Calgary SPP

Curriculum Design: The Calgary MPP one of the newer North American MPP programs, and is unusual in being designed to be completed in 12-months, including the summer semester. The Calgary MPP requires the equivalent of 11-one-semester courses to graduate. Our PEACO calculations below suggest that typical students take about 51% of their coursework in policy-oriented subjects and 49% in management-oriented subjects, and that they take about 27% of their coursework in subjects with high math-economics content. This places the Calgary MPP in the "low course requirement, management-oriented, higher math-economics content" curricular type, along with such programs as the Cambridge MPP and the Northwestern MPPA (see MPP/MPA Curricular Types). The Calgary MPP provides access to a range of courses in a number of University of Calgary departments. Our PEACO calculations suggest that typical students take about 85% of their coursework in program-specific courses delivered in the School and 15% of their coursework outside the School. The competency gap analysis below suggests that a Calgary MPP student taking the required courses and a random selection of listed electives would, on average, graduate with approximately 67 course-weeks of shortfall in the core-competency subject matter identified in MPP/MPA Core Competencies, including shortfalls of about 16 course-weeks in Policy and Management Analysis and about 8 course-weeks in both Quantitative Methods and Leadership Skills. On the other hand, this student would graduate with well over the minimum competency requirements in Economic Analysis and Communication Skills. 

Professional Program Features: The teaching faculty at the Calgary SPP includes a number of former practitioners. The School website describes the Professional Development opportunities as follows: "As an MPP student you have numerous opportunities to add to your network of contacts by attending events with public policy leaders, alumni and employers. In addition to the weekly MPP Speaker Series where working professionals from numerous policy related fields visit the School for an interactive discussion with students, the School enables students to build their professional capabilities through sessions such as: creating job application documents for paid internships and post-graduation employment; social media and your job search; interview techniques; understanding the hiring cycle of various federal government departments;recruitment in the private sector and not for profit realm; how to leverage your capstone for employment-related purposes; ways to develop and sustain relationships with MPP alumni in Calgary, Canada, and beyond; professional development options available at the University of Calgary main campus; and opportunities in the City of Calgary to meet numerous professionals and build local contacts." (At http://www.policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/news-current-students, accessed 2 April 2015.) The Research section of the School website is found at http://www.policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=research and includes papers dated from 2008.

University: University of Calgary

Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Degree: Master of Public Policy (MPP)

Marketing Approach: "Unlike traditional, theory-based graduate programs, the Master of Public Policy (MPP) enables students to solve a broad range of real-world policy problems. This practical, hands-on and intensive program is unlike any other policy program in Canada. Program components are guided by The School's three focus areas: Economic and Social Policy; International Policy; Energy and Environmental Policy. Students interested in pursuing a professional degree program in public policy that can be completed in 12 months through intensive study will find the Master of Public Policy (MPP) an ideal choice for a public policy role in the government, private sector, and not for profit realm. The School has graduates working in a diverse number of fields across Canada, and by joining the MPP program, you will have the ability to tie into this network of professionals. Students graduate with a comprehensive set of analytical and quantitative skills that enable them to formulate and implement policy across multiple business sectors. The School offers students a series of professional development sessions aimed at providing them the ability to obtain a paid summer internship and secure meaningful, policy related work upon graduation. Students regularly interact with MPP alumni employed in numerous fields while also developing professional contacts in Calgary and beyond." (At http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/master-public-policy-mpp, accessed 2 April 2015.)

Degrees Awarded per Year: Approximately 30 (based on page 1 of the April 2013-March 2014 Annual Growth Review which states: "In September, we welcomed our third Master of Public Policy class consisting of 30 students..." (At http://www.policyschool.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/Annual%20Review%202014.pdf, accessed 2 April 2015.)

Academic Unit within University: School of Public Policy, in the Faculty of Graduate Studies (see list of Departments & Programs at  http://contacts.ucalgary.ca/directory/departments#intr)

Related Academic Units and Degrees: The University of Calgary's graduate programs are listed at: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/prospective/graduate-programs. Master's degrees in economics and political science are delivered through the respective departments in the Faculty of Arts. There are professional Master's degrees in business, architecture, planning, education, nursing, social work, law, medicine, geographic information systems, public policy, sustainable energy development, geoscience, and engineering (at http://grad.ucalgary.ca/prospective, accessed 2 April 2015) delivered through distinct academic units (departments, schools or faculties). There is no graduate program in international relations or development.

Posted Tuition: $20,492.88 for the one-year program for a full-time Canadian student; $30,739.35 for International students (at http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/fees, accessed 2 April 2015) 

Concentration/Curriculum Overview: The MPP is a 12-month program primarily designed for full-time study. Program curriculum is guided by The School of Public Policy's three focus areas: Economic and Social Policy; International Policy; and Energy and Environmental Policy.  

Summary: Students are normally required to complete two preparatory courses, a block week course on effective writing and research skills, eight core courses (one of which involves completion of a capstone project in which they apply the skills they have learned to a well-defined issue of public policy) and two elective courses. The final product of the capstone project is expected to be a high quality research report. Work on the capstone project will be supervised by a School of Public Policy (SPP) faculty member and will typically also involve input from an expert in the private sector or government. Of the ten required courses beyond the preparatory stage, eight are mandatory. Required courses are designed for the MPP program and are taught by faculty appointed to or affiliated with the School of Public Policy. Depending on their background, students may be exempted from one or more of the mandatory courses. In such cases students will be required to replace the course from which they have been exempted with an approved elective course.

