Master of Arts Program
The requirement for admission into the master’s program is a B.A.(Honours) or B.Sc. (Honours) in Geography or a related discipline, with at least B+ standing. In exceptional cases, pertinent work experience may be considered in support of an application to the Department. Students entering the program from other disciplines or with academic deficiencies may be required to take additional courses.

Master of Science Program
The normal requirement for admission into the M.Sc. program in Geography is a B.Sc. (Honours) or B.A. (Honours) in Physical Geography or a related discipline, with at least B+ standing. Students entering the program from other disciplines or with academic deficiencies may be required to take additional courses. The intended research area must be eligible for NSERC support. Applicants for admission must provide an outline of their proposed project, which must be suitable for the M.Sc. program.

Northern Studies Program
Applications for the Northern Studies program require an Honours degree with minimum B+ average in the last two years of full-time study at the undergraduate level. The GPA is calculated from the last 20 one-term courses. Program enrollment is limited, and so the B+ average does not ensure acceptance of an application. There are other documents and references that are required and will be assessed. The Executive Committee of the Northern Studies program will only evaluate complete applications.

Doctoral Program
The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is a master’s degree (or the equivalent) in geography, with at least an A- average. A student already registered in the M.A. or M.Sc. program who shows outstanding academic performance and research promise may be permitted to transfer to the Ph.D. program with a recommendation by the Departmental graduate committee. Applicants whose academic preparation has deficiencies in certain areas may be admitted to the Ph.D. program with the requirement that they complete additional course work. Admission to the Ph.D. program is granted on a full-time basis in September for the Fall term.

Additional information for International candidates:

  • Have you been in correspondence with a professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Carleton?
  • Has that professor encouraged you to apply for admission to a graduate program in the Department and Environmental Studies at Carleton?
  • Has that professor stated that she/he is willing to supervise your studies, if your application is successful?

If you have not answered “Yes” to all of these questions, we strongly encourage you to review the “Costs and Fees” section of Carleton’s International Graduate Admissions site prior to submitting an application for admission to our program.  As a result of the limited funding available to International students, it is extremely unlikely that your application for admission to our programs would be successful without the support of a potential supervisor and confirmation of your financial independence.  Please keep this in mind when considering your application plans.

To receive more information on our programs contact:

Graduate Administrator

Graduate Program Supervisor & Advisor