Public Policy and Governance
Parliament Hill, Ottawa

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.

Two male and one female student seated in a semi-circle around a laptop

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.ca

2025 Public Policy Open House

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 may enrol after their first or second year of undergraduate studies, 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

Completion requirements (7.5 credits)

Headshot of Paola Salardi

Meet the Director

Paola Salardi 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 at the University of Toronto. Her research sits at the intersection of economics, development, conflict, and political economy, and focuses on how violence, inequality, and institutional structures impact people's lives, especially in post-conflict societies. She has led and collaborated on field-based research in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, and has worked with organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, UN Women, and the World Bank. In the classroom, Paola teaches undergraduate and graduate courses that centre on applied microeconomics, data analysis, research methods, and issues of justice and inequality.