Not only may scholarship opportunities pay for your education, but they also give you the opportunity to leave a legacy. Each year, graduate and undergraduate students are given the opportunity to apply for the esteemed scholarships provided by members of our community who are dedicated to supporting the cost of education at the School of Public Policy. For information on available awards and to apply for scholarships, please see the details below.
Education and public policy
A multidisciplinary curriculum called Education and Public Policy assesses how society promotes quality and equity in education. Courses delve into the complex cultural connotations of ideas like democracy and citizenship, and our instructors foster active problem-solving abilities by citing actual instances of laws and initiatives from government. You will learn about the real-world implications that policies have on kids, teachers, school administrators, families, and the community at large through readings, case studies, and discussions with your peers. Additionally, you will be able to list the educational practices and policies that are important to you and think through other approaches that might work well to address new issues.
What Is the Public Policy Major?
A major in public policy is ideal for someone who wishes to have a beneficial influence on the world. It examines the actions, inactions, and potential actions taken by the government in response to issues pertaining to public health, education, immigration, technology, sustainable development, and climate change, among other issues. Majors consider how individuals, businesses, organizations, and the government work together to address these societal concerns. They might enroll in management and leadership programs, preparing them to establish and oversee nonprofits and social enterprises, as well as lead government agencies.
How Do Public Policy Majors Affect Change?
People’s daily lives are significantly impacted by policies. Consider the issue of the affordability of higher education. In order to fully understand the issue, a public policy major would study how the political climate and the federal branches of government affect the passage and implementation of higher education policies. They would also use economic concepts to comprehend public funding and market conditions that led to the increase in costs, and they would analyze data on gender, race/ethnicity, and class. In order to work at the Department of Education executing a loan forgiveness program, individuals would acquire management skills related to public programs. They would gain leadership skills so they could work for a nonprofit and provide counseling for college debt. They would get managerial abilities so they might launch a nonprofit to offer emergency.
Our students have dreams of social change, and we will help them build a toolbox to come up with creative solutions, assess their feasibility, and hone their writing and presentation skills to persuade others to join in support. They are able to take management classes specifically designed for social mission organizations.
Public Policy Track Description
The Public Policy track is designed for scholars who are interested in conducting research on the nature, function, cause, and outcome of public policy. The program is taught by faculty who specialize in different levels of policy making, including the sub-national, national, European Union, and global levels. PhD students work on or have graduated with theses that focus on each of these different levels. The Public Policy track is devoted to the principles of good governance, transparency, accountability, and effectiveness.
Research and study in the Public Policy track draws on both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Most projects emphasize empirically driven analysis. The track is primarily designed to train academic researchers in the field of comparative public policy, but scholars also learn to apply analytical tools to ‘real world’ policy problems and to produce high-quality policy advice.
International relations, politics, law, and economics are just a few of the disciplinary backgrounds of the PhD program’s faculty members. They are not only well-known researchers in their fields, but they also have practical policy experience from working for companies like Vodafone or think tanks like the RAND Corporation, consulting with non-governmental organizations like Transparency International and the Open Society Institute, or advising national or local governments and international organizations like the World Bank Institute.
The Public Policy track prepares graduate students for careers in academic and applied research institutions, as well as the public, private and voluntary sector more generally. The core courses in the track focus on the development of professional research and analytical skills in the fields of European and international public policy, comparative policy analysis and political economy.
Master of Public Policy
The Master of Public Policy (MPP) program offers research opportunities and contributes to the field of public policy studies and the practical application of policy expertise. Graduates of the program have the research skills required to assume important roles in the civil service, research organizations, and industry associations. Top students from the program may pursue public policy doctorates. The program can be completed in as little as 16–24 months of full-time study. Each student is assigned an advisory committee upon admission.
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy
The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy (PhD) program provides highly qualified students with learning and research opportunities to further public policy scholarship and improve knowledge. Graduates of this degree will be qualified to work as public policy and management researchers for industry, government, think tanks, and other research organizations, as well as to instruct the upcoming generation of public service professionals.
In addition to course work that culminates in a rigorous exam, PhD candidates must propose, write, and defend a dissertation. With three years of full-time study, that is how quickly students can complete it. Financial support is something that full-time program participants may anticipate receiving. As soon as they join the program, each student is assigned a research advisor and an advisory committee.
Research supervisors
Locating a possible supervisor before starting an application is not required. However, you may find out more about our faculty’s research interests by looking at the list below.
The academic program at the school encompasses a wide range of topics, including public process intelligence, budgeting and public finance, agenda-setting, good governance, public-sector management, resource and environmental policy, trade and immigration policy, and health and social policy. These topics are all explored within the framework of the faculty’s substantive research areas.
Funding
Students enrolled full-time in the program and with exceptional qualifications may be eligible to earn competitive funding for their research. In order to qualify for this financing, MPP students must pledge to finish the program within a maximum of two academic years. To be eligible for this grant, PhD candidates must commit to finishing the program within a maximum of four academic years. Funding will be immediately considered for all completed applications.
Several funding alternatives are available to USask graduate students to support their graduate studies.
Who should apply?
The track welcomes applications in fields that reflect the multi-disciplinary nature of public policy and the track’s mission to bridge policy and practice. These include, in particular,
- European Union politics and policy, regional integration
- Governance (local, national, European Union, global)
- Public management and administration
- Policy reform analysis
- Development and trade
- Role of civil society in public policy
- Minorities
- Public services and utilities (particularly media and communications, energy and higher education)
- Economic and labor market policy
- Political parties and public policies
What Kinds of Jobs Can You Get with a Degree in Public Policy?
In addition to a professional development seminar, we offer career services such as internship and job placement assistance, mentorship, and a vibrant alumni network. You can pursue employment in government or nonprofit organizations both domestically and internationally after earning a degree in public policy. You can choose to go on to graduate school or launch your own social venture. A public policy major offers a strong basis for graduate study, law school, and a variety of professional master’s programs in business, public health, education, and public policy and management.
Conclusion
Public scholarship is scholarly writing with an eye toward audiences outside of academic institutions. When done well, public scholarship fills the knowledge gap between academics and the general public’s interest in learning more about current affairs. For example, public philosophy and religion studies offers crucial textual, cultural, and historical background for current topics like immigration reform, healthcare reform, and climate change.
