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Public Policy

Solving real-world policy challenges requires the use of multi-disciplinary tools to analyze problems, determine the best means to deal with those problems, and decide on the best course of action.  An undergraduate Major in Public Policy provides a unique opportunity for students in Social Science disciplines to think in an interdisciplinary way, by drawing on theories and approaches, as well as tool kits developed in the core disciplines of Economics and Political Science, and beyond.  Students in this program develop theoretical and applied reasoning skills in policy analysis, as well as a solid grounding in quantitative methods and research.

Public Policy Programs

The Major program in Public Policy is offered jointly by the School of Public Policy, the Department of Economics, and the Department of Political Science. Students enroll after first-year, and must meet the prerequisite conditions for all second-year and higher courses.
 
The Program Director and Program Assistant are available for consultation. For enquiries or an appointment call the Undergraduate Administrator, Petra Jory at 416-978-2882 or send an e-mail to public.policy@utoronto.ca.

(8.0 FCEs)

This is a limited enrolment program that can only accommodate a limited number of students.  Admission will be determined by a student's  average marks in the required first year courses. Achieving the minimum required marks does not necessarily guarantee admission  to the program in any given year

Enrolment in this program is limited to students with:

•  A minimum of 67% in ECO100Y1
• A minimum of 67% in POL101Y1
• MAT133Y1 or higher

First Year:
1. ECO100Y1 with a final mark of at least 67%, OR
    ECO105Y1 with a final mark of at least 80%
2. POL101Y1
3. MAT133Y1/(MAT123H1, MAT124H1)/MAT135Y1/MAT137Y1/MAT157Y1

Second Year:
1. ECO200Y1/ECO204Y1/ ECO206Y1
2. ECO220Y1
3. POL214Y1

Third and Fourth Years:
1. PPG301H1
2. PPG401H1
3. 1.0 FCEs at the 300+-level drawn from Economics, Political Science, and cognate disciplines. A non-exhaustive list of eligible courses includes:
ECO310Y1/ECO313H1/ECO314H1/ECO320H1/ECO324H1/ECO332H1/ECO333Y1/ECO336Y1/ECO339Y1/ECO340H1/ECO349H1/ECO364H1/ECO365H1/ECO369Y1/ECO433H1/ECO434H1/ECO435H1/POL306H1/POL308H1/POL312Y1/POL314Y1/POL315H1/POL316Y1/POL317Y1/POL318H1/POL321H1/POL332Y1/POL334H1/POL336H1/POL337Y1/POL341H1/POL344H1/POL351Y1/POL356Y1/JPR364H1/POL370H1/POL371H1/POL377H1/POL408H1/POL409H1/POL411H1/POL413H1/JPJ412H1/POL423H1/POL425Y1/POL439H1/POL447Y1/POL448H1/POL450H1/JPF455Y1/JPR457H1/POL457Y1/POL458H1/POL474H1/POL480Y1/POL481Y1/POL482H1

With the approval of the program director, students can take public-policy oriented courses outside this list.

Public Policy Courses

The course introduces students to the study of public policy, the policy process and our policy institutions in Canada. The course examines how issues emerge, how important ideas are framed, priorities are established, and agendas are set and managed. It explores how institutions – formal and informal rules which enable and constrain actors – shape policy-making in Canada.

This course explores the government’s role in promoting efficiency and equity in both the financing and delivery of public policy goals. It explores the conditions when government involvement is important, the policy levers available to government in promoting social policy, market failures, and conditions for efficiency. It examines the role of government in many of the major areas of social policy such as health care, education, redistribution, the environment, financial regulations and other important issues.