Hi! I'm based out of Toronto and I'm interested in working in urban policy centred on social development & housing. I recently completed my Bachelor's in Political Science at the University of Toronto, and I'm currently working. I've applied to numerous public policy & urban planning programs, and I've been accepted to the University of Waterloo's Masters of Public Service and Dalhousie University's Masters of Planning program. My main interest is in how we can integrate positive social outcomes & affordability into planning frameworks, particularly from a community-led perspective. I've done some work in this field in Toronto, primarily with non-profit organizations.
I'm still waiting on responses from the University of Toronto, TMU, York and McGill's Urban Planning programs. While Waterloo has a good co-op program, I'm under the impression that a planning degree would be more useful in terms of employability, as I'll be able to work in public, private or non-profit spaces, whereas with a MPS degree I think I'll be more restricted to just government roles. I also think that the accreditation that comes with planning as a professional degree would be more useful than a general masters' degree. But there may also be more scope in different areas of government with a MPS degree that might not be present with a planning degree.
Does anyone have experience with a similar dilemma? What's the job market looking like in Canada for urban planners vs. policy analysts? And is it possible to do the type of policy work I'm interested in with a planning degree?
I'm still waiting on responses from the University of Toronto, TMU, York and McGill's Urban Planning programs. While Waterloo has a good co-op program, I'm under the impression that a planning degree would be more useful in terms of employability, as I'll be able to work in public, private or non-profit spaces, whereas with a MPS degree I think I'll be more restricted to just government roles. I also think that the accreditation that comes with planning as a professional degree would be more useful than a general masters' degree. But there may also be more scope in different areas of government with a MPS degree that might not be present with a planning degree.
Does anyone have experience with a similar dilemma? What's the job market looking like in Canada for urban planners vs. policy analysts? And is it possible to do the type of policy work I'm interested in with a planning degree?