G.D. in Public Ethics

Overview of the program

The Graduate Diploma in Public Ethics provides students with a foundation in critical thinking and develops their knowledge of public ethics.

Through coursework, students will learn ethical theories and will explore ethical questions related to contemporary social issues. Students will learn how to articulate and analyze 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 program is geared toward professionals in the public sector or other publicly engaged institutions who seek to reflect and build on their professional experience and previous studies.

Admission details

Registration: part-time or full-time
Program requirements: 5 courses
Program delivery: some courses are also offered online.
Language: this program is also offered in French.

For information about admission deadlines, please click here.

Scholarships

Students registered in this program may be eligible for a number of scholarships. For more information, please click here.

This diploma is conferred jointly by the Senates of Saint Paul University and the University of Ottawa.

BEAUVAIS Chantal, Rector
CHANDRA SHUKLA Rajesh, Associate Professor
CLOUTIER Sophie, Associate Professor
FEIST Richard, Associate professor
LANOIX Monique, Associate professor
MCLENNAN Matthew, Associate Professor
PAQUETTE Julie, Associate Professor
PERRON Louis, Associate Professor

To be admitted to the graduate diploma program, candidates must:

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 units in equivalencies or advanced standing may be granted. To be eligible, the units in question must not have counted towards the requirements of a previous diploma, certificate, or degree. Candidates who have already successfully completed some of the compulsory units may be allowed to replace those units with elective units.

Transfer from Graduate Diploma to Master’s

Students registered in the graduate diploma program can request to transfer to a related master's program.

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).

Some additional documents, and in some cases specific forms, are required. For more information, please see the page Step 4: Gather the documents needed for the assessment of your application.

Compulsory Courses (6 units)

EPE6300 Main Ethical Theories I (3u)
EPE6307 Main Ethical Theories II (3u)

Optional Courses (9 units)

9 units from:
EPE5101 Social Philosophy (3u)
EPE6301 Military and Peacekeeping Ethics (3u)
EPE6302 Environmental Ethics (3u)
EPE6303 Ethics and Human Rights (3u)
EPE6304 Ethics and International Development (3u)
EPE6305 Ethics and Health Care (3u)
EPE6306 Ethics, Privacy and Information (3u)
EPE6308 Secularism and Public Life (3u)
EPE6309 Ethics, Philosophy and Public Policy (3u)
EPE6320 Selected Topics in Ethics (3u)
EPE6901 Directed Readings / Lectures dirigées (3u)
ECS5304 Ethical Dimensions of Conflict (3u)
CMN5115 Communication Ethics (3u) (UO)
PAP6102 Democratic Governance (3u) (UO)
SOC7150 Interethnic Relations: Critical Examination of Theories and Research(3u) (UO)

EPE 5101 - SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY

Study of the philosophical underpinnings of social life from the theoretical approaches of living together and of the common good, to problems of contemporary societies, such as solidarity and social citizenship rights.

EPE 6300 - MAIN ETHICAL THEORIES I

Study of the classic and canonical works of Aristotelian or virtue ethics, deontology, contractualism, and consequentialism including utilitarianism. Initiation to the basic concepts grounding each theory and assessment of their strengths and weaknesses.

EPE 6301 - MILITARY AND PEACEKEEPING ETHICS

Examination of the thought on ethics by philosophers and military personnel. Readings from Cicero, Julius Caesar, Marcus Aurelius before turning to renaissance and modern thinkers. Contemporary ethics of war, the nature of the soldier and the peacekeeper. Theoretical discussions and a detailed look at current policies and thinking at the Department of National Defence.

EPE 6302 - ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

Ethical analysis of environmental policies. Nature of the relationship between humans and the environment.

EPE 6303 - ETHICS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Problems of values and cultural relativism. Ethical foundation of human rights. Historical perspectives and contemporary debate.

EPE 6304 - ETHICS AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Ethical components of development and underdevelopment theories. Rights and obligations of wealthy countries towards poor countries. Ethical critique of policies governing international aid.

EPE 6305 - ETHICS AND HEALTH CARE

Nature and bases of ethics in health care policies. Disputed questions. Various orientations in the ethics of health care policies.

EPE 6306 - ETHICS, PRIVACY AND INFORMATION

Analysis of the impact of the development of New Information and Communications Technologies (NTIC) on privacy and the confidentiality of personal information.

EPE 6307 - MAIN ETHICAL THEORIES II

Study of the main 20^th and 21^st century versions of the classical ethical theories, and of how these theories are challenged by and attempt to respond to contemporary ethical issues.

Prerequisite: EPE6300 Main Ethical Theories I.

EPE 6308 - Secularism and Public Life

Study of the relationship between secularism and public life in contemporary liberal democratic societies, focusing especially on institutions, government and the Canadian public sphere.

EPE 6309 - Ethics, Philosophy and Public Policy

Study of the concrete and normative aspects of public policy and of their ethical and philosophical implications, both locally and globally. Study of the main public policy issues and challenges in Canada as well as in other countries.

EPE 6311 - Seminar in Public Ethics II

Critical analyses of policies and philosophical and ethical texts that are relevant to the major research paper or the thesis.

Prerequisite: EPE6310 Seminar in Public Ethics I.

EPE 6320 - SELECTED TOPICS IN ETHICS

Study of a specialized area in ethics.

EPE 6901 - DIRECTED READINGS

Advanced study of a question already analysed within the framework of the program, exploration of a theme in a particular area of ethics.

EPE 7999 - MASTER'S THESIS

Courses offered by the University of Ottawa:

CMN 5115 - COMMUNICATION ETHICS (UO)

Emphasis on the significance of ethical principles and responsibilities of public communicators, as well as sanctions faced when communicators fail to uphold these principles. Critique of self-regulation of the media. Analysis of argumentation. Study of legal precedents with respect to defamation.

PAP 6102 - DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE (UO)

This seminar provides an examination of how democratic governments structure their decision-making processes for effectiveness, representation and accountability. A particular focus of this seminar is a critical evaluation of the New Public Management reforms, and an in-depth review of different models of government intervention and policy-making from a comparative perspective.

SOC 7150 - INTERETHNIC RELATIONS: CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THEORIES AND RESEARCH (UO)

Principal sociological theories in interethnic relations, and the use of these theories in the analysis of the social structure of a number of multiethnic societies, especially Canada.

Office of the Associate Vice-Rector, Strategic Enrolment Management
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Saint Paul University
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CANADA

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Telephone: 613-236-1393
Fax: 613-782-3014
admission@ustpaul.ca

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