Program Overview

Are you interested in conducting extensive academic research alongside internationally acclaimed faculty? Do you want to enhance your research skills, and ultimately narrow your focus to specialize in a certain dimension of public policy that benefits society?

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program provides you with knowledge of classical and contemporary theories of public policy, different frameworks used for policy analysis, decision-making, and research concepts and techniques for collecting and analyzing quantitative or qualitative data. Plus, you will conduct original research and contribute to the study of policy in the real world.

Examples of past student research include:

  • Adoption and implementation of healthcare innovation in the province
  • Business development and nation (re)building in Canadian First Nations
  • Governance of the Saskatoon southeast water supply system
  • Impact of digital technologies on labour in the mining sector
  • Policy enforcement of cannabis laws
  • Strategies for the resettlement of refugees in Canada

Connect with Us

Want to learn more about the MPP program? Chat with our admissions staff and ask any questions you have.

Students graduating from the MPP program possess the research skills necessary to play integral roles in the civil service, academia, research-based organizations and industry associations. Top students from this program may go on to doctoral programs in public policy.

Quick Facts

Looking for answers to some of your key questions? We have you covered.

Program Type Research-based program
Program Length  *The average time to completion is 3.5 years, although it is possible to complete the program in two years following the school’s recommended pace and studying full time.
Start Date September 
Application Deadline March 1
Tuition Effective September 1, 2023, the per-term tuition for the MPP program is approximately $2,107 for domestic students and $3,287 for international students, plus on-campus graduate student fees.
JSGS Scholarship Funding Highly qualified MPP students who are engaged in the program on a full-time basis will automatically be considered for funding at a competitive rate.
GRE/GMAT Requirement None
English Language Requirements Proof of language proficiency is required.
Location Regina (University of Regina campus) or Saskatoon (University of Saskatchewan campus)
Potential Career Paths Research Analysts, Strategic Analysts, Policy Analysts, Consultants, Ph.D. Candidates

Research Supervisors

It is not necessary to find a potential supervisor before you begin an application. The list below though may be helpful to learn about which JSGS faculty are accepting students for the upcoming academic year and in what areas of research focus. Please note that emeritus faculty are not accepting applications from new students.

JSGS Faculty Member Availability/Areas of Research Interest 
Jim Farney Jim Farney is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. or MPP students for September 2024 in the areas: Canadian education policy, provincial institutional and governance change, Canadian political development, and Canadian conservatism.
Margot Hurlbert Margot Hurlbert is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. and/or MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: climate change adaptation, achieving net zero energy futures and clean technology, and public policy.
Iryna Khovrenkov Iryna Khovrenkov is currently not accepting applications from new Ph.D. or MPP students for September 2024.
Ramona Kyabaggu Ramona Kyabaggu is currently accepting applications from new PhD (co-supervision only) and/or MPP (supervision and co-supervision) students for September 2024 in the following research areas: health information, health services, and public health research, with a focus on learning health systems, implementation of digital health technologies, and conducting secondary research using SDOH, and clinical and administrative source data.
Justin Longo Justin Longo is currently not accepting applications from new Ph.D. or MPP students for September 2024.
Akram Mahani Akram Mahani is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. and MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: Healthy sustainable cities and communities for all; multi-sectoral collaboration for improving population health outcomes; healthy public policies; integrated care with a focus on integrating public health and primary care; and health impact assessment.
Amy Zarzeczny Amy Zarzeczny is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. and MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: health law and policy, health policy, medical innovation. Students with a social science interest in regenerative medicine and professional regulation are particularly encouraged to apply.
Bruno Dupeyron

Bruno Dupeyron is currently not accepting applications from new MPP or PhD students for Spetember 2024.

Kathleen McNutt

Kathleen McNutt is currently not accepting applications from new MPP or PhD students for Spetember 2024.

Cheryl Camillo

Cheryl Camillo is currently not accepting applications from new MPP or PhD students for Spetember 2024.

Danette Starblanket

Danette Starblanket is currently not accepting applications from new MPP or PhD students for Spetember 2024.

It is not necessary to find a potential supervisor before you begin an application. The list below though may be helpful to learn about which JSGS faculty are accepting students for the upcoming academic year and in what areas of research focus.

