The program is based on course and seminar work in public ethics and is especially attractive to mid-career professionals wishing to reflect and build on their professional experience and previous studies.

Program Objectives

To provide academic training in public ethics and foster the development of analytical skills enabling professionals (e.g., managers, political analysts, consultants, parliamentary assistants, jurists, health care professionals, administrators of agencies, information specialists) to articulate coherently the contents of an ethical debate and to clarify issues that may arise, with the aim of shaping discussions and policies at the regional, national and international levels.

The professors included in the list below are members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. This means that they are authorized to supervise or co-supervise theses. A complete list of the faculty and staff members associated with the program can be found at http://www.ustpaul.ca/index_e.asp

ARCHIBALD, Clinton, Adjunct Professor
Public administration; Political commentator; Governance

BEAUVAIS, Chantal, Associate Professor
Edith Stein, Ethics

CLOUTIER, Sophie, Assistant Professor
Research in environmental and medical ethics, political philosophy of Hannah Arendt, genetics and religion

DWYER, Rocky, Adjunct Professor
Human resources management and ethics; leadership

FEIST, Richard, Associate Professor
Ethics; metaphysics; phenomenology; philosophy of science and mathematics, process philosophy (especially Alfred North Whitehead)

GILMORE, Alan, Adjunct Professor
Accountability and ethics in government; corporate ethics

MELCHIN, Kenneth, Full Professor
Economics Ethics; Business Ethics; Social and Political Ethics; Lonergan Studies

PERRON, Louis, Associate Professor
Contemporary continental philosophy; Phenomenology and hermanentics; Jean Ladrière; Ethics

RIOUX, Jean-François, Associate Professor
History of conflict resolution; peacebuilding; conflict analysis; disarmament and arms control; ethics of armed intervention

SHUKLA, Rajesh, Assistant Professor
The relation between ethics and public policy, environmental ethics, and Karma theory.

SWEET, William, Adjunct Professor
Late 19th and early 20th century Anglo-American philosophy (particularly, the origins of analytic philosophy and British idealism); ethical theories and applied ethics (especially, cross-cultural ethics); political philosophy, The philosophy of Jacques Maritain

WALTERS, Gregory, Full Professor
Social and Political Ethics; human rights; biotechnology and ethics; genetics and ethics; nanotechnology and ethics

• Have obtained an honours bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent, in philosophy, ethics, political science, governance studies, public policy, or in another discipline judged relevant, with a minimum average of 70% (B);
• Submit two letters of reference, at least one of which must be from a professor;
• Be proficient in at least one of Canada’s two official languages and have a good enough reading knowledge of the other language to be able to read texts in that language.

In exceptional cases, candidates who do not hold the equivalent of an honours bachelor’s degree as defined above may be admitted to the graduate diploma program, provided they can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Admissions Committee, that they possess adequate knowledge and professional experience (for example, experience as a policy analyst in the public sector). In some cases, such candidates may be required to complete qualifying courses in pertinent disciplines prior to admission.

A maximum of three credits in equivalencies or advanced standing may be granted. To be eligible, the credits in question must not have counted towards the requirements of a previous diploma or degree. Candidates who have already successfully completed some of the compulsory credits may be allowed to replace those credits with elective credits. For details, consult section B.2.7. of the general regulations of the FGPS.

Transfer from Graduate Diploma to Master’s

Students registered in the graduate diploma program can request to transfer to a related master's program in accordance with section A.7.1 of the general regulations of the FGPS.

Language of Instruction

The program is offered in French and in English. In accordance with Saint Paul University and the University of Ottawa regulations, examinations, assignments and the research paper or thesis may be written in either one of the two official languages (English or French).

Diploma Requirements

Duration of the Program

All students, whether full- or part-time, must complete all diploma requirements within three years of having first registered in the program. Serious efforts are made to accommodate the schedules of part-time students.

Academic Unit Coordinates