BPAPM program is changing, what are my options?

Starting from the fall of 2027, the Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management program is being enhanced with new concentration options, greater elective flexibility, and a Combined Honours pathway with Communication and Media Studies.

You can read about the coming changes here.

Students who begin the BPAPM program in  2027-2028,  will have a new version of the program. 

This does not affect students already in BPAPM, unless you wish to change into the new program. You have no obligation to do so; but, if you wish to change, this is what the new program will look like: 

• All students will do a BPAPM major.  It will have 8.5 credits. 
  • This is essentially the same as the current BPAPM core and required courses, but with 0.5 credits in History instead of 1.0, and an additional 1.0 credits in Law, State, and Constitution and Law, State, and Citizen. 
• Specializations will be called concentrations. Concentrations will have 4.0 credits. 
• Policy streams will be optional. They will have 1.5 credits. 
• You will have a greater number of free electives. There will be 7.5 credits of free electives. If you do a policy stream, the 1.5 credits will come from your free electives.
• The language requirement will remain the same. 

For students in each specialization: 

• Students in the Communication and Policy Studies specialization, we recommend not changing to the new program.  The new program is a Combined Honours degree in Communications and BPAPM. 
• Students in the Development Policy Studies specialization:
  • This will become a Development and Human Rights concentration. It will comprise 4.0 credits.
    • There will be an optional policy stream in Global Economic Relations. (1.5 credits). 
• Students in the International Pollcy Studies specialization:
  • This will be called an International Policy concentration. It will comprise 4.0 credits. 
  • There will be two optional policy streams:
    • Security, Defence and Intelligence (1.5 credits)
    • Global Economic Relations (1.5 credits). 
• Students in the Public Policy and Administration specialization:
  • This will become a Public Policy and Administration concentration. It will comprise 4.0 credits. 
  • There will be two optional policy streams:
    • Economic Policy (1.5 credits)
    • Social Policy (1.5 credits)

• Students may do a minor. A minor will be between 4.0 and 5.0 credits.
  • The credits for the minor would come from free electives 
  • Students could, for example, do a minor in Indigenous Studies; Environmental Studies; Economics; History; etc. 
  • Students may not do a minor and a policy stream. Students may do the courses from both, but must choose to claim them as part of free electives, minor, or policy stream.