JSGS Faculty Member Availability/Areas of Research Interest 
Martin Boucher Martin Boucher is currently accepting applications from new PhD and MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: small modular reactors, energy transitions, public sector entrepreneurship, energy democracy, post-secondary education policy, and skills and competency advancement.
Kurtis Boyer Kurtis Boyer is currently accepting applications from new PhD and MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: Métis/Indigenous governance, policy, and politics.
Yang Yang Yang Yang is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. and MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: food policy, experimental economics, consumer behaviour, farmer decision-making, and science communication.
Haizhen Mou Haizhen Mou is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. and MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: public finance.
Marc-Andre Pigeon Marc-Andre Pigeon is currently not accepting applications from new PhD and MPP students for September 2024.
Michelle Prytula Michelle Prytula is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. and MPP students for September 2024 in the following reserach areas: Leadership and leadership policy, educational finance, financial accountability in higher education, public sector leadership, education policy, higher education policy, higher education and adult learning, higher education management and administration.
Alaz Munzur  Alaz Munzur is currently accepting applications from new Ph.D. and MPP students for September 2024 in the following research areas: climate policy, international cooperation on climate change, international & internal trade policy, Canada's critical minerals strategy, rare earth elements, and strategic minerals policy.

Dionne Pohler
(Associate Member)

Dionne Pohler is currently not accepting applications from new Ph.D. and MPP students for September 2024.

Courses

Curriculum

The MPP is a research-based degree that involves a combination of coursework, research, and the writing of a thesis. Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 credit units of coursework. Once an applicant has been admitted, the program of studies (i.e., selection of appropriate courses) will be determined. 

Minimum two courses (six credit units) from the following:

The purpose of this course is to provide an economic framework for the analysis of public policy. The course uses microeconomic concepts to examine when and how the government should intervene in the economy. Using the starting point of policy as intervention, the course examines the circumstances under which government involvement is most likely to be desirable. The course then moves to consider the key instruments that government uses in its intervention. In the examination of these two broad issues, the course pays particular attention to how people and firms behave and how they are likely to respond to policy instruments. The course also develops the key concepts associated with cost-benefit analysis and shows how these concepts are used in the analysis of public policy.

This course focuses on the politics of aggregating individual decisions into collective action, revealing the difficulty of formulating and implementing public policy broadly construed. The course readings emphasize formal approaches to this subject, while the assignments and discussion emphasize their application to real problems.

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 thinking.

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.

Minimum one course (three credit units) from the following:

Focuses on the analysis of the processes whereby public policies arise and are enacted in Canada. The course compares theories and models of policy making and decision-making to illustrate the special requirements of the Canadian environment and examines the roles of various participants in the policy process: legislators, political parties, interest groups, administrators and administrative structures, citizens, and the judiciary.

This course will introduce students to applied policy analysis and key policy research methods including interviews, focus groups and surveys. As an applied project class students will work with faculty and representatives from the Saskatchewan Government to conduct a policy analytic review for a provincial ministry.

Another course on policy analysis, as recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by the Graduate Chair.

Minimum one course (three credit units) from the following:

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.

Another methods course, as recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by the Graduate Chair.

Minimum one course (three credit units) from the following electives (elective courses offered vary by year):

This course will review the historical development of the Canadian healthcare system and its supporting principles, governance structures and fiscal arrangements; and examine contemporary structures and relationships. Issues such as benefit coverage, health human resources, user fees, pharmaceuticals, regional health boards, and health reform in a comparative context will be examined.

This course examines how societal institutions and policy shape the role played by co-operatives in the economy, and how co-operative practices and innovations have in turn shaped these institutions and policy. Combining theoretical insights from the areas of institutions, economics, organizational behaviour, law and policy with case studies of co-operative organizations, the course allows students to develop their knowledge of the actions that both the state and co-operatives have undertaken, and provides students with a conceptual framework within which these actions can be viewed.

The social economy includes non-profit, community-based organizations, and co-operatives. This course focuses on how these organizations interplay with the public policies of different levels of government. Using case studies, students will examine administrative public policy, such as how the social economy is funded and how it is evaluated and held accountable, as well as substantive public policy, including community capacity building and partnership development. The course also includes a field trip to learn about local social economy organizations at work and guest lecturers, including both researchers and practitioners.

