Schulich School of Business

Study Options

Waiver with Replacement

For students with some prior undergraduate business courses but no undergraduate business degree, it is possible that MPA 1 individual course requirements may be waived and elective courses substituted in their place (each applicant’s case is considered individually and waiver with replacement requests must be made at the time of application to the MPA).

Full-time Study

• minimum of 16 months over 4 consecutive terms
• average of 20 months with summer off
• maximum of 24 months over 6 terms (using possibility of taking terms off during studies)

Part-time Study

• part-time study is possible

Advanced Standing

For students with a previous 4-year honours under-graduate degree in political science and at least two years of employment experience in the public sector, it may be possible to obtain advanced standing for the Required MPA Core Courses: SB/PUBL 5500 3.00, SB/PUBL 6200 3.00 and SB/PUBL 6800 3.00. Students without two years of suitable experience may receive waiver with replacement and must use Optional MPA Core Courses as their replacements. Decisions on advanced standing and waiver with replacement will be made by the MPA Program Director upon petition by an applicant at the time of application.

For students with a previous 4-year honours under-graduate business degree (e.g. BComm; BBA) and two years’ full-time work experience, it is possible that the total required MPA courses can be reduced from 60.0 credit-hours to as few as 30.0 credit-hours. This is the result of the awarding of advanced standing for previous undergraduate business courses (each applicant’s case is considered individually and advanced standing requests must be made at the time of application to the MPA).

Full-time Study

• minimum of 8 months over 2 consecutive terms
• average of 12 months
• maximum of 24 months over 6 terms (using possibility of taking time off during studies)

Part-time Study

• part-time study is possible