The remaining two courses are electives. The elective courses must be selected from graduate-level courses offered at the University of Calgary. In selecting electives, students need to be aware that they must satisfy the prerequisites for those courses. Examples of courses (see http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/examples-elective-courses) for which it has been determined that MPP students would typically have the necessary prerequisites are listed below.

Duration: 1 year "The Master of Public Policy is composed of three terms beginning with two preparatory courses in late August and ending with the completion of the capstone project 12 months later" (at http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/program-courses, accessed 2 April 2015).

Number of One-Semester-Equivalent Courses Required for Completion: 11: 10 one-semester courses plus 2 preparatory courses and a block-week course on effective writing and research skills (estimated at 1/3 course-equivalent each).

Note 1: The preparatory courses are five days with 5.5 contact hours per day for a total of 27.5 contact hours. If we assume this requires a total of 40 hours of in and outside class study this is roughly 1/3 of the estimated 120 hours of study associated with a normal one-semester course.

Number of Required Courses: 9 (including preparatory and block-week courses) 

Number of Electives Typically Taken (difference between above two entries): 2

Number of Courses Offered within Program: 18 Note 2: The Course Map below also lists courses from departments outside the School that are listed (see http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/examples-elective-courses) as examples of courses for which it has been determined that MPP students would typically have the necessary prerequisites.

Comprehensive Examination: No

Thesis Required: No

Internship Required: No

International Study Required: No

Co-curricular Activities Supportive to Degree

Professional Development and Career Support: Yes. School has a Career Specialist (see page 18 of http://www.policyschool.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/MPP%20Student%20Handbook%202013-2014%20%28final%29.pdf, accessed 16 November 2013) and a series of professional development workshops.

Student-run Journal: No

Applied Projects:  PPOL-623: Capstone Project

Pro Bono Consulting: No

Courses Offered: The list of required courses, with brief course summaries, can be found on the drop-down menus at: http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=content/prospective-students. Four elective courses currently offered at the School are listed at http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/course-outlines. These have been assigned to Atlas subjects in the map below. Required courses are indicated by (R) and those used as "compass courses" for the Atlas are marked with an asterisk (*).

Course Syllabi Online: Syllabi for the courses offered by the School are provided at http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/course-outlines (accessed 2 April 2015).

Instructional Distribution (PEACO Profile): The table below indicates the distribution of instruction offered, based on the course assignments to subjects in the Course Map below, weighted by estimated enrolment determined by the PEACO Algorithm. PPOL course are offered within the School. Required courses are marked (R).

 

		Calgary
		MPP
Curricular Type Parameters
	Number of Courses Required for Graduation	11.0
	Math-Economics Subjects (EA, QM, Macro, Fin Markets)	27.1%
	Policy-Oriented Subjects	50.8%
	Management-Oriented Subjects	49.2%
Enrolment-Adjusted Course Distribution
	Analysis and Skill Subjects	53.5%
	- Policy and Management Analysis	1.3%
	- Economic Analysis	23.3%
	- Quantitative  and Analytic Methods	13.8%
	- Leadership and Communication Skills	15.1%
	Institutions and Context Subjects	24.8%
	- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process	21.7%
	- Ethics, Rights and Accountability	0.0%
	- Socioeconomic, Political, and Global Contexts	3.0%
	Management Function Subjects	12.2%
	- Public Financial Management	0.0%
	- Evaluation and Performance Measurement	0.4%
	- Other Management Functions	11.7%
	Policy Sector Subjects	9.6%
	- Macroeconomic Policy	0.4%
	- International Development	0.0%
	- Health	1.3%
	- Other Policy Sectors	7.8%
	Total	100%
Competency Gap Analysis (in Course-Weeks of Instruction)
	Course-Weeks in Core Subjects taken by Typical Student	106
	Surplus or Shortfall Relative to Core Competency Requirement
	- Policy and Management Analysis (CCR = 18 course-weeks)	-16
	- Economic Analysis (CCR = 12)	19
	- Quantitative Methods (CCR = 12)	-8
	- Analytic Methods (CCR = 6)	8
	- Leadership Skills (CCR = 9)	-8
	- Communication Skills (CCR = 3 courses)	16
	- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process (CCR = 18)	11
	- Ethics, Rights and Accountability (CCR = 6 courses)	-6
	- Socioeconomic and Political Context (CCR = 6)	-3
	- Global Context (CCR = 3)	-2
	- Public Financial Management (CCR = 6)	-6
	- Evaluation and Performance Measurement (CCR = 6)	-5
	- Human Resource Management (CCR = 3)	-3
	- Information and Technology Management (CCR = 3)	-3
	- Macroeconomic Policy (CCR = 6)	-5
	- Environment and Sustainability (CCR = 3)	-2
	Subject-Matter Shortfall for Typical Student (Sum of Shortfalls)	-67
Additional Parameters
	Total Courses Listed	55
	Courses Designated as Required (inc. Specialization Reqs)	9.0
	Archetypal Public Affairs Subjects (P&MA, EA, QM, DI&PP)	49.7%
	Archetypal International Affairs Subjects (I&GC, ID, DS&FR)	2.6%

Source: At http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/ and http://policyschool.ucalgary.ca/?q=students/program-courses (accessed 2 April 2015)