Public Administration
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Program Overview
Humber’s Public Administration graduate certificate program is the first of its kind in Canada providing all of the knowledge, skills and experience graduates need to become successful public service employees. Designed and taught by public administration professionals, this program is your key to succeeding quickly in a public sector job. You will receive advanced training in communications, policy analysis, project management, information technology, public finance, governance, leadership and human resources management. Experienced faculty, most of whom currently work in the public sector, will guide you through the core of the curriculum, with guest speakers addressing specific topical issues. The practical, skills-based curriculum provides the foundation for long-term career success by exposing you to the primary activities of public administration and by providing networking opportunities with civil servants from across the sector.
Courses
At Humber, courses are delivered in a variety of formats:
In-Person - An in-person course is delivered fully on campus.
Online Asynchronous (A) - An online asynchronous course has no fixed class schedule and allows students to engage with the course at different times according to their needs. Faculty provide modules, which are completed independently by the students according to established deadlines.
Online Synchronous (S) - An online synchronous course is delivered fully online and requires faculty and students to participate in real-time according to a fixed schedule. Classes are scheduled for a specific day and time.
Hybrid - A hybrid course is a combination of in-person and online classes and follows a set schedule. Students must be available to attend in-person classes at scheduled times during the semester.
The chart below outlines the delivery options available for each course in this program, by campus. For some academic terms, there may be more than one delivery option available. You’ll be able to select your preferred options when building your course schedule during open enrolment. Preferences for course delivery will be considered on a first come, first served basis. Some Humber programs are also delivered fully online, where all courses are delivered online.
International students: the impact of studying from outside of Canada on Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility differs significantly based on when you start your program. Please review the PGWP eligibility before choosing your program and course delivery.
| Course code and Name | Delivery Type by Location | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Code | Course Name | North | Lakeshore | Downtown | DL/Online |
| Semester 1 | |||||
| HRM 5510 | Human Resources and the Learning Organization | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5000 | Machinery of Government | N/A | N/A | Hybrid | N/A |
| PPA 5002 | Current Issues in Public Administration | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5003 | Orientation to Government and the Public Sector | N/A | N/A | In-Person | N/A |
| PPA 5004 | Information Technology in Public Administration | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5505 | Project Management | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| Semester 2 | |||||
| FIN 5501 | Public Sector Finance | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5007 | Municipal Government in Canada | N/A | N/A | Hybrid | N/A |
| PPA 5500 | International Trends in Public Administration | N/A | In-Person | N/A | N/A |
| PPA 5503 | Communications in Public Administration | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5504 | Public Policy Research and Analysis | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5506 | Managing Partnerships and Relationships | N/A | N/A | Hybrid | N/A |
| Semester 3 | |||||
| PPA 5005 | Overview of Strategic Planning | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5006 | Service Quality in Public Administration | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| PPA 5008 | Leadership Development | N/A | N/A | Hybrid | N/A |
| WORK 5009 | Research Project in Public Administration | N/A | N/A | Online (A) | N/A |
| WORK 5011 | Career Orientation and Speaker Series | N/A | N/A | Hybrid | N/A |
Work-Integrated Learning and Experiential Learning
You will gain on-the-job work experience with an eight-week (minimum) within the public sector. With faculty support, you will find field experiences with an appropriate organization.
Your Career
The federal government is the largest single employer in Canada. The provincial governments are a close second, and municipal governments employ hundreds of thousands across the country. The 3.2 million people in the public sector account for almost 20 per cent of all employment. And public sector employees tend to earn higher than average salaries with excellent benefits and working conditions. Shifting demographic factors are rapidly increasing governments’ and public sector agencies’ need for talented people with a broad range of public administration skills and knowledge – and the desire to make a difference – to continue the important work of the public service. Find exceptional career opportunities in positions such as policy analyst, communications officer and program officer.
Federal government employers include Service Canada, and Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Provincial government employers include the Ministry of Community and Social Services, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
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Admissions Questions
Domestic Applicants
General Inquiries 416-675-3111 or enquiry@humber.ca. If you have already applied, be sure to check your application status on myhumber.ca.
International Student Enquiries
Contact the International Centre for information about full-time programs (including the International Graduate School), how to apply and to follow up on your submitted application.
Public Administration
Watch "James Nowlan" to hear about his experience in the Public Administration program.
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