COURSE CURRICULUM

The Government Relations graduate certificate program spans two semesters, with an optional work-integrated learning term, and is designed to provide hands-on, career-ready training in public affairs and advocacy. In Semester 1, students are introduced to the fundamentals of government relations through courses such as Introduction to Government Relations, Writing for Government Relations Practitioners, Digital Campaigning, Media Relations and Communications Planning, Public Policy, Presentation Tools, and Research Methods. These courses focus on building strong foundations in issue analysis, digital strategy, communication, and public policy. Semester 2 advances these skills with a practical focus on stakeholder engagement, campaign planning, municipal and federal/provincial relations, ethics, advocacy, and management of government relations functions. Students also participate in either a capstone Government Relations Research Project (GRM841) or may choose to complete a work-integrated learning term (GRM441) to gain real-world experience. The non-work-integrated learning path includes the Government Relations Career Management course (GRM751), while those in the co-op stream complete Work Term Preparation (WTP100) prior to their placement. The program offers flexible and online learning formats and is structured to prepare graduates for roles in lobbying, stakeholder relations, policy analysis, and strategic communications within public, private, and non-profit sectors.