Program overview Program structure Admission criteria After your degree
When you study public policy, policy advocacy and community economic development, you’ll graduate ready to jump into the policy-making process in private, public and community sectors.
Our bilingual program is energized by our students, who bring a diverse range of backgrounds and a broad spectrum of community experience to each class. You study in small, congenial groups and are encouraged to pursue another Arts or Science program at the same time.
Combining academics with activism strengthens your experience. You’ll hone your sensitivity to social, economic and political factors influencing the public policy process and explore such values as:
You integrate the theoretical with the practical. You can do an internship, and we ground our work through close relationships with community organizations, public and private institutions, and unions.
A Bachelor of Arts degree takes a minimum of three or four years (90 – 120 credits) of full-time study, depending on your academic background.
The policy process cannot be conveyed successfully without access to a “real world” laboratory. Hence, the BA Major in Community, Public Affairs and Policy Studies emphasizes practical experience to help students develop the judgment necessary to complement traditional academic training. Drawing on an innovative combination of theory and practice, the SCPA helps its students to become familiar with the fundamental intellectual tools that will enable them not only to formulate their own educated critique of their sociopolitical environment, but also to participate actively and knowledgeably in the improvement of that environment.
The internship is an important training ground. Because it demands active and imaginative responses, the internship experience is an opportunity to test theory and formulate new approaches. In addition, this period of practice is a time when our students can familiarize members of the larger community with our program, its aims and its achievements.
Support for our internship is consistently positive. Government, business and community leaders have been helpful in advising and placing our students. The experience is one that adds a very important practical dimension to our program. Success in an internship enhances a student's potential, whatever career path is chosen.
United States students: A U.S. Federal Student Aid-eligible version of this program is offered. This version meets all U.S. regulations (such as no co-operative education or e-courses) for eligible programs.
Minimum cut-off averages should be used as indicators. The cut-off data may change depending on the applicant pool. Applicants who meet the stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission to these programs.
We consider complete applications year round and give priority to applicants who apply by official deadlines.
March 1 is the deadline to apply for fall term entry. International students are encouraged to apply by February 1 to allow sufficient time for CAQ and study permit application processing.
Late applications will be considered if places are still available. Please check program availability for the term, before you start your application.
November 1 is the deadline to apply for winter term entry. International students are encouraged to apply by September 1 to allow sufficient time for CAQ and study permit application processing.
Not all programs are available for winter term entry. Please check program availability for the term, before you start your application.
We reserve the right to close admission to a program at any time after the official deadline without prior notice.
There are many job opportunities for graduates with our combination of academic and practical experience in public affairs. Demand is strong, particularly if you are able to express yourself in both French and English. Depending upon your choice of discipline, you can expect to pursue such diverse occupations as:
Major in Community, Public Affairs and Policy Studies Major in Political Science
Small group classes, time in seminars with amazing professors, and the interdisciplinary, creative and innovative programming at the SCPA stood out to me.
Major in Community, Public Affairs and Policy Studies
Major in Political Science
The best part of the SCPA program combined with my major in Political Science is that it gave me both theoretical and practical experience..
The School of Community and Public Affairs is a place that I still have great fondness for even though I'm quite far away from it now.
The First Peoples Studies program is a major designed to introduce the student to the world of First Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), specifically within the Quebec context.
Department
School of Community and Public Affairs
Faculty
Faculty of Arts & Science
Expertise in human relationships in the community and the workplace sets you on a path towards the helping professions.
Department of Applied Human Sciences
Political science teaches you how the world works. As one of Concordia’s most popular degree choices, you will meet the world up close: in class, in action and in person.
Department of Political Science
Women’s studies is about examining the role of women in society both today and in the past, and recognizing their contributions to human achievement.
Simone de Beauvoir Institute
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