School of Public Policy & Administration (SPPA)
School of Public Policy and Administration
The School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) at Carleton University prepares students for careers of leadership and meaningful contribution across the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
SPPA delivers a range of professionally-relevant academic programs that balance theory and practice, tradition and innovation. We offer an energizing intellectual environment, an expansive community of scholars and practitioners, as well as a welcoming culture that respects and supports diverse perspectives.
Our Mission Statement
Provide high quality, multi-disciplinary, and professionally relevant graduate education for careers and leadership positions in the public sector and civil society. Cultivate graduates who are informed, open-minded, critical and engaged citizens. The School is a centre of research excellence that informs public policy, and seeks to promote social well-being, justice and environmental sustainability, at international, Indigenous, national and local levels. Through community engagement and knowledge mobilization, the School serves as a bridge between academia, the public sector and civil society. We commit to being a diverse, inclusive community in which all students, staff and faculty can contribute and feel a sense of belonging that enables learning and scholarship for every member. We commit to building a school dedicated to anti-racism, decolonization, principles of equity and justice, and opposition to discrimination of all kinds.

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Why Study Here ?

80 Years in Public Administration

Our Alumni
News
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Researcher Mehdi Ammi Awarded CIHR Team Grant
Professor Mehdi Ammi, a faculty member in Carleton’s School of Public Policy & Administration, will lead a team of researchers and partners from across Canada on a new project entitled, “Public Health Financing…
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SPPA participates in the United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Model event
From June 9th to June 12th, 2026, Madeline Russell, a graduating MPPA student in the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA), as well as…
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Inside Government: Capstone Students Take on the National Interest
What does it mean for the federal government to decide whether a major energy project is in the “national interest”? For graduate students in the…
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Alumnus Arun Thangaraj Named to Hill Times 100 Most Influential List
Arun Thangaraj has been named to The Hill Times 100 Most Influential People in Politics and Government in 2026, recognizing his significant contributions to Canada’s federal public service…