MA Program
Information & Admissions

For students entering the MA Communication program in Fall 2026 or currently enrolled in the MA, you can find program and course requirements here.

Beginning in Fall 2027, our current two-year MA program will transition to a 12-month, 4.0 credit degree. This streamlined degree has two options:

• Coursework: which offers opportunities for intensive study across a range of subjects in communication and media studies.

• Research Essay: which offers a focused research and writing opportunity addressing an issue, concern, or problem in communication and media studies.

Students can also take our MA in Communication with a Specialization in Data Science, African Studies, Climate Change, or Latin American and Caribbean Studies. These specializations offer tailored content for students who want to focus more closely within a particular field and collaborate with departments outside of Communication. To get a sense of the courses in the MA program, you can explore the current course list, a selection of which are available each year.

Explore our campus and student life or go on a virtual tour of Carleton to see what we have to offer.

Top-ranked domestic candidates are offered financial support from Carleton University. Our domestic MA students have access to teaching assistantships (TA), research assistantships (RA), and internal awards and external funding.

Our department also awards the following endowments:

• Sons of Maxwell: Awarded annually to one undergraduate and one graduate student in financial need who demonstrates strong academic achievement and community service. Endowed in 2017 by Dave Carroll.
• Rogers: Awarded annually to an outstanding MA student. Endowed in 1991 by Rogers Ottawa Ltd.

For prospective applicants applying for the Fall 2027 admissions cycle, the admissions window opens June 1, but applications are not reviewed until late Fall. Admissions are open until the program is filled or January 20.

Admission is on a competitive basis and applicants should, by the time they enter the program, have completed an honours undergraduate degree with a GPA of at least B+ as calculated at Carleton. Our application requires you to provide contact details for two academic referees who can comment on your academic background and preparedness for more advanced study. You will also prepare a 2-5 page, double-spaced statement of intent telling us why you would like to join our MA program and their relevance to communication and media studies, and any other information that will help us understand your goals and motivations. Finally, your application dossier must include a current curriculum vitae (CV/Résumé), a sample of written work (usually a senior undergraduate essay or other substantive sample of writing), and your academic transcripts. Click here for more information about how to apply.

International Students

Carleton University welcomes applications from strong international students to our graduate programs. However, funding opportunities for international applicants are limited. More information about financial assistance for international students can be found here.