Applications for our EPAF programs (Fall 2023 admission) are now being accepted! The deadline to apply has been extended to January 31, 2023. Contact us at epaf@carleton.ca with any questions you may have.

Students in Carleton’s graduate Ethics and Public Affairs (EPAF) programs combine ethical analysis with social science to gain a comprehensive understanding of the options for solving particular public issues. Possible research topics are as varied as the expertise of Carleton faculty, ranging from the environment, gender and other social inequalities, multiculturalism, health, social and economic development, global inequality, and more.  The program is not so much ‘applied ethics’ as it is a collaboration between philosophers who research public issues and social science and public policy specialists with interests and expertise in the values underlying those issues.

In addition to the Ph.D. program, two graduate diplomas will be offered for qualified professionals and graduate students in other departments. The starting point for all three programs is a pair of intensive, team-taught seminars, each of which addresses a particular public issue from a perspective of public reason, weighing the value-based and evidence-based concerns and considerations that apply.

Funding

Funding is available in the form of teaching/research assistantships and scholarships based on academic excellence.  We also encourage students to compete for scholarships from the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) or the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Full-time Carleton students pursuing the graduate diploma are eligible for funding through their home programs. For additional information on scholarships visit: graduate.carleton.ca/financial-assistance.

Program Requirements

Visit our Program Requirements for an overview of our programs, credits and requirements.

The Capital Advantage

As the capital of Canada, Ottawa offers an array of learning and professional opportunities, complemented by ready access to government departments and agencies, parliamentary institutions, media and non-governmental organizations. Today, all of these groups are grappling with ethical questions and the best ways to handle them.