Applications to the MA/JD program for Fall 2024 are now open. The deadline to be considered for first-round offers and funding opportunities is January 31, 2024. The final application deadline is August 31, 2024.
A Message to NPSIA Applicants Regarding COVID-19
Our GPA calculation for the last two years–a key metric in our selection process–will take into account the disruption that took place. Our admission assessment will not penalize students who receive pass grades as a result of COVID-19, and the marks for the Winter semester of 2020 will be assessed in a compassionate manner.
Reference letters that speak to academic performance will also play a role in admission consideration. Please note, however, that any other conditions of admission remain in place (such as introductory economics), as they are crucial to your success in the program.
If you have questions, please get in touch. Our office can be reached by email at international.affairs@carleton.ca.
How to Apply
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
Students must apply separately to the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, Common Law Section, and to the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and be accepted by both institutions in accordance with the normal admission requirements of each program. Interest in pursuing the combined program must be specified in each application
Applicants to the School of International Affairs are expected to submit completed applications and upload all application documents by January 31 (full-time applications only). Please note that the January 31 document deadline applies to the application made to the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Applicants must apply to the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, Common Law Section via the Ontario Law School Application Service and abide by its associated deadlines. Note that MA/JD applications are admitted for the following fall term as Year 1 is the JD program and Year 2 is the MA program. Admitted students will be reviewed for funding in the winter term prior to the start of their admission, and students must successfully complete Year 1 of the JD program.
In order to apply to the school, and have your application package considered complete, you will need to complete a 2 step application process:
Step 1. Sign up for a Carleton360 account.
Step 2. Complete your application by providing all of the required information and documents.
Completed documents to be uploaded to your account by the deadline date of January 31:
- Statement of Intent (to be completed as a word document, and uploaded as a PDF file);
- One official or unofficial transcript from each educational institution attended (unofficial transcripts can be uploaded for assessment purposes and official transcripts will only be required if you are admitted to the program);
- Two Referee Appraisal Forms (will be uploaded by your referees, once the referees have completed their appraisal forms);
- Resume/CV;
- Language Test Scores (if required)
Step 3. Pay the application fee. The application fee is paid directly to Carleton University by Visa, MasterCard or INTERAC Online at the end of the application process. You must submit and pay for your application in order for it to be processed further.
Completed documents to be uploaded to your account: by the deadline date of January 31:
- Statement of Intent (to be completed as a word document, and uploaded as a PDF file);
- One official or unofficial transcript from each educational institution attended (unofficial transcripts can be uploaded for assessment purposes and official transcripts will only be required if you are admitted to the program);
- Two Referee Appraisal Forms (will be uploaded by your referees, once the referees have completed their appraisal forms);
- Resume/CV;
- Language Test Scores (if required)
It is your responsibility to ensure that all required supporting documentation is uploaded by January 31, in order to be considered for the first round of admissions and financial assistance. Hard copies or emailed copies are not accepted.
Applications received by January 31 will be considered for first round offers and funding possibilities. Successful first round applicants will be notified towards the end of March. The School will continue to accept applications until August 31, however, any application received after January 31 will be held for second round consideration and with limited funding opportunities. Applications received after the final August 31 deadline will not be considered for admissions.
While late applications will be accepted, applicants should recognize that admission to the School of International Affairs is extremely competitive. Late applicants may discover that all places for the next academic year have been filled.
As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to rank their top 4 field choices (1-4). Each student admitted into the program will be placed into one of the 4 fields listed. Please visit the Graduate Calendar for a full description of each field:
- Conflict Analysis and Conflict Resolution (CON)
- International Development Policy (IDP)
- International Economic Policy (IEP)
- Security and Defense Policy (SDP)
- Intelligence and International Affairs (IIA)
- International Organizations and Global Public Policy (IOGP)
- Health, Displacement and Humanitarian Policy (HDHP)
- Diplomacy and Foreign Policy (DFP)
All first round applications for full-time study will automatically be considered for financial support, which will include a scholarship and a teaching assistantship (the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Carleton University offers a number of teaching assistantships under which students work as teaching assistant during the school year).
Students are encouraged to seek additional external funding apart from any funding they may receive from the school [ie. Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (OGS) or Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)]