Engineering and Public Policy, M.E.P.P.

In today’s complex world engineers and scientists are called upon to design technical systems that provide goods and services to society in a safe, efficient and environmentally sound manner. In this context, engineers and scientists can serve as key advisors to and take the lead as decision makers in both the public and private sectors. Therefore, engineers and scientists need more than extensive technical skills; they also need an enhanced understanding of public policy and the role of engineering and science in sustainable technological, social, ecological and economic systems.

A professional Master’s degree in Engineering and Public Policy (MEPP) is offered within the W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology. Engineers and applied scientists from a wide cross-section of organizations who want professional graduate training will find our program goes well beyond a conventional technical Master’s to develop candidates as leaders in the public policy area.

Admission

Students must hold an undergraduate degree in STEM or a 4-year non-STEM degree in a public policy-related field including, for example, political science, public policy, public administration or global studies. Applicants must have at least a B- average (equivalent to a McMaster 7.0 GPA out of 12) in the final year in all courses in the discipline, or relating to the discipline, in which the applicant proposes to do graduate work. Applicants will be required to complete an online interview. Professional work experience is desirable but not essential.

The W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology has the following program objectives for the Master’s degree in Engineering and Public Policy (MEPP):

to provide a high quality educational experience to graduate engineers and scientists in the areas of engineering, science and public policy;
to foster applied research in the areas of engineering, science and public policy through the successful completion and dissemination of a research paper;
to develop viable, working linkages between engineering, science and fields of study within social sciences and the humanities (public policy, economics, society, and others);
to produce graduates who will provide inspired leadership in the engineering, science and public policy areas within the public, private and NGO sectors.

Candidates may be enrolled on a full- or part-time basis. Full-time students will complete the degree in 24 months with an accelerated path to complete the program in 12 months of study, beginning in September or January. Part-time students will normally be expected to complete the program in 3 years, one term (40 months).

McMaster undergraduate students may receive advanced standing for up to two 400-level courses taken at the 600-level (note that a maximum of two 600-level courses can count towards a SEPT graduate program) with the approval of the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.

Curriculum

The curriculum has the following components:

Core courses that provide the content and methodological skills necessary for understanding and analyzing societal issues for which engineering and science can contribute to public policy solutions;
Focus elective courses that allow students to deepen their knowledge of a range of engineering, science and social science applications;
The completion of a substantive research paper on a problem at the interface of engineering, science and public policy

Research Project - Thesis in Engineering and Public Policy

Students select a research topic at the interface of engineering, science and public policy which is of interest to them and carries out inquiry-driven research; completes a formal research paper and prepares to publish their results for broad dissemination.

Candidates for the MEPP degree will follow a program consisting of the following and will need to complete 30 units to meet the degree requirements:

Required Courses

Candidates are required to take the following six half courses (18 units):

Focus Elective Courses

Three half-courses (9 units) are required for electives. Recommended electives include but are not limited to:

Cross-Disciplinary Elective Courses

Candidates are required to take one half course (3 units) which should be selected from the following approved cross-disciplinary elective list.

Additional Courses

Up to two graduate engineering half courses from departments within the Faculty of Engineering
Other courses in other departments and Faculties with approval of the Public Policy Program Lead.