Prerequisites

What Do I Need to Apply?

Most successful applicants possess:

  • at least five years of professional and relevant workplace experience 

  • a four-year equivalent degree with at least a second class standing (B average, 3.0 GPA) from a university recognized by the Senate of Dalhousie University. With this in mind, we will need at least two copies of the official transcripts of your academic record from the university or universities you have attended.

Advanced Placement

We recognize the value of the work experience students bring to our Master of Public Administration (Management) program. That is why students in the MPA (M) program need only 13 half-credits to obtain their degree, rather than the 18 half-credits required by our on-campus MPA.


Graduates of the specific provincial (NS & ON) (pending renewal of a recognition agreement) or territorial (NU) Leadership Development programs may be eligible for advanced placement.

Finally, upon admission, a student may request advanced placement credits based on graduate courses completed within a previous undergraduate or graduate program, that are deemed equivalent to graduate courses within the MPA M program. 

Exceptions

We consider applications from people without a university degree on a case-by-case basis. If you choose to apply without a degree, you’ll need to create a portfolio of the learning you’ve achieved through formal education or training, workplace experience or other activities.

When considering your application, we will pay particular attention to analytical skills and competencies relevant to advanced study in public administration.

Please contact us to find out more.

Required IT Skills

We operate in a Windows environment. We deliver our program through Dalhousie’s easy-to-use Blackboard Learn + online learning software.

Experience with spreadsheet software (such as Microsoft Excel) will help. Your PC or Mac must have a broadband (rather than a dial-up) Internet connection.

Download a full list of our IT requirements.