(Canada 2022) MPP/MPA Applications

[diggi]

Thanks for your reply and sorry for the incomplete post.

1. I have a 7.8 CGPA in the last two years of my law school. Besides this I have 1 year of experience in practicing law.  

2. I want to switch my career and move to Canada. So I identified MPA/MPPA for my masters as the curriculum is interesting and relatable to me. 

3. I am looking for universities that provide good co-op opportunities for international students with the provincial government. I prefer Ontario since I have friends living there and so I have short listed Waterloo and Ryerson.

[BTF]

On 9/6/2022 at 11:42 AM, diggi said:

Thanks for your reply and sorry for the incomplete post.

1. I have a 7.8 CGPA in the last two years of my law school. Besides this I have 1 year of experience in practicing law.  

2. I want to switch my career and move to Canada. So I identified MPA/MPPA for my masters as the curriculum is interesting and relatable to me. 

3. I am looking for universities that provide good co-op opportunities for international students with the provincial government. I prefer Ontario since I have friends living there and so I have short listed Waterloo and Ryerson.

1. I'd contact the graduate administer for each program you're interested in, some programs only consider your undergraduate grades when making admissions decisions. Typically, an 80%+ in your last two years is competitive for most Canadian MPP/MPA. Some get in with less but most are at or above 80%. I'll leave it you to properly convert your undergraduate and law school grades to a percentage scale.

2 and 3. If you aren't a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is it basically impossible to get a federal government job. If that's the end goal then getting into a Masters with an exceptional coop program is vital as coop students can be made permanent federal government employees despite their citizenship status. I'd go with Carleton's MPPA or NPSIA (international affairs program with an equally good coop program as the MPPA). Frankly, this should be the only thing you consider when you look at programs.

Edited September 7, 2022 by BTF

[diggi]

22 hours ago, BTF said:

1. I'd contact the graduate administer for each program you're interested in, some programs only consider your undergraduate grades when making admissions decisions. Typically, an 80%+ in your last two years is competitive for most Canadian MPP/MPA. Some get in with less but most are at or above 80%. I'll leave it you to properly convert your undergraduate and law school grades to a percentage scale.

2 and 3. If you aren't a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is it basically impossible to get a federal government job. If that's the end goal then getting into a Masters with an exceptional coop program is vital as coop students can be made permanent federal government employees despite their citizenship status. I'd go with Carleton's MPPA or NPSIA (international affairs program with an equally good coop program as the MPPA). Frankly, this should be the only thing you consider when you look at programs.

I am not sure but what I have heard is that the provincial governments are more likely to hire than the federal government. That's why I am giving a preference to waterloo rather than carleton. 

[BTF]

12 minutes ago, diggi said:

I am not sure but what I have heard is that the provincial governments are more likely to hire than the federal government. That's why I am giving a preference to waterloo rather than carleton. 

More likely to hire who?

[diggi]

Just now, BTF said:

More likely to hire who?

International students

[BTF]

37 minutes ago, diggi said:

International students

Gotcha, I have no idea. In either case, if the goal is to work for a provincial government I'd target schools in the cities that provincial governments are located. For instance, Toronto is where most of the Ontario government is based. Targeting schools like Ryerson, York, or UofT (although I'd never recommend UofT to anyone) would be more realistic than Waterloo. Not that Waterloo is bad, it's just not located near Toronto. Why move twice when you can only move once?

[diggi]

On 9/8/2022 at 11:36 PM, BTF said:

Gotcha, I have no idea. In either case, if the goal is to work for a provincial government I'd target schools in the cities that provincial governments are located. For instance, Toronto is where most of the Ontario government is based. Targeting schools like Ryerson, York, or UofT (although I'd never recommend UofT to anyone) would be more realistic than Waterloo. Not that Waterloo is bad, it's just not located near Toronto. Why move twice when you can only move once?

Thanks for the advice. Tbh I haven't thought too much on that. Since I am not eligible for UofT and Queens that only leaves me with Ryerson and York in Toronto.