FAQs

Application deadlines are February 1^st for September admission and November 1^st for January admission for consideration of funding. Applications will be considered after these deadlines however we encourage applicants to apply early.

No. All applications are received through the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC). Click here to learn more about the process.

No. The application fee must be paid by credit card before access to the system will be granted.

No. At the time of application, all documentation submitted online is unofficial. An original transcript will only be required if an offer is made.

You should choose professors that you have previously studied under as referees. Ideally, choose professors who knew you personally, and provide them with information on yourself (including your application materials for graduate school) so that they can write a strong letter. Do not choose non-academic employers as referees; they will not provide the kinds of information we require on your academic performance.

No. Your application should include at least 2 referees and their official email addresses (university email addresses only). The referees will receive an email invitation asking them to upload their reference letter into your electronic application. Paper reference letters are not accepted.

Your statement of intent, also known as a statement of research interests, tells the admissions committee about your background as well as the thesis research that you hope to complete with us. The statement should be two pages long, double-spaced. It should provide any necessary background on you, such as your past research and related experience (for example, a description of a previous honours thesis or master’s thesis that you have completed). The majority of the two pages should then be dedicated to describing, as best you can, the proposed research area of the thesis you would like to complete with us.

For Ph.D. applicants, this research statement will likely be quite specific and detailed. For M.A. applicants, it may be less developed. You may also suggest a potential supervisor and/or other faculty members in our program that you would like to work with.

Finally, if you are interested in one of our collaborative programs (e.g., Digital Humanities, African Studies, Political-Economy – see Anthropology programs for details) you should mention this.

Most students submit a term paper or thesis written in their prior degree as a writing sample. A library research based paper or thesis generally makes the best kind of writing sample.

Please visit the Graduate Calendar for the minimum requirements for the Anthropology programs.

No. The Department of Sociology and Anthropology assigns a temporary advisor to each student admitted to our programs. However, applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to our faculty to discuss the program and their projects. It is valuable to indicate individuals you would like to work with in your application for admission.

No.

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology may consider closely related fields for admission or may require additional courses to satisfy the degree requirements if admitted. This is determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Graduate Administrator to discuss your application.

The admission process is time-consuming and requires a committee meeting. The committee would normally meet approximately 3 weeks after the application deadline to discuss the files as a committee/group. Once decisions are made by the committee, there is a process required which involves staff, faculty and the Associate Dean before offers can be posted. Offers and responses may begin to be sent as early as mid-March but the admission process can be an ongoing process which can continue into late April or early May. We sincerely appreciate your patience.

There is no formal process for appealing admission decisions. You can discuss admission decisions with our Graduate Coordinators if you would like feedback on the reason for the decision.

The M.A. program is designed to be completed within 6 terms of full-time study (2 calendar years).

A condition is placed on offers where the applicant must satisfy an outstanding requirement before being allowed to register in our programs. A common example of a condition is completing the degree for basis of admission (BA Hon, MA) and providing an original transcript confirming the degree is conferred. Other conditions can include reference letters and language requirements (if applicable).

Registration information and instructions can be found at the Registrar’s Office website. Registration in the program can only take place once conditions (if applicable) are removed.

Tuition fee information can be found here.

No. Please visit the fee schedule here for current tuition fees.

Your chances of receiving strong financial assistance are greatest if your basis of admission degree (undergraduate or M.A.) is from a Canadian university and your admission average is A- or higher. However, we endeavour to provide some funding to all domestic students who are offered admission. (International applicants: please see below).

Students may be offered either a full or half Teaching Assistant position (TAship) valued at over $10,000 per year for full and $5,000 per year for a half TAship.

Graduate scholarship funding varies slightly from year to year and can be between $2,000 and $6,000 per year for M.A. students or between $5,000 and $13,000 per year for Ph.D. students.

If eligible, students can receive a one-time entrance scholarship of $2,000 for domestic M.A. students or $3,000 for domestic Ph.D. students.

Visit the Department of Housing and Residence Life Services website or the International Student Services Office (ISSO) website for more information.

Carleton University provides a fee estimator. This fee estimator is for tuitions only. Please visit the Department of Housing and Residence Life Services for estimated cost of housing and living expenses. International applicants are encouraged to discuss costs with the ISSO.

Proficiency in English is necessary to pursue graduate studies at Carleton University. All applicants whose first language is not English must satisfy this requirement in one of the ways outlined in the calendar. Please visit 3.6 in the Graduate Calendar.

Your offer of admission is good for one term only. Read the “Statement of Standing on Admission” form carefully. If it says “Fall 2019,” you must start in September 2019. Applications for student visas vary depending on the country of application. It is important to apply by the February 1^st deadline to allow for sufficient time for a study permit.

Please allow 3 – 4 months for a student visa. It takes some time to get used to Canada, find a place to live, and so on. It is often better to delay until the following academic year than to arrive late. Please contact the Graduate Administrator regarding deferring an offer.

Carleton University provides a fee estimator. This fee estimator is for tuitions only. Please visit the Department of Housing and Residence Life Services for estimated cost of housing and living expenses. International applicants are encouraged to discuss costs with the ISSO. In order to obtain a visa, Citizenship and Immigration Canada requires that you prove that you have enough money to support yourself while studying in Canada. Please review the information here.

International applicants can apply for Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) in the fall for funding in the following academic year. Please note, OGS is a very competitive process. The application and process is available on the FGPA website. Please contact the Graduate Administrator for more information.

