Local Economic Development

As Canada's only graduate program in Local Economic Development (LED), the Master's of Applied Environmental Studies (MAES) program prepares students for careers in local, regional, and community economic development. As well, many economic development professionals take the program to upgrade their skills and earn a specialized Master's degree.

Over the past few years the importance of local economic development has grown as communities and regions search for innovative ways to diversify their economic activities. Our graduates, who benefit from the University of Waterloo's reputation as one of Canada's leading graduate schools, have careers in communities across Canada.

The program is designed to be completed in a year and consists of eight courses, a research paper, and an internship for students with less than two years professional experience. Students learn theoretical fundamentals and applied skills through weekly contact with economic development professionals and the Faculty's own researchers and professors.

Seminars taught by guest speakers and leading researchers expose students to a range of local development issues, including entrepreneurship, information technologies, labour market processes, service sector expansion, globalization, strategic economic planning, environmental impact assessment, and sustainability.

As members of an interdisciplinary program within the Faculty of Environment, students in Local Economic Development interact with students and professors in the Faculty's other graduate programs: Environment and Resource Studies , Geography and Environmental Management, and Planning .

Topics of mutual interest include industrial, urban, and rural economic development, resource and recreation analysis, tourism, as well as urban, regional, and environmental planning. Students also benefit from close ties with the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Arts.

Approximately ten to fifteen new students are admitted to the program each year, keeping class sizes small to allow students to interact with professors, guest speakers, and fellow students.

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Admission Requirements

Applicants must:

• have an Honours Bachelor's (or equivalent) degree in Business, Commerce, Economics, Geography, Planning or a related field, with at least a B standing (75%) OR other Honours Bachelor's (or equivalent) degree plus two years of work experience in the economic development field.
• submit three letters of reference , normally from academic sources, but may be from professional sources.
• provide proof of competency in English (if applicable) . A score of at least 600 is required in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of 250 is required on the computerized version of the TOEFL. (See Academic Regulations - English Language Proficiency Certification for other acceptable tests of English.)
• Submit a University of Waterloo application form and official transcripts from each previous post-secondary institution.

Students who do not meet the requirements outlined above may be considered for admission to a transitional, probationary or qualifying program depending on their academic background. (See Graduate Studies Calendar - Academic Regulations - Categories of Admission to the Master's Program .)

Deadline:
The deadline for applications to the Master's program is February 1.

Degree Requirements

*Students with less than two full years' experience in the business or community economic development field are required to complete a four-month period of relevant professional experience (Internship) to the satisfaction of a designated employer and the advisory committee.

The degree should be completed within two years of initial registration.

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