The Program
Applications our Fall 2023 cohort will open Fall 2022. Please visit the following website to apply. www.ualberta.ca/graduate-studies/prospective-students/apply-for-admission.
The Master of Arts in Policy Studies (MAPS) prepares students to conduct leading research in public policy and mobilize solutions to our world’s most pressing policy challenges.
Housed within the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta in Edmonton (the province’s capital city), MAPS exposes students to the interaction of politics and policy while connecting them to top practitioners and leading policy experts from across the government spectrum.
The program offers:
A unique pracademic approach which means that students are exposed to both the latest academic research and to practical, hands-on learning opportunities.
Experiential and case-based learning opportunities in the classroom and outside of it.
The chance to take charge of your own professional development and career goals from the start of the program.
Practicum placements, as well as possibilities of internship placements after graduation.
For those with professional experience, there is a course-based stream.
Opportunities to learn from and network with policy professionals from municipal, provincial, and federal government, as well as in Indigenous governance organizations, and the private and non-profit sectors in Alberta and beyond.
The MA in Policy Studies is designed to take 16 months to complete.
Practicum-based stream students will typically take six courses in the first academic year, and then complete their practicum and capstone project in their second academic year. Depending on the practicum placement, some students may begin their practicum during the summer at the end of the first academic year.
Students completing the course based program will take courses in the first year. In the second year, they will complete the capstone project and finish the remaining course requirements.
Program Requirements
There are two potential routes through the MA: The practicum-based and the course-based.
All students are required to take three core courses:
POL S 527: Power, Politics, and Policymaking in Canada
POL S 532: Indigenous Engagement, Governance and Policy
POL S 902: Policy Studies Capstone Seminar
For the practicum-based MA, 27 credit hours are required. In addition to the three required courses, students take 18 credit hours of graduate-level courses. Normally, for practicum-based students, this will include 6 credit hours for the Practicum Placement (POL S 803 & POL S 804) and four other graduate-level courses. These courses will be chosen from program electives, Political Science graduate courses, or from outside of the department (to a maximum of six credit hours).
For the course-based MA, 27 credit hours are required. In addition to the three required courses, students take 18 credit hours of graduate-level courses. Normally, for course-based students, this will be achieved through completing six graduate-level courses. These courses will be chosen from program electives, Political Science graduate courses, or from outside of the department (to a maximum of six credit hours).
Students can take up to two courses (6 credit hours) outside the department, subject to departmental approval.
Language Requirement
There is no language requirement for the MA degree.Residency Requirement
The minimum period of residence for full-time programs is two four-month terms of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.Length of Program
The time required to complete the MA will vary with the program and candidate. Full-time students in the MA program will normally complete the program within 20 months.