Over the last several years, funding for international applicants was minimal. In most cases, recent offers sent to international applicants included self-funded or government sponsored applicants only. If you are self-funded or government sponsored, it is important to include this information in your application.

The M.A. program in Anthropology is 5.0 credits and is usually completed within 2 calendar years of full-time studies or 6 calendar years of part-time studies. Please review the Graduate Calendar for time limit details.

The Ph.D. programs in Anthropology are 10.0 credits and are 5 years in duration for full-time studies or 9 calendar years for part-time studies. Please review the Graduate Calendar for time limit details.

The normal course load is 1.5 credits (3 courses) per term in the first 2 terms of study. Please visit the student handbook for information on course choices and confirm your choice of courses with your temporary advisor.

You can take a course from another discipline and it will count towards your degree as long as you receive approval from your temporary advisor or supervisor before registering in the course. Please discuss your request with your temporary advisor and explain how a course from another discipline is important to your research and your degree.

Courses successfully completed in excess of your program requirements will be declared ETD (extra to degree).  At the time of admission to a new program, you can request consideration for extra to degree courses.

A tutorial course is an in-depth investigation of selected problems in Anthropology by means of directed study supervised by one of our faculty members. An application must be submitted by the first day of the term before registration access/departmental approval will be granted. The department normally grants one 0.5 credit tutorial within a degree.

The application can be found on the Forms section of our website. Completed application forms should be submitted to the Graduate Administrator for approval by September 1st for fall term, January 2nd for winter term, and May 1st for summer term.

Tutorials must be approved and students register before registration closes for the selected term. The final grades are due at the end of the examination period for the term of registration.

Some course registrations require permission from the department. Please contact the Graduate Administrator to request permission.

No. M.A. students can choose to complete a Thesis, Research Essay or complete the MA by coursework only. Please visit the student handbook, departmental website and calendar for details.

You must complete an academic change form and provide supporting documentation. The application is subject to FGPA approval. Please discuss this with your supervisor or the Graduate Administrator.

Please visit CURO for details.

Courses can be completed at other universities and count towards a degree in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology providing there is support from the temporary advisor or supervisor prior to registration. To take elective courses at the University of Ottawa, please fill in a copy of the Graduate Exchange Form available from the FGPA website. This form needs to be signed by both the Department and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Courses at universities outside Ottawa can be taken with special permission from the temporary advisor/supervisor and the Graduate Coordinator. In order to fulfill Carleton University residency requirements, you must take at least 60 percent of your courses (4 of 6 or 5 of 8) at Carleton.

Yes, otherwise you will not graduate. Applications for graduation are submitted through Carleton Central. There is no cost to apply or cancel the application. Please apply for graduation before the deadline in your final term of study. The deadlines to apply to graduate are as follows:

• March 1 for Spring Convocation (June)
• September 1 for Fall Convocation (November)
• December 1 for Winter Convocation (February) There is no ceremony but you will be invited to participate in the Spring convocation.

First please note many students find graduate school very stressful. Talk to other students, find time to eat properly and exercise, and if you need help contact Health and Counselling Services. If you miss an assignment for health reasons, contact your instructor. If your health is affecting your TAship, please contact the instructor for the course and the Departmental Administrator. If you miss a final assignment for health reasons, contact the instructor and the Graduate Administrator in order to discuss an alternate arrangement or accommodation. If your health problems are interfering with your studies, it is vitally important to get proper documentation. Any health-related problem must be supported by a proper medical certificate.

External funding applications (SSHRC, OGS, CIHR) are submitted in fall for funding in the following academic year. The department and FGPA will hold workshops in September each year. Please visit the FGPA website for details.

Nominations for internal or endowed awards are submitted twice per year (in September for competitive awards and in January for departmental endowed awards). Please visit the FGPA website for the database of endowed awards and the criteria for nominations.

Travel funding is available for full-time students who have been invited to present at a conference, or who are travelling outside of Ottawa for thesis research. Please see the FGPA website for the travel application. Completed applications must be submitted to the Graduate Administrator for processing. One application per budget year is permitted (May through April). The department will also contribute travel funding (separate application is not required).

If you are a full-time student and have completed all of the TAships offered on admission (if any), you may then apply for an Outside Priority TA position through Carleton Central. Please see the Collective Agreement for additional details.

Research Assistant positions within the Department of Sociology and Anthropology are discussed between interested students and faculty with funding. The office does not offer, monitor or arrange RAships. If you are interested in a RA position, please contact faculty directly.

Please visit our website for a current posting of events and notices. All notices (job announcements, conferences, talks) received by the Graduate office are posted here. Teaching opportunities are posted here.

Careers in Anthropology range from employment in government, non-profit and private sectors including policy, management, education, law, medicine, social work, and communications. Please click here for a list of graduates and what they are doing at present.

Yes, mailboxes are found in B754 Loeb. Part-time students may share a mailbox. Please see the main office for a key.

No. Office space is assigned as requested. Please see the main office for space and a key for the office space assigned.

Graduate student offices are assigned per request and are shared (see above). The lounge (B742 Loeb) is available for booking through the main office and can be freely used by all members of the department when it is open and not booked for other purposes. The Library also offers shared space for booking. Please contact the Library directly.

Weekdays 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The office is closed for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Please contact professors for their office hours.

Yes, although space is limited within the department. Space is also available through the central timetabling office. To book space in the department or through central timetabling, please email the Graduate Administrator or the Administrative Assistant. Space is also available in the Library (6^th floor). Please see the Library for library space.