This twelve-month, three-semester program is competency-focused, meaning it will deliver the specific knowledge, skills, abilities and values that professionals need to build successful careers in Canada’s public sector broadly defined. This includes the core departments within the City of Toronto, Ontario and Canadian governments, their associated agencies, boards and commissions, and transfer bodies like school boards, hospitals and post-secondary education institutions.

A focus on competencies will allow students to customize the public administration program to their individual learning needs. Instructors will use challenge exams at the beginning of each course to assess each student’s level of proficiency in course competencies. Students who prove proficient (i.e. based on prior learning and/or professional experience) will be given credit for that learning and be allowed to focus on those areas where proficiency is still required.