Public Policy & Governance

Public Policy and Governance

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.

The Major in Public Policy is offered jointly by the Munk School of Global Affairs & 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.

Learn more about admission requirements

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Get in touch!

Get in touch! To learn more or book an appointment, please call the Program and Events Coordinator, Simone DeFacendis at 416-946-0326 or send an email to publicpolicyundergrad.munk@utoronto.

Admission information

The undergraduate public policy program is an interdisciplinary, limited enrolment program that accommodates a limited number of students. Admission will be determined by a student’s marks in the required first year courses. Achieving the minimum required marks does not necessarily guarantee admission to the program in any given year. Students enroll after first year, and must meet the prerequisite conditions for all second-year and higher courses.

The undergraduate public policy program will accept applications during the Faculty of Arts & Science's program enrollment periods. Students can make their request on ACORN during the following dates: March 3, 2025 – April 25, 2025 and July 5, 2025 – August 19, 2025.

Enrollment requirements

Required courses

This is a limited enrolment program. Students must have completed 4.0 credits and meet the requirements listed below to enrol.

Variable Minimum Grade
A minimum grade/minimum grade average in required courses is needed for entry, and this minimum changes each year depending on available spaces and the number of applicants. The following courses must be completed:

ECO101H1 & ECO102H1(with an average final mark of at least 67%) or ECO105Y1 (with a final mark of at least 80%), and one of the following four options (1.0 credit):
- POL101Y1, or 1.0 credit from POL101H1, POL106H1, POL107H1 or POL109H1, with a grade of 67% in each course
  - 1.0 credit from Munk One courses (MUN105Y1, MUN101H1, MUN102H1), with a grade of 75% in each course
  - 1.0 credit from Trinity One Public Policy courses (TRN160Y1 or TRN161Y1) with a grade of 75%
  - 1.0 credit from Vic One Pearson policy stream courses (VIC181H1, VIC183H1, VIC184H1 or VIC185H1) with a grade of 75% in each course

To ensure that students admitted to the program will be prepared, applicants with a final grade lower than the minimum grades stated above will not be considered for admission. Please note that obtaining this minimum final grade does not guarantee admission to the program.

Notes:

Students entering from Munk One/Trinity One/Vic One course options will be ineligible to take upper year POL courses until they have completed POL214Y1 or (POL218H1, POL219H1)
Students expecting to choose ECO courses in their second year or higher must complete MAT133Y1 or the combination of MAT135H1 and MAT136H1 in their first year, to meet required prerequisites for ECO courses. If MAT133Y1 or (MAT135H1, MAT136H1) is not taken, students will not be eligible to enrol in 200+-level ECO courses, and must take PPG200H1 to fulfil program requirements in lieu of ECO200Y1/ECO204Y1/ECO206Y1.

Completion requirements (7.5 credits)

First year

7.5 credits)

First Year:

One of the following four options (1.0 credit):
– POL101Y1, or 1.0 credit from POL101H1, POL106H1, POL107H1 or POL109H1, with a grade of 67% in each course
– 1.0 credit from Munk One courses (MUN105Y1, MUN101H1, MUN102H1), with a grade of 75% in each course
– 1.0 credit from Trinity One Public Policy courses (TRN160Y1 or TRN161Y1) with a grade of 75%
– 1.0 credit from Vic One Pearson policy stream courses (VIC181H1, VIC183H1, VIC184H1 or VIC185H1) with a grade of 75% in each course
ECO100Y1 or ECO101H1 & ECO102H1 (with a combined average of at least 67%) or ECO105Y1 (with a final mark of at least 80%).
Students expecting to choose ECO courses in their second year or higher must complete MAT133Y1 or the combination of MAT135H1 and MAT136H1 in their first year, to meet required prerequisites for ECO courses. If MAT133Y1 or (MAT135H1, MAT136H1) is not taken, students will not be eligible to enrol in 200+-level ECO courses, and must take PPG200H1 to fulfil program requirements in lieu of ECO200Y1/ECO204Y1/ ECO206Y1.

Second year

Second Year:

ECO200Y1/ECO204Y1/ECO206Y1/PPG200H1
Students expecting to choose ECO courses in their second year or higher must complete MAT133Y1 or the combination of MAT135H1 and MAT136H1 in their first year, to meet required prerequisites for ECO courses. If MAT133Y1 or (MAT135H1, MAT136H1) is not taken, students will not be eligible to enrol in 200+-level ECO courses, and must take PPG200H1 to fulfil program requirements in lieu of ECO200Y1/ECO204Y1/ECO206Y1.
1.0 credit from ECO220Y1, (POL222H1+POL232H1), SOC202H1, STA220H1, STA221H1, STA248H1, STA255H1, STA261H1
One of the following three options (1.0 credit):
– POL214Y1
– 1.0 credit from POL201H1, JPI201H1, POL214H1, POL223H1, POL224H1, of which at least 0.5 credit must be POL214H1 or POL224H1.
– POL218H1 and POL219H1

Third and fourth year

PPG301H1
PPG401H1
Remaining courses to reach the 7.5 credits will be drawn from 300+ - level courses in related disciplines/departments including, but not limited to: Economics, Anthropology, Geography, School of the Environment, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Study of Religion, Statistical Sciences, Contemporary Asian Studies, African Studies, American Studies, Canadian Studies, Caribbean Studies, East Asian Studies, Indigenous Studies, South Asian Studies, Urban Studies, Women and Gender Studies, Sexual Diversity Studies, etc. The purpose of this requirement is to encourage students to pursue interdisciplinary courses that have a policy-lens.

Please note: This is a non-exhaustive list of related disciplines to fulfill the upper cognate level course requirements. If you are a current student and have questions about which interdisciplinary policy-focused courses can be applied to your program requirements, please reach out to the Program Coordinator.

Students may enroll in the PPG undergraduate major after their first- or second-year of study. Achieving the minimum grades outlined does not necessarily guarantee admission to the program in any given year.

Meet the director

Shari Eli is the director of the undergraduate program in public policy and governance, and an associate professor at the Munk School and the Department of Economics. She is an economist whose research is focused on social programs that help alleviate poverty, particularly welfare programs that allow low-income individuals to have more years of schooling, earn higher income in adulthood and live longer or to face fewer disabilities in adulthood.