Democratic Administration

All Programs

Location	Email Address	Program Website
S673 Ross Building	jsarra@yorku.ca	political-science.gradstudies.yorku.ca/files/2020/04/diploma-enrollment-form.pdf?x44630

This program of study allows students in appropriate graduate programs at York University to specialize formally in the area of democratic administration, and to be awarded a Graduate Diploma in Democratic Administration. The diploma is awarded concurrently with the master’s or doctoral degree for which the student is registered. For those students who successfully complete both the degree and diploma, the diploma is noted on the student’s transcript and awarded at the convocation at which the degree is awarded or at the subsequent convocation. Students can only receive the diploma if they successfully complete the degree program. The diploma aims to equip students with both the analytical and practical insights needed to help build more democratic and responsive institutions. The diploma is geared to both new and returning students who aspire to leadership positions in popular sector institutions, from trade unions and non-profitable charities, to state administration and quasigovernmental organizations.

Each student is exposed to an in-depth analysis of the parameters which constrain collective institutions and the state, with the goal of ensuring that students are able to both elaborate and critically evaluate policies across a broad range of social and economic issues. Equally important, in keeping with the democratic thrust of the program, students explore alternative methods of policy formation and implementation. Developing techniques for the empowerment of constituencies, usually relegated to client status or perfunctory consultation, is an integral part of the practical, administrative dimensions of the program.

Admission Requirements

Candidates for the diploma must first be admitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies as candidates for a master’s or doctoral degree in one of the participating graduate programs. Candidates formally register for the diploma following registration for their degree program, at the time they define their program of studies. The diploma is an interdisciplinary one, open to students in any relevant graduate program including, for example, Environmental Studies, Law, Political Science and Sociology.

Diploma Requirements

Students must complete the program requirements of the degree for which they are registered. In order to receive the Graduate Diploma in Democratic Administration, each student must also satisfy the following requirements:

For all students except those master’s students registered with the Faculty of Urban & Environmental Change:
- write a major research paper, thesis or dissertation on a topic related to democratic administration approved by the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Graduate Diploma in Democratic Administration (the Executive Committee will consist of the Graduate Program Director of Political Science (ex officio), the Coordinator of the Specialized Honours Program in Public Policy and Administration (normally the Chair), the course instructor for the Democratic Administration core course, plus two other members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies appointed annually by the permanent members of this committee); and
- successfully complete Political Science 6155 3.0: Democratic Administration (core course), the required course for all students registered for the diploma. This course will be open to students outside of the Political Science Graduate Program who are accepted for the diploma. This course is an additional requirement, over and above regular degree requirements and may not be counted toward the course requirement for the master’s or doctoral degrees.
For master’s students registered with the Faculty of Urban & Environmental Change:
- write a research paper beyond the normal degree requirements on a topic related to democratic administration approved by the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Graduate Diploma in Democratic Administration. (The Executive Committee will consist of the Graduate Program Director of Political Science (ex officio), the Coordinator of the Specialized Honours Program in Public Policy and Administration (normally the Chair), the course instructor for the Democratic Administration core course, plus two other members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies appointed annually by the permanent members of this committee.); and,
- successfully complete Political Science 6155 3.0: Democratic Administration (core course), the required course for all students registered for the graduate diploma. This course will be open to students outside of the Graduate Program in Political Science who are accepted for this graduate diploma . This course is not an additional requirement over and above regular degree requirements for MES students.

For more information, contact Professor Laam Hae, Graduate Diploma Coordinator, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3; (416) 736-2100, extension 66623; lhae@yorku.ca .

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