This graduate course is designed as a special topic course in the theory and practice of innovation policy. The graduate students will investigate the theory, methodology and applications of innovation policy through primary readings, discourse and writing.

This course begins with the historic framework for contemporary public policy established by treaties, reserves and legislation. Then it examines contemporary developments, including constitutional negotiations, influential court cases, urbanization, comprehensive claims and self-government implementation. This course is intended to provide a basis for critically assessing political and administrative decision-making and policy outcomes.

An interdisciplinary course that offers a comparative and historical perspective on social policy development, in Canada and in other advanced industrial countries.

This course outlines the existential threat to global water systems, set within the context of rapid population and economic growth, unsustainable water use, climate change, and ineffective management and policy. It explores the challenge of how to manage complex water systems in an era of deep uncertainty.

Another policy course, as recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by the Graduate Chair.

Transfer Credit

Each campus is different, as follows:
  • The University of Saskatchewan campus does not accept transfer credit.
  • At the University of Regina, transfer credit is awarded when a student has successfully completed coursework at this or another accredited institution of higher education at the Master’s level. This coursework must be first reviewed by JSGS, then recommended to Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research via JSGS. Credits can then be transferred to the student’s program at the University of Regina. Transfer credit(s) must be submitted for review and obtained in the first semester of beginning the new program. Transfer credit only applies to courses that have not been used to satisfy another academic credential (e.g. master’s degree, certificate, diploma). For more information, visit here.

Schedule

The intent of the MPP core course schedule is to provide students with assistance in planning for upcoming semesters.

Normally, some core and elective courses are scheduled during the daytime and some in the evening (or on weekends and/or in blocks) to accommodate both full-time and part-time learners.

**Classes may change as circumstances require.

Core Courses Fall Semester Winter Semester Spring Semester
JSGS 803 - Quantitative Methods X
JSGS 851 - Qualitative Methods X
JSGS 862 - Political Economy X
JSGS 865 - Decision Making in Organizations X
JSGS 869 - Ideas in Public Policy Analysis X

Tuition

Effective September 1, 2023, the per-term tuition for the MPP program is approximately $2,107 for domestic students and $3,287 for international students, plus on-campus graduate student fees.

Assuming a two-year completion, the total tuition (using rates for 2023-24) for a domestic student is approximately $18,963; for an international student, it is approximately $29,582. Assuming the average time to completion of 3.5 years, the total tuition (using rates for 2023-24) for a domestic student is approximately $22,124; for an international student, it is approximately $34,513.

Continuous registration for all students in the MPP program is required—that is, students must register in all three terms each academic year until their program is completed.

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.

Funding

Highly qualified MPP students who are engaged in the program on a full-time basis will automatically be considered for funding at a competitive rate.

In addition to potential funding from the school, there are scholarships and awards available for students at the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan.

Two-Campus Model

As Saskatchewan's policy school, the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School is unique in its partnership with both the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan. As a student, you'll benefit from learning from faculty and executives-in-residence across our two campuses and will have the opportunity to visit both campuses (either in person or virtually) throughout your program.

So how do you decide where to apply? Besides considering available faculty advisors at each campus, we encourage you to explore both universities and communities to determine which is the best fit for you.

University of Regina, College Avenue Campus
University of Regina, College Avenue Campus

Located on Treaty 4 lands, the University of Regina is situated on the territories of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda, and the homeland of the Métis Nation. 

As the provincial capital, Regina is home to Saskatchewan's Legislative Building which sits near the beautiful Wascana Lake. The Legislative Building is also the main backdrop to the University of Regina's College Avenue Building and home of the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School. A short distance from the main campus, the historic and recently renovated College Avenue Campus is located close to downtown Regina. 

Referred to by many as the "Queen City", Regina is home to 230,000+ residents and is the main hub for many provincial public servants as well as municipal employees.

University of Saskatchewan campus
University of Saskatchewan campus

Located in Saskatoon on Treaty 6 lands, the University of Saskatchewan is situated on the territories of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dene, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, and the homeland of the Métis Nation. 

