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Overview

UBC’s professional Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) program equips future policy makers with a profound understanding of policy-making processes through a solid foundation of rigorous knowledge acquisition, policy analysis, career development, and experiential learning.

With a full-time 20-month program, students in Vancouver’s UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs will gain expertise in one, or all, of our three main streams: Development and Social Change; Resources, Energy, and Sustainability; and Global Governance and Security. With the additional flexibility to choose a range of electives – including courses concentrating on Asia – students graduate from the program ready to address complex public policy challenges and drive meaningful change, both locally and globally.

MPPGA students will benefit from our unique curriculum which fosters creativity, innovation, and collaboration by seamlessly integrating course-based learning and practical learning experiences. Complementing this, you will learn from our diverse faculty and policy practitioners at UBC, a top ranking university in both academics and action on climate change, in Vancouver, British Columbia, one of the greenest and most livable cities in the world.

What makes the program unique?

SPPGA’s MPPGA degree prepares future policy leaders with an informed perspective, critical and creative thinking skills, and professional networks qualifying them to work effectively with global policy establishments. Together, this toolkit will allow graduates to diversify and enhance their careers. The MPPGA program has a novel and broad approach to governance: going beyond government bodies to include a network of actors - NGOs, social enterprises, international institutions, and the private sector – that are target employers for graduates.

The program’s three streams allow for customization and specialization of global public policy and are reflective of UBC's unique strengths on Asia and sustainability in particular. Students will be exposed to global case studies in the areas of political, socio-economic and cultural change taught by some of the world’s leading public policy experts.

The program integrates learning and practical experience with a mix of field visits, workshops, and the intensive Global Policy Project, which provides opportunities for students to engage with policy makers and civil society to address a real-world policy challenge.

 

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Program Enquiries

If you have reviewed the information on this program page and understand the requirements for this program, you may send an enquiry

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement: 100

Reading

22

Writing

22

Speaking

22

Listening

22

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 7.0

Reading

7.0

Writing

7.0

Speaking

7.0

Listening

7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Course Requirements

Please see our admissions page for a full list of requirements: https://sppga.ubc.ca/master-public-policy-global-affairs/admissions/

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
07 October 2024
Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 20 January 2025
Transcript Deadline: 20 January 2025
Referee Deadline: 24 January 2025
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 20 January 2025
Transcript Deadline: 20 January 2025
Referee Deadline: 24 January 2025

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Course-based programs do not have a thesis component. While they may assign academic advisors to students, they do not require applicants to reach out to individual professors / faculty members to seek commitment as their thesis supervisor. Please do not contact faculty members for the purposes of thesis supervision if you are applying to this program.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Program Components

Visit our curriculum page for full program details: https://sppga.ubc.ca/master-public-policy-global-affairs/curriculum/

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$116.25$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$10,277.76$18,885.46
Program Fee$51,388.80$94,427.30
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) Not applicable
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.
Deposit to accept offer (if admitted)
Deposit requirement$3000.00$3000.00
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options.

Program Funding Packages

Detailed tuition and funding information can be found here: https://sppga.ubc.ca/master-public-policy-global-affairs/tuition-funding/

Employer support

Organizations may provide their employees with tuition benefits as part of an employment package to support lifelong learning of their workforce.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

Professional / course-based programs usually do not provide merit-based funding. Some programs may offer bursaries.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Options

The Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) program will incubate future policy makers with a deeper understanding of policy-making processes, the interconnectedness of global networks, and a cross-sectoral understanding that will foster a healthier, more sustainable future. MPPGA graduates will be key players within organizations who drive innovation and creativity in policy design and implementation.

MPPGA graduates will function both in domestic policy settings and in the new arenas of global governance and understand the linkages between the different levels. With their data analysis skills graduates will know how to evaluate policy options and policy results and have the ability to work with expert data. Graduates will also have the ability to develop an effective communication policy and know how to harness the power of digital media.

MPPGA Alumni currently hold positions in an array of policy roles in diverse sectors around the world such as Government, NGOs, Private, Academic and Think Tanks.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20232022202120202019
Applications280244303335240
Offers186122167130142
New Registrations6444643842
Total Enrolment1081021038078

Completion Rates & Times

This program has a graduation rate of 97% based on 116 students admitted between 2015 - 2018. Based on 170 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 1.7 years and the maximum time is 2.73 years with an average of 1.72 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.

Further Information

Public Policy and Global Affairs offers the acquisition of multi-disciplinary policy analysis skills through a sequence of core courses, plus concentrated study in one of three streams: Development and Social Change; Resources, Energy, and Sustainability; and Global Governance and Security. The program takes advantage of UBC’s strengths in these areas and its substantial faculty and program resources concerning contemporary Asia.

Program Website

Faculty Overview

Program Identifier

VGMMPPGA
 

Apply Now

If you don't have a UBC Campus-Wide Login (CWL) please create an account first.
 

September 2025 Intake

Application Open Date
07 October 2024
Canadian Applicant Deadline
20 January 2025
International Applicant Deadline
20 January 2025
Program Enquiries
If you have reviewed the information on this program page and understand the requirements for this program, you may send an enquiry
 
 

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