MA Admissions
Application Deadlines for Fall Term
Apply early to receive early consideration for admission and funding.
We begin reviewing files on October 1 and will send out admission offers on a rolling basis until the program is filled.
Applications to the MA program for Fall 2026 are open. Admission offers are sent on a rolling basis until the program is filled.
If you have questions, please get in touch. Our office can be reached by email at international.affairs@carleton.ca.
MA Info Session – Dec 2 | 4-5pm | Hybrid (RB 5320D)
Dec 2
NPSIA Master’s Program Information Session
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4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
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Hybrid Event
Academic Requirements
- All students entering the MA or MA/JD program must have a four year undergraduate degree or the equivalent. As we are an interdisciplinary program, we will accept students from a wide variety of backgrounds such as political science, international relations, global affairs, law, public policy, sociology, anthropology and economics. We welcome students with other backgrounds, for instance in Science, English or Arts, but encourage them to take a few undergraduate courses in international affairs to prepare for NPSIA. In some cases where the student is deemed by the admissions committee to have an insufficient background in international affairs, they may be required to complete up to two additional courses as part of their MA program.
- Under current practice, at least a high honours standing (B+ or 77% minimum GPA) is normally required to be considered for admission to the program.
- Students admitted to the NPSIA MA program must have successfully completed a first-year introductory microeconomics course (0.5 credit) and a first-year introductory macroeconomics course (0.5 credit), with a minimum grade of B- before starting the program (ECON 1001 and ECON 1002 at Carleton, or an equivalent). Students can be made a conditional offer of admission to complete this requirement prior to starting the MA program. Not all economics courses or grades are accepted, so please contact the School if you have any questions.
Language Requirement
- NPSIA’s language of instruction is English. Carleton’s Department of Graduate Studies requires applicants whose native tongue is not English to demonstrate their proficiency in English. Carleton’s Graduate Studies Regulation 3.6 outlines the various ways in which applicants can satisfy this requirement, listed here: https://calendar.carleton.ca/grad/gradregulations/#applicationforadmission. Applicants who present their most recent degree and transcripts from a Canadian institution are exempt from language proficiency requirements.
Accelerated Pathway to NPSIA for undergraduate students at Carleton
The accelerated pathway at NPSIA is a flexible and individualized plan for students pursuing a Carleton undergraduate degree in a related discipline such as the Global and International Affairs (BGInS) and Public Affairs and Policy Management (BPAPM) degrees.
How to Apply
- Carleton360 account.
Step 2. Complete your application by providing all of the required information and documents.
Completed documents to be uploaded to your account:
- 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.
- Carleton Central under Graduate Applications. Documents may also be sent directly to Graduate Studies at graduate.studies@carleton.ca to be manually uploaded to your application.
Note that we will only review the most recently submitted document for each document category (e.g. Statement of Intent, CV, transcript etc.)
- Carleton Central under Graduate Applications. Documents may also be sent directly to Graduate Studies at graduate.studies@carleton.ca to be manually uploaded to your application.
Note that we will only review the most recently submitted document for each document category (e.g. Statement of Intent, CV, transcript etc.)
It is your responsibility to ensure that all required supporting documentation is uploaded in order to be considered for admissions and financial assistance. Hard copies or emailed copies are not accepted.
Applications received will be considered on a rolling basis until the program is filled.
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 3 field choices (1-3). 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:
New Fields – Fall 2026!
We’re streamlining our program so you can focus on what matters most: building expertise, exploring your interests, and graduating with confidence in your skill set.
For students admitted in Fall 2026, the number of NPSIA fields will be reduced from eight to four — merging overlapping areas to create stronger, more coherent options.
That means:
- More courses per field = field designations easier to obtain
- Interdisciplinary learning = less siloed learning, more collaboration
- Simpler structure = clearer choices and smoother program navigation
Prefer to keep things broad? You can complete your degree without a field designation.
These changes are designed to help you get the most out of your time here — with less complexity, more clarity, and a program that grows with you.
Four (4) New Fields
International Trade and Economic Policy (ITEP)
Diplomacy, International Organisations and Foreign Policy (DIFP)
Conflict, Fragility and Development (CFD)
National Security, Intelligence and Defence (NSID)
Already sent in your application for Fall 2026 and selected one of the previous field choices?
This infographic explains how your selection will transfer to the new options
NB: Students admitted in Fall 2025 will follow the eight-field curriculum.
All 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)]
Questions?
Admissions FAQ page
Please visit our Admissions FAQ page for more information regarding NPSIA’s MA programs.
MA FAQ page
For more FAQ’s about the program
updated Oct 2025