portal.

The application system will automatically send a reference request immediately after you enter their information, before you pay the application fee. Kindly request your referees to check their spam folder for the automated email from uregina.ca domain.

To troubleshoot document uploads, referee issues, other technical aspects of the online application, contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at grad.publicpolicy@uregina.ca.

Required Documents Description
Official Transcripts

Upload unofficial transcripts for all post-secondary education, that is, from each accredited institution you’ve attended where you’ve received at least one grade for one course for academic credit. If you are registered in such a course presently, upload a transcript even without the course completed.

Do NOT upload University of Regina transcripts. FGSR staff will access these internally.

JSGS will evaluate applications based on unofficial documents. JSGS only requires official documents after an acceptance letter is issued.

Option 2: Is it easy to obtain official transcripts? Is it inexpensive? Is the application deadline at least a month away? If you answer yes to all questions, consider skipping the unofficial transcript upload and send your official documents directly to FGSR.
Proof of English proficiency (if required)

International applicants may need to submit proof of English proficiency in the form of a recognized test. Search for your post-secondary institution on the WHED database. If this database clearly indicates solely English as language of instruction, this will suffice as proof of English proficiency.

Resume An updated resume with scholarly contributions, background information, education history, and relevant employment history.
Personal Statement / Letter of Intent

The University of Regina’s online application form includes a personal statement section where applicants are asked to answer the following four questions:

  1. Please describe your specific area of academic interest, and explain what motivated you to choose this area.
  2. Describe how your past education, professional and other experiences have prepared you to be successful in this graduate program.
  3. Describe what you hope to achieve in this graduate program.
  4. Describe why this particular graduate program at the University of Regina may help you fulfill your long-term aspirations/objectives.

As you answer these questions, please keep in mind the Admissions Committee is assessing your ability to write in a clear, coherent and professional manner. You should make every effort to ensure your personal statement is free of spelling and grammatical errors, is properly referenced (if applicable) and is concise. Please limit your response to each of the questions to no more than 200 words.

Letter of Recommendation

The University of Regina requires three letters of recommendation. Please choose academic and/or professional people who can comment on your ability to succeed in the program. Applicants can supply name and contact information in the online application portal.

When applying to the JSGS University of Saskatchewan campus, please note that you must submit an application through the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The online application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may start an application, save it and return to it any time before the application deadline.

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Once you have completed an online application, you will need to upload a series of documents. Please note that in most cases, you will need to allow one business day after paying your application fee before you are permitted to upload documents.

If your application fee has not been processed after 48 hours after being submitted, please contact grad.studies@usask.ca or phone 1-306-966-5788 for assistance. Please ensure you are checking the status of the application fee before emailing or calling. To check the status, please log into your application profile.

Required Documentation Description
Transcripts Preliminary Statement of Marks
  • Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as a Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Preliminary Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
  • The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college and must include a grading key/legend.
  • All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
  • Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will only be required once you have been offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.

Uploading documents

Post-secondary Transcripts

If you receive an offer of admission, you will then be required to have your official post-secondary transcripts sent (by mail in a sealed envelope directly from the institution) to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.

College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building, 110 Science Place 
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9

  • Transcripts usually indicate the institution’s name, grading scheme (typically on the back of the transcript), your name, course names, numbers, credits, and the grades you have received. Depending on the country or institution, some features may not be available.
  • Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
  • If you are a current University of Saskatchewan student completing your undergraduate program then a letter of completion of degree requirements will be required from your college.
Letter of Recommendation

When applying to the University of Saskatchewan campus, you will need to submit three letters of reference. Two of these referees must be academic, and one must be professional.

As an applicant, you are responsible for sending the reference letter links and updating the referee’s contact information. Through your application profile, you can update your referees, change your referee contact information, and send/re-send the link for the letter of reference.

Proof of English language proficiency (if required)

For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:

  • It is your responsibility to have completed an official and approved test with the appropriate score before the application deadline.
  • Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
  • Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.

If you receive an Offer of Admission you may be required to have your official language test scores sent to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.

College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building - 110 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9

Resume

A current resume that includes background and relevant employment history.

Personal Statement/ Letter of Intent

The University of Saskatchewan requires that all Graduate Certificate applicants submit a personal statement, two pages maximum, that outlines your purpose in applying to the certificate program.

The Admissions Committee wants to see that you can clearly articulate your interests and ideas. You should make every effort to ensure your personal statement is free of spelling and grammatical errors, is properly referenced (if applicable) and is concise. 

For questions about the application process or requirements for the Graduate Certificate program, please contact:

Graduate Administrator | jsgs@usask.ca

Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
Diefenbaker Building
101 Diefenbaker Place
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B8

Career Focus

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