The Master of Science (MSc) in Health, Science, Technology and Policy offers students a chance to engage in hands-on research.
Like most graduate programs, the MSc in HSTP is a full-time program for five (5) continuous terms. This includes the summer term after first (1st) year. Students are expected to enrol in all courses full-time. Students are further expected to work with supervisors on research projects, and meet with team members outside of scheduled class time during all five terms, and in particular during the summer. In order to maintain a reasonable work-life balance, any outside part-time work, including in the summer term, is strongly discouraged, and full-time employment is not possible. Students who cannot prioritize the full-time nature of the program are encouraged to reconsider the program’s suitability for them.
Admission Requirements
- 4-year (honours) bachelor degree or equivalent professional degree
- Minimum B+ (77%) average over last 2 years of study (or last 20 one-term courses)
- One (1) university-level course in statistics
Note: Applicants judged to be generally acceptable but deficient in some aspect of preparation may be asked to complete course-work in addition to the program requirements.
The Graduate Program Committee will provide the terms of reference (conditions of admission) for the program for each student by defining any courses required to overcome deficit(s) and whether these courses will be part of the degree (electives) or extra to degree. Given the broad range of disciplinary backgrounds that students applying to the program are expected to represent, these decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Please review the proposed HSTP Interdisciplinary Health Research Project descriptions here. If you wish to be considered for the Research Pathway you will need to rank your preference for each project and outline the qualifications you have to contribute to these projects in your Statement of Experience (see Required Documents below) at the time of application.
Required Documents
After you have submitted your online application and your application fee has been processed, you will be instructed on how to upload your required documents in Carleton Central. For complete information regarding required documents, please visit the Graduate Admissions website.
| Document/Forms | Details |
| Transcript(s) | All post-secondary transcripts are required (undergraduate and graduate, if applicable) |
| Letters of Reference | Two (2) are required and should be submitted by former professors (preferably your project/thesis supervisors), or qualified persons at your place of employment.
An academic referee is a faculty member with whom you have studied and is able to assess your potential for graduate level study and research. References from non-academic supervisors may be accepted in certain cases i.e. professional references or for professional programs. NOTE: References from family members, friends, students, former or current classmates, employees, colleagues and/or Teaching Assistants are not accepted. Contact your referees before you apply online to confirm their availability. When filling in your online application, you are asked to include email addresses for your referees. NOTE: Valid institutional or organizational email addresses are required. Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc. are not accepted and will be verified. |
| Statement of Intent | Your Statement of Intent will consist of two (2) parts.
1 – A 750 word Statement of Intent indicating how you envision the program will further your career goals. It will be used to assess the program’s ability to meet those goals 2 – A 1000 word Statement of Experience detailing your specific skills in research design, analysis, and writing; your ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams; and your previous experience that will ensure your success in this interdisciplinary program. |
| Health Research Projects Preference Form | If you wish to be considered for the Research Pathway in the MSc in HSTP you must include a ranking of your top 3 choices of proposed Interdisciplinary Health Research Projects. You must also include a brief statement (max 250 words each for these 3 ranked projects) to explain the qualifications and experience that you have achieved and you feel will contribute toward the project (e.g. courses taken, especially graduate-level statistics where relevant; evidence of background expertise through undergraduate specialization and/or work-related experience). At the beginning of your brief statement, also be sure to indicate the project title and supervisor’s name. Please note that the list of proposed projects will be posted by the end of November.
Please click here to review the list Proposed Research Projects Applicants can include their project rankings directly into the online application form, otherwise please complete the Health Research Project Preference Form – MSc in HSTP and uploaded into the Statement of Intent section of the application in the Carleton Central system. |
| CV/Resumé | One (1) is required. |
| Language Proficiency (ESL Test Scores) | Required, if applicable. For Carleton’s ESL requirements and policies, please visit the ESL Requirements website. |
Application Deadlines
Students should submit their applications on or before the following dates to be considered for full funding packages.
Please note the application deadline below is specific to the Department of Health Sciences and earlier than the final general graduate admissions deadline set by the University. Applications must be submitted by this date to be considered by the Department of Health Sciences Graduate Admissions Committee for September entry into the HSTP program.
Fall Term (September):
Students are only admitted in the Fall term. Admission for the MSc in HSTP is not available in the Winter or Summer terms.
- February 1: For international and domestic applicants
- August 1: to be considered for admission and funding, if space and funds remain.
How to Apply
The application process to graduate studies at Carleton for all prospective students is the same and must be completed online. For complete information regarding the application process please visit the Graduate Admissions website.
Applications will not be reviewed until all elements (including transcripts and references) have been received.
Financial Support
Consideration for funding and financial support including teaching and research assistantships is made at the time of admission. A separate application is not required. In order to be considered for funding, you must submit a completed application (including all required documents).
Current and prospective graduate students are encouraged to apply for external funding and scholarships, which are awarded annually to outstanding students by the federal and provincial governments.
Please note that funding from Carleton (including teaching and research assistantships) for international students is limited and is only available to a few outstanding international applicants.
For more information on awards and funding, visit the Graduate Admissions website.
More Information
For complete and detailed information about the MSc in Health: Science, Technology and Policy, please consult the official Graduate Calendar.