Degree offered: M.P.P.G.A.
Members
Professor
E. Baines, C. Callison, M. Cameron, T. Cheek, H. Gusterson, K. Hopewell, M. Kandlikar, P. Le Billon, A. Macfarlane, M.V. Ramana, N. Ramankutty, R. Sumaila, H. Tworek.
Associate Professor
S.Y. Kim, N. Kunz, M. Margulis, K. Ostwald, T. Shakya, S. Shneiderman.
Assistant Professor
T. Cookson, T. Khanna, A. Lin, T. Logan, J. Lu, V. Sriram.
Program Overview
The Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (M.P.P.G.A.) is a professional degree program in global public policy that provides students the inter-disciplinary skills and substantive knowledge necessary to deal with complex problems of the 21st century across local, national, and global contexts. The program typically takes 20 months to complete.
The M.P.P.G.A. program offers the acquisition of multi-disciplinary policy analysis skills through a sequence of core courses, plus concentrated study in one of three streams: Development and Social Change; Resources, Energy, and Sustainability; and Global Governance and Security. The program takes advantage of UBC’s strengths in these areas and its substantial faculty and program resources concerning contemporary Asia. Students will have opportunities for field-based learning and a client-based policy project. The program is delivered by the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (SPPGA).
Admission Requirements
All applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Normally, applicants for a master's degree program must hold the academic equivalent of a four-year bachelor's degree from UBC with one of the following:
- A minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC) in third- and fourth-year level courses.
- Academic standing with at least 12 credits of third- or fourth-year level courses in the A grade range (80% or higher at UBC).
- Alternatively, applicants who do not meet the requirements stated above, but who have had significant formal training and relevant professional experience, and/or otherwise possess demonstrable knowledge or expertise that would prepare them adequately for successful study in the M.P.P.G.A. program, may be granted admission on the recommendation of the M.P.P.G.A. Graduate Program Director and approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
All applicants offered admission to the M.P.P.G.A. program must demonstrate knowledge of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and statistics prior to the commencement of studies. See the program website for additional information and applicable deadlines.
Applicants with a degree from a university outside Canada in which English is not the language of instruction must present evidence of competency prior to an offer of admission. Test scores within 24 months of application must meet the following standards:
- TOEFL: 600 (paper version), 100 (internet version) - with no component score lower than 22, or
- IELTS: minimum overall band score of 7.0 with no component lower than 7.0.
Applicants will be evaluated on the following components of their applications:
- academic transcripts
- application statements
- three required letters of reference
- an acceptable English test score, where applicable
Relevant professional experience (generally at least two years) and proficiency in a second or third language relevant to the student’s planned program of study will be considered.
Applicants may be invited for an interview at the discretion of the selection committee. Meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission in the event that the number of applicants exceeds the number of available spaces.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credit cannot be applied towards the 16.5 core curriculum credits. Up to 6 credits may be applied towards the 18 elective credits. In order to be eligible for transfer, the credits:
- must be completed with a minimum B+ standing (74% UBC-equivalency)
- must be graduate courses (500–600 level UBC equivalent)
- must not have been counted toward the completion of another degree or program
- must have been completed no more than five years prior to the time the student commences the M.P.P.G.A. program
- cannot be used as a basis for admission to the M.P.P.G.A. program.
Students participating in M.P.P.G.A. approved exchanges can apply up to 12 credits from exchange towards their M.P.P.G.A. elective requirements provided they meet the Transfer Credit Requirements of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and with approval of the M.P.P.G.A. Graduate Program Director.
Decisions concerning transfer credit are made by the M.P.P.G.A. Graduate Program Director and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
Program Requirements
The M.P.P.G.A. program requires completion of 45 credits including:
- 16.5 500-level core required course credits: All of PPGA_V 503, PPGA_V 504, PPGA_V 505, PPGA_V 508, PPGA_V 509 (1.5 credits), and PPGA_V 514;
- 3 credits from the economics requirements: One of PPGA_V 500, PPGA_V 520, PPGA_V 544, or PPGA_V 568, plus designated special topics courses;
- 1.5 credits from professional skills courses: One of PPGA_V 510, PPGA_V 511, or PPGA_V 592;
- 6 credit PPGA_V 590 Global Policy Project;
- 18 credits of electives
- 12 credits from one stream
- 6 credits from electives courses
With permission of the Graduate Program Director, six credits may be taken from courses outside the program. View specific course requirements on our website.
Eligible Stream Courses
Students are to complete 12 credits chosen from one of the following streams:
Stream 1: Development and Social Change
This stream focuses on the economics and institutions of development. It focuses on how policy making can enable countries and communities to grow and to manage social change in an inclusive manner.
PPGA_V 520, PPGA_V 521, PPGA_V 522, PPGA_V 523, PPGA_V 524, PPGA_V 525, PPGA_V 526, PPGA_V 527, PPGA_V 528, PPGA_V 568, PPGA_V 569, plus designated special topics courses.
Stream 2: Resources, Energy, and Sustainability
This stream addresses global and regional sustainability with a focus on policy making related to energy and natural resources. It bridges scientific understanding with the needs of policy making on energy and resource use, urbanization, and the global environment.
PPGA_V 540, PPGA_V 541, PPGA_V 542, PPGA_V 543, PPGA_V 544, PPGA_V 545, PPGA_V 562, PPGA_V 584, plus designated special topics courses.
Stream 3: Global Governance and Security
This stream uses the lens of governance to address human security. It examines how human rights and international relations play a key role in policy making at the national and global scale.
PPGA_V 528, PPGA_V 560, PPGA_V 561, PPGA_V 562, PPGA_V 562, PPGA_V 563, PPGA_V 564, PPGA_V 565, PPGA_V 566, PPGA_V 567, PPGA_V 569, plus designated special topics courses.
Design Your Own Stream
Students with a specific area of interest that does not directly align with any one of the above streams can combine courses from multiple streams to create their own learning pathway. This unique learning plan requires approval of the Graduate Program Director.
Eligible Elective Courses
Students are to choose 6 credits from the following courses:
PPGA_V 580, PPGA_V 581, PPGA_V 582, PPGA_V 583, and any PPGA_V 500 or higher not being used toward other M.P.P.G.A. requirements.
No course can be double-counted, i.e., used to satisfy two requirements (e.g., if PPGA_V 544 is used to satisfy the economics requirement, it cannot be counted as part of stream or elective credits).
Not all stream and electives courses are offered every year.
Contact Information
M.P.P.G.A. Program
C.K. Choi Building
1855 West Mall, UBC
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z2
Tel: 604.822.3801
Email: mppga.program@ubc.ca
Web: sppga.ubc.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ubcsppga