Admission Requirements

For the Master of Public Policy (MPP) in Sustainable Energy and the Environment, all applicants must have:

  • A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent), with an average of B+ or higher.
  • 1.0 credit in university-level micro- and macroeconomic theory (ECON 1000 [1.0] or the equivalent).
  • 0.5 credit in PSCI at the 2000-level or higher, dealing with institutions and processes by which governments legitimize and exercise power, ideally in a Canadian setting (PSCI 2003 or equivalent).
  • A working knowledge of algebra
  • Students whose first language is not English or who have not completed a previous degree at an English speaking university must demonstrate an adequate command of English by attaining, at least, a TOEFL score of 580 (written) or 86 IBT overall with a minimum score in each component of writing – 22; speaking – 22; reading – 20 and listening- 20, or a CAEL score of 70, or an IELTS score of 7.0.

The level of academic performance and potential demonstrated within the degree is more important than the discipline; students may enter the program from a wide variety of academic backgrounds in the social sciences, humanities, sciences and engineering. Mid-career applicants who do not have a bachelor’s degree, but who have demonstrated professional excellence over a number of years of work in the public sector will also be considered.

In some cases, applicants may be admitted to the program despite not having completed one of these prerequisite courses in economics or political science, on the condition that the course be completed with a grade of B- or higher in the first year of the program. It is strongly recommended that students complete the prerequisites before starting the program, to ensure that their progress through the core courses is unimpeded.