Public Policy and Governance

Complex societal problems require good governance and the development of effective public policies - which often entails close collaboration between a wide array of government and non-governmental actors. But how do these actors work together? How do they define problems, develop solutions, implement, and evaluate policies? How are decisions made? This course answers these key questions and introduces students to the major concepts, theories, and skills involved in the study of public policy and governance. Three credits.

At the core of public policy analysis is problem solving. It involves the development, assessment, and communication of policy advice, options, and recommendations. This course assesses the approaches, methods, ethics, and politics of public policy analysis. It is a practical course, focused on providing students with the analytical frameworks, tools, and skills required by professional policy analysists, including critical thinking, collaboration, research, and effective communication. Credit will be granted for one of PGOV 201 or PSCI 342. Prerequisite: PGOV 101. Three credits.

Governance is now recognized as an integral part of modern politics, operating at all scales and in a variety of institutions. Settings include the state, corporations, universities, sports leagues and religious organizations among others. Key governance concepts will be explored and applied. Deep case studies may include topics such as pandemic governance, police governance and the governance of the internet. Prerequisite: PGOV 101. Three credits.

The topic for 2025-2026 is Defence Policy and Geopolitics. This course is an examination of Canadian defence policy and Canada’s place in the rapidly changing global security environment. It is a study of war and conflict but also of how Canada and its allies seek – and have sought – to deter and prevent conflict. Students will study the defence challenges arising from Russia’s invasion(s) of Ukraine, China’s military modernization, and the emergence of non-state hybrid threats and information warfare. We will also look at the policy shifts that have seen the United States abdicate its leadership of security structures underpinning the ‘Free World.’ From this, the class will study Canada’s defence requirements, how the country funds and procures equipment, and the continuing political and economic challenges of meeting these threats. Three credits.

The topic for 2025-2026 is Public Sector Ethics. From corruption scandals to whistleblowing, issues involving public sector ethics are a constant feature in politics and in the news. This course examines the theory and practice of public sector ethics, with an emphasis on Canadian case studies. Overall, students will be positioned to think critically about the importance of ethics standards and how they might be improved to better ensure trust between the public and the public sector. Prerequisite: PGOV 101 or PSCI 101. Three credits.

The course provides an intermediate examination of public policy formulation and implementation across systems and levels of government. Policies and governance in Canada and other democratic systems will be compared to give students the tools to understand the evolution and diversity of policy formulation and implementation. Credit will be granted for one of PGOV 301 or PSCI 342. Prerequisites: 6 credits PGOV. Three credits.

This course provides an examination of the contemporary practice of public administration, whether it be local, provincial, national or international entities. It explains and investigates how government departments and agencies are best managed, how political leaders and public sector managers deal with issues such as political power and bureaucracy, accountability, participation and citizen rights, and the management of financial and other resources. Credit will be granted for only one of PGOV 302 or PSCI 341. Prerequisites: 6 credits PGOV. Three credits.

This course introduces students to the use of quantitative analysis in political science. While studying the logic of statistical inference, students will learn practical skills, including survey questionnaire design, dataset management, and data presentation. By the end of the course students will be able to critically assess quantitative research and apply quantitative tools to pursue their own research questions. Cross-listed as PSCI 399. Prerequisites: 6 credits PGOV. Three credits.

This course is all about asking interesting questions in political science and public policy and then coming up with ways to answer these questions. We will introduce the concept of variance and causality, units of analysis, and strategies for case selection. At the end of the course, students will be able to formulate research questions, generate a research design, and discuss a range of methodological approaches that can be used to explore the world of politics and policy. Cross-listed as PSCI 397. Credit will be granted for only one of PGOV 304 or PSCI 399 offered up until 2019-2020. Prerequisites: PSCI 101, 102 and 3 credits of PSCI at the 200 level. Three credits.

