Public Administration - on-campus (MPA)
Our MPA thesis-based on-campus program will challenge you with a curriculum that focuses on strategic awareness, analytical thinking, communication and leadership. You’ll complete coursework and two co-op work terms. These experiences and your research will prepare you to create an original thesis. You can create your thesis in collaboration with a client organization.
| Expected length | Project or thesis | Course-based |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years, 6+ academic terms, depending on completion of thesis | Yes | No |
Quick facts
- Program options:
- Master's
- Study options:
- Full-time study
- Program delivery:
- On-campus
- Dynamic learning:
- Other: Mandatory co-op
Outcomes
MPA thesis-based (on-campus) students will build competencies in strategic awareness, analytical thinking, collaboration, engagement, communication, research-design, professionalism and leadership.
Your thesis will involve researching problems and considering strategic options to address a policy or management challenge for a government agency, non-profit organization or community client. You’ll reviewing literature, undertake empirical work, best practices, and develop options and recommendations.
Find a supervisor
You are not required to find a supervisor before applying to our programs. We recommend that you list three potential supervisors in your letter of intent.
Astrid Brousselle
Professor Evaluation approaches and methods, Planetary Health, theory-based evaluation, ecological transition, public health, health system analysis, collaborative/participative/community based approaches, qualitative methods
David Castle
Professor Science, technology and innovation policy , Open science and research data
Dr. Sarah Marie Wiebe (she/her)
Assistant Professor and Academic Program Lead (MACD and PhD Programs) Environmental justice, Public engagement, Critical policy studies, Climate emergencies and displacement, States of emergency, Interpretive research and arts-based methods, Community development, Indigenous community engagement and governance
Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly (he/his)
Professor & Jean Monnet Chair Border studies: border disputes, border security, border management, management of cross border regions; European Union: regional and urban policies, immigration and border security policies; Canada - United States border policies
Evert Lindquist
Professor Public sector and public service reform, Designing and implementing policy interventions, Digital and collaborative governance, Horizontal governance and administration to support policy interventions, Organizing for policy and administrative innovation, Role and influence of think tanks in policy networks, Competing values in public sector leadership and reform
Heather Castleden
Professor, Impact Chair in Transformative Governance for Planetary Health Transformative governance; Planetary health; Decolonizing energy; Decolonizing the academy; Climate change; Climate justice; Climate displacement; Renewable energy; Water; Social justice; Environmental racism; Health equity; Indigenous-Settler Relations; Research ethics; Relationality; Accountability; Indigenous Rights; Critical methods; Anti-colonial; Anti-racist; Participatory methods; Qualitative inquiry; Community-based participatory research
J. Barton (Bart) Cunningham
Professor Human resource issues, Leadership, Organizational behaviour and change, Insight problem solving, Stress and mental health, Action learning and research
Katya Rhodes
Associate Professor Multi-attribute climate policy analysis, Pro-environmental behaviour, Survey-based methods, Energy-economy modelling, Comparative climate policy
Robert Lapper, KC
Lam Chair in Law and Public Policy and Graduate Advisor Justice system policy and reform, Access to Justice, Indigenous law and legal issues, Technology and design in law and policy
Tamara Krawchenko
Associate Professor Comparative public policy; regional development; sustainability transitions
Walter Lepore
Assistant Professor Organizational analysis and design, Organizational performance assessment, Program and policy monitoring and evaluation, Strategic planning, Transparency, accountability, corruption and conflict of interests in the public sector, Public sector reforms, Mixed methods research, Experimental research designs, Community-based participatory research, Capacity development in participatory research, Community-university research partnerships, Community development
Show me program details
Providing you accurate admission requirements, application deadlines, tuition fee estimates and scholarships depends on your situation. Tell us about yourself:
Your program details
Application deadlines
September entry – apply by January 31
September entry – apply by December 15
Admission requirements
- Completion of a 4-year bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an institution recognized by UVic.
- Equivalent of a minimum B+ (6.0 G.P.A.) average in the final two years of your degree.
If your first language is not English, you must provide proof of language proficiency. Learn more about language requirements, including allowable exemptions and tests.
Review our general admission requirements for more information.
Program specific requirements
As part of your application, you must submit:
- Names and email addresses of at least two academic referees. They may also submit a letter with the assessment to strengthen your application. If it has been over five years since you last attended a post-secondary institution, you may include three professional references from work-related supervisors instead of academic referees. Professional references will be required to submit a letter only and will not be asked to submit an assessment report. You’ll be asked for the name and email addresses of your referees during the online application process and the Graduate Admissions office will contact them.
- Official copies of all post-secondary transcripts.
- A letter of intent describing why you are seeking an MPA and how the degree relates to your career plans, personal values and goals.
- A professional résumé.
- If you do not have a Canadian undergraduate degree, you will need to write and submit your official GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) scores.
- Completion of a 4-year bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an institution recognized by UVic.
- Equivalent of a minimum B+ (6.0 G.P.A.) average in the final two years of your degree.
- GMAT or GRE results, not more than two years old
If your first language is not English, you must provide proof of language proficiency. Learn more about language requirements, including allowable exemptions and tests.
Review our general admission requirements for more information.
Program specific requirements
As part of your application, you must submit:
- Names and email addresses of at least two academic referees. They may also submit a letter with the assessment to strengthen your application. If it has been over five years since you last attended a post-secondary institution, you may include three professional references from work-related supervisors instead of academic referees. Professional references will be required to submit a letter only and will not be asked to submit an assessment report. You’ll be asked for the name and email addresses of your referees during the online application process and the Graduate Admissions office will contact them.
- Official copies of all post-secondary transcripts.
- A letter of intent describing why you are seeking an MPA and how the degree relates to your career plans, personal values and goals.
- A professional résumé.
- If you do not have a Canadian undergraduate degree, you will need to write and submit your official GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) scores.
Completion requirements
View the minimum course requirements for this program.
View the minimum course requirements for this program.
Funding & aid
Tuition & fees
Estimated minimum program cost*
* Based on an average program length. For a per term fee breakdown view the tuition fee estimator.
Estimated values determined by the tuition fee estimator shall not be binding to the University of Victoria.
Ready to apply?
You can start your online application to UVic by creating a new profile or using an existing one.
Faculties & departments
Need help?
Contact Kimberley Cook at paservice@uvic.ca or 250-721-6448.