There is an identified shortage of individuals that can bring the skills developed in economics programs to policy formulation and analysis. The Master of Arts in Applied Economics and Policy Analysis (MAEPA) represents an important step in meeting that short fall. The objective of the program is to give students the skills and experience required to serve two roles in the development and implementation of public policy. The first role is that of the so called “Honest Broker”. Individuals in this role offer a range of policy options, and analysis of each option, to the policy debate. The second role is to serve as a “Science Arbiter”. In this role graduates serve to inform the policy makers and stakeholders of developments in economic theory and findings of empirical study as they relate to policy. To this end the program will develop students with graduate level skills in two key areas. First, students will develop rigorous analytical skills via the use and building of economic models. The second key area is empirical analysis, specifically the application of econometric and other specialized techniques to data. The proposed program is built around delivering these skills to students and having students practice the application of these skills to a variety of policy issues. This program is significantly different from any program currently offered at the University of Regina.

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