How can we make the world a more gender equal and socially just place? This course examines the relationships between gender, systems of inequality, and public policy. The course focuses on understanding contemporary approaches to creating gender-responsive public policy and theoretical tools for analyzing public policy. The course also explores how to apply this knowledge to contemporary social issues. Credit will be granted for only one of PGOV 305 or PSCI 398/WMGS 399 (2021-2022). Cross-listed as WMGS 304. Prerequisite: PGOV 101 or permission of the instructor. Three credits.

This course examines the theory and practice of federalism, with a focus on Canadian federalism. Topics include theories of federalism, comparative federal systems, inter-governmental relations, fiscal arrangements, federal-provincial diplomacy, and constitutional reform. Cross-listed as PSCI 321. Prerequisites: PSCI 101, 102(100) and 3 credits of PSCI at the 200-level (221 or 222 recommended). Three credits.

A study of Canadian-American relations from the American Revolution to the modern era. Topics include the founding of separate American and provincial societies; the tensions of continental and nationalist identities; the evolution of a North American economy and culture; policy making and bilateral relations in NATO and the UN; post-9/11 security arrangements; complementary and conflicting national interests in political, military, economic, social, and cultural issues. Cross-listed as HIST 341. Three credits. Offered 2025-2026.

Armero. Katrina. Fukushima. The Turkey-Syria Earthquake. This course explains how failures of policy, planning, and preparation have resulted in the worst disasters in modern history – and how societies and governments have learned or failed to learn from these disasters. Using applied research and simulation-based learning, this course will also examine the policies and programs that can help societies prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from hazards as they increase in frequency and severity. Prerequisite: PGOV 101 or permission of the instructor. Three credits.

The policies, programs, and services developed and delivered by local governments have a profound impact on our daily lives. This course examines the form, function, and financing of local governments and governance systems in Canada, the challenges they face, and how they develop local solutions to address challenges that are regional, national, and global in scale. It also explores best practices and new approaches that can help local governments better serve their citizens. Credit will be granted for only one of PGOV 360 and PGOV 399 (offered in 2023). Cross-listed as PSCI 367. Prerequisite: PGOV 101, or PSCI 101, or permission of the instructor. Three credits. Offered 2025-2026.

The topic for 2025-2026 is Digital Technology Governance. AI, quantum, competition for critical minerals, musk—a tangled web of technology, resources, and political and economic influence shaping our world. This course unravels the complexities of digital technology governance, exploring cotemporary approaches through a socio-technical lens. Through collaborative discussions, lectures, real-world case studies, and guest speakers, we will break down barriers in understanding and make connections about the role of technology in society, governance challenges, and discuss solutions. Three credits.

In this required capstone course for PGOV majors, students will be engaged on topics pertaining to public sector management with an emphasis on problem-solving, policy implementation, and strategic governance. Course methods include lectures, cases, presentations, as well as guest speakers. Prerequisites: 3 credits at the 300 level in PGOV core courses. Three credits.

This course is required for honours with subsidiary students and recommended for majors in PGOV who wish to engage with the academic literature on contemporary public policy and governance issues. Students will review and discuss literature in the field and complete several assignments, both oral and written, in relation to these readings. Prerequisite: 6 credits at the 300 level in PGOV core courses. Three credits.

This experiential course provides students with the opportunity to practice the concepts and ideas explored in the classroom in a real-world setting. Students will spend the equivalent of one term, usually the summer between the junior and senior year, gaining hands-on experience in a government or governance setting. Students will reflect and report on their internship experience and its relevance to the evolving knowledge of a policy sector, and share these learnings in a post-internship seminar. Restricted to students completing an honours, major or minor in PGOV. Prerequisites: PGOV 301 or 302, and 303 or 304 (or a substitute research methods course approved by the PGOV Coordinator). Three credits.

Under the supervision of a professor each student completes a research project, from conception to completion, over the course of the year. Students are responsible for choosing a topic in consultation with their supervisor, the theoretical and methodological soundness of the thesis, and the literary quality of the final project. Restricted to honours students. Six credits.