M.A. in Social Innovation

Overview of the program

The M.A. in Social Innovation provides a space for research and reflection to understand the dynamics and multiple impacts of social innovations while learning to assess and structure them more efficiently.

The program, which is based on the linking of theory and practice, provides students with the main analytical frameworks and approaches needed to meet current challenges facing social organizations.

This program is designed for a specific clientele: people interested in a career working for social change, as well as people who are already working in this area and wish to acquire skills in academic research and the analysis of innovation and social transformation. Our candidates may therefore be support staff, managers, entrepreneurs, activists, community workers, trade unionists, members of cooperatives, or people working in the public or parapublic sectors.

Admission details

Registration: full-time
Program length: 5 trimesters (2 years)
Program delivery: some courses are also offered online.
Language: this program is also offered in French.

For more information about admission application deadlines, please click here.

Scholarships

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

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

Academic regulations.

CHÂTEAUVERT Julie, Assistant Professor
DUFORT Philippe, Adjunct Professor
DURAND FOLCO Jonathan, Assistant Professor
GUNTER Christopher, Assistant Professor
MORALES HUDON Anahi, Assistant Professor
STAMBOULI Jamel, Associate Professor
TOURÉ KAPO Leslie, Assistant Professor
TREMBLAY-PEPIN Simon, Associate Professor
WILSON Amanda, Assistant Professor

Candidates must meet the following conditions:

i. Hold an honours bachelor's degree (4 years) or its equivalent in Human or Social Sciences or Management, with a minimum average of B (70%).

ii. Provide the following documents:

Cover letter (maximum 500 words);
Curriculum vitae.

iii. Participate in an interview with the program coordinators (to verify the candidate’s goals and his or her suitability for the program).

The MA program provides two options:

Thesis option: five compulsory courses; two optional courses; Thesis (INS7997 and INS7999).
Courses option: three compulsory courses; six optional courses; Research (INS6101 or INS6102).

THESIS OPTION

Compulsory Courses (15 units)

INS5101 Theoretical Foundations of Social Innovation (3u)
INS5301 Planning a Research Topic (3u)
INS5302 Issues in Social Innovation (3u)
INS5303 Design and Social Innovation (3u)
INS5304 Research Internship (3u)

Optional Courses (6 units)

6 units from:

INS5102 Self-Management and Workplace Democracy (3u)
INS5103 Collective Action Strategies and Discourses (3u)
INS5104 Technology in Social Innovation (3u)
INS5105 Organizational Consolidation and Transformation (3u)
INS5106 Public Institutions, Funding and Partnerships (3u)
INS5107 Social Innovation and Management (3u)
INS5108 Selected Topics in Democratic Management (3u)
INS5109 Selected Topics in Social Action (3u)
INS5110 Selected Topics in Critical Thinking (3u)
DVM5100 Understanding International Development and Globalization (3u)

With prior approval of the director of Graduate Programs, students will be able to take either a Graduate Course (3u) offered in another program or another university or a Directed Readings Course (INS5901 Directed Readings / Lectures dirigées (3u)).

Research

INS7997 Thesis Proposal / Projet de thèse
INS7999 Master's Thesis / Thèse de maîtrise

COURSES OPTION

Compulsory Courses (9 units)

INS5101 Theoretical Foundations of Social Innovation (3u)
INS5302 Issues in Social Innovation (3u)
INS5303 Design and Social Innovation (3u)

Optional Courses (18 units)

INS5102 Self-Management and Workplace Democracy (3u)
INS5103 Collective Action Strategies and Discourses (3u)
INS5104 Technology in Social Innovation (3u)
INS5105 Organizational Consolidation and Transformation (3u)
INS5106 Public Institutions, Funding and Partnerships (3u)
INS5107 Social Innovation and Management (3u)
INS5108 Selected Topics in Democratic Management (3u)
INS5109 Selected Topics in Social Action (3u)
INS5110 Selected Topics in Critical Thinking (3u)
INS5111 Internship (3u)
DVM5100 Understanding International Development and Globalization (3u)

Practical Research (3u)

3 units from:

INS6101 Advanced Practical Seminar: Diagnosis and Recommendation (3u)
INS6102 Incubation of a Project in Social Innovation (3u)

INS 5101 - Theoretical Foundations of Social Innovation

Critical study of founding texts in social innovation and of the main approaches in the field. Study of key actors and strategies in contemporary social innovation.

INS 5102 - Self-Management and Workplace Democracy

Analysis of the main challenges in the democratic organization of work; study of issues arising in the development and consolidation of self-managed organizations.

INS 5103 - Collective Action Strategies and Discourses

Study of mobilization and communication techniques in the context of social change and collective action, from strategic planning to tactical execution in the field.

INS 5104 - Technology in Social Innovation

Study of the effects of technology on social organizations and of ways of integrating digital technologies into the strategies of social transformation.

INS 5105 - Organizational Consolidation and Transformation

Study of the coordination methods and direction in the context of established and functional social organizations. Transformation and growth of social organizations from the inside.

INS 5106 - Public Institutions, Funding and Partnerships

Best practices for establishing partnerships with the public sector, private donors and social groups to promote organizational development. Financial strategies, philanthropy and solidarity financing.

INS 5107 - Social Innovation and Management

In-depth study of management approaches and tools of social organizations: strategic planning, management and advanced accounting.

INS 5108 - Selected Topics in Democratic Management

In-depth study of selected topics and contemporary issues in democratic management of organizations.

INS 5109 - Selected Topics in Social Action

In-depth study of selected topics and contemporary issues in collective action and social movements.

INS 5110 - Selected Topics in Critical Thinking

Study of a specific issue within contemporary critical theories, emancipatory projects and global alternatives to oppressive systems.

INS 5111 - Internship

Internship in a social organization or developing an action research in partnership with a social organization (collaboration agreement, project development and identification of research aims and process, conducting the action research, results presentation and reflective analysis). Préalable : INS5501.

INS 5301 - Planning a Research Topic

Identification of a relevant research topic, study of methodologies in the social innovation field and construction of a work plan.

INS 5302 - Issues in Social Innovation

Study of contemporary social, political and economic issues and their impacts on citizen initiatives, collective action and social innovation projects.

INS 5303 - Design and Social Innovation

Study of the main notions in design and practical analysis of this approach on social innovation projects: design thinking, social design, collaborative design, institutional design, creativity, etc.

INS 5304 - Research Internship

Internship of 150 hours in social innovation analysis, involving advanced and sustained research and analysis. The internship is supervised and the work evaluated by a professor member of the program. Graded S/NS.

Prerequisites: Completion of 9 units in the MA program with an average of at least B+. Successful completion of thesis proposal INS7997. Approval of the internship proposal by the Director of Graduate Programs

INS 5901 - Lectures dirigées/Directed Readings

INS 6101 - Advanced Practical Seminar: Diagnosis and Recommendation

Study of a specific issue within a social organization and writing of a report making a diagnosis and proposing recommendations.

Prerequisite: To register for this course, the student must complete the compulsory course and all the optional courses of the program.

INS 6102 - Incubation of a Project in Social Innovation

Design and implementation of the first stages of an innovative project.

Prerequisite: To register for this course, the student must complete the compulsory course and all the optional courses of the program.

INS 7997 - Thesis Proposal

INS 7999 - Master’s Thesis

Courses offered by the University of Ottawa:

DVM 5100 - Understanding International Development and Globalization (UO)

Office of the Associate Vice-Rector, Strategic Enrolment Management
Room 148
Saint Paul University
223 Main Street
Ottawa, ON
K1S 1C4
CANADA

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

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