A quick 2.5-hour drive from Regina, Saskatoon is located in the central part of Saskatchewan near the South Saskatchewan River Valley. The city boasts many attractive walking trails, a vibrant social scene, and a welcoming place for all. Situated on the northwest side of campus in the Diefenbaker Building, the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School overlooks the South Saskatchewan River and the core downtown area.

Referred to by many as the "Paris of the Prairies", Saskatoon is home to 273,000+ residents and is home to many federal public servants, industry and scientific leaders, as well as municipal employees.

Admissions and Deadlines

Application Deadlines

The application deadline for the MPP program is March 1 for entry in the following academic year. The MPP program welcomes a new class each September.

To meet the deadline, all components of your application must be received by 11:59 p.m. (Central Standard Time - CST) on March 1. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed nor will they be deferred to future terms.

Application Qualifications

Students from a wide variety of disciplines—including everything from the fine arts to the humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, and professional college disciplines—are eligible to apply to the MPP program. Because concepts derived from microeconomics and statistics are used in parts of the program, students without a background in these areas are encouraged to take additional non-credit instruction, which may be offered by the school.

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
University of Regina Applicants must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree in any area with a GPA of at least 75 percent.
University of Saskatchewan Applicants must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree from a recognized university. To meet the basic program requirements, an average of 75 percent or better must be maintained during the final two years (60 credit units) of the undergraduate program or in the graduate program if students are entering the MPP after a graduate degree.

Admission to the MPP program is very competitive. Please note that because the number of applications received greatly exceeds the number of available places (we typically admit six to eight students a year), not all qualified applicants will be offered admission. Successful candidates will typically have an average in excess of 80 percent (or lower first class).

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, letters of reference, letter of intent, and resume via your online application portal.

You will have the opportunity to enter the names and email addresses of your referees in the online application portal. Once you pay the application fee and submit the application, the system will automatically contact your referees with a link for their submission. Remember to advise your referees to check their spam folder for the auto-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
Student Waiver Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy is a collaboration between the University of Regina and University of Saskatchewan. To share information between the two universities, please complete and upload the student waiver form.
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 applicable)

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

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, properly referenced (if applicable), and concise. Please limit your response to each of the questions to no more than 200 words.

The MPP is a research degree. Your personal statement offers you the chance to describe your interests and fit with the MPP program. It also provides you with the opportunity to clearly detail your background and preparation, the ideas and methods that you bring to public policy and an indication of the particular areas of public policy that interest you. As you answer the application questions listed above, please address the following points: your motivation for pursuing a research degree (rather than a course-based graduate degree); any research or relevant practical experience you may have; particular theories, ideas or methods you are interested in exploring, and how your research interests fit within our School’s identified areas of research concentration (Governance, Social Policy and Inequality, and Innovation, Science and Technology).

This statement is an opportunity to show your personality, critical thinking ability, and interest in public policy research. It will also assist the Admissions Committee in determining whether there is a match among the faculty to supervise you in one of your proposed areas of research. You do NOT need to include a well-developed research proposal at the time of application.

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 MPP is a research degree. Your letter of intent offers you the opportunity to describe to the admissions committee your interests and fit with the MPP program. It also provides you with the opportunity to clearly detail your background and preparation, the ideas and methods that you bring to public policy and an indication of the particular areas of public policy that interest you. Please clearly address each of the following:
  1. Why do you want to pursue a research degree focusing on public policy?
  2. Research background and preparation on policy-related research, including scholarly and practical experience.
  3. Theories, ideas and methods that you want to use or explore.
  4. Any specific research interests you hope to explore, especially as how your research interest fits one of our areas of research priority (innovation, science, technology, health, society and inequality, and governance)?
  5. Have you approached any of the faculty at the school? If so, please name them.

You do NOT need to have a well-developed research proposal. However, the committee does like to see that you can clearly articulate your interests and ideas. 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, critical thinking ability, and interest in public policy research. Please say something original and distinctive that sets you apart from other applicants.

Your letter of intent should be a maximum of 700 words.

For questions regarding the Master of Public Policy:

Graduate Administrator | Email: 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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