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strombone1

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  • Gender
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  • Location
    Vancouver
  • Application Season
    2014 Fall
  • Program
    International Affairs

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  1. Did you receive clarification on whether the international fees for students that didn't receive scholarship funding would at least be at the subsidized rate? It seems as though applicants from Western countries were less lucky with getting in with funding...
  2. I am curious as well as to how to prepare for the Diagnostics Exam. Does anyone here have any suggestions on how to study for the test?
  3. I dont think that the APSIA accreditation is too big of a deal. In terms of GPSIA and NPSIA, I would agree with the previous poster that it might be better off to take the greater funding package since both programs provide you with access to similar opportunities in Ottawa. As youve mentioned, GPSIA seems to have an excellent faculty in foreign policy (although I cant comment on NPSIA as thoroughly as I am less familiar with their professors). I would be very careful about basing your decision solely on prestige and that having a strong network of contacts and professionals that you can rely upon shouldnt be underestimated at all. But, whatever you choose to do, Im sure youll be making the right one!
  4. I got into NPSIA and GPSIA as well, but will be going to Munk. Actually, the friend that I was mentioning just got recruited into DFATD. So, in response to the previous poster, I would say that there is clearly more than one way to get into the Canadian Foreign Service (if that is your ultimate end goal). I am personal more interested in international opportunities with multilateral organizations, and have found that NPSIA graduates typically focus within the Canadian market. I also liked the fact that they had a lot more international students in the program, who have all mentioned that the University of Toronto name is well-recognized beyond Canada's borders. In the case of networking, I wouldn't underestimate what Toronto has to offer as well. Ottawa may be the nation's capital, but Toronto, in my humble opinion, the far more exciting place to live, and has a lot to offer if you are concerned about the 'networking' aspects and very internationally orientated. I personally don't believe that you won't be making a bad choice wherever you go. Although, I thought that I should probably do my part to balance out the conversation. I have another friend that recently got into the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton, which offers the MA in Public Administration, who has also mentioned that NPSIA students (of course, not all) have had the reputation of being arrogant and even borderline entitled. Again, I would mention again that co-op opportunities in the government are not as plentiful as it once as and much more competitive to come by. Just my two cents, but I would like to hear what you all think.
  5. I would also disagree with some of the comments that have been made about Munk. I have a friend that is currently in the program, and she's told me nothing but wonderful things about the professional and academic program offered at Toronto. The program is much more professionally-orientated and many students have actually found placements in major international organizations (World Bank, IMF, WTO, ILO) while also finding funding to support their internships abroad. One of the factors that is really pulling me away from NPSIA to Munk is the cutting-edge policy research that the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto (they recently just won the prestigious MacArthur Award and hosts Google Policy Fellows), whereas I don't feel that either GSPIA or NPSIA quite have the world-class faculty to match up to Munk's (which has Michael Ignatieff, Ron Deibert, Janice Stein to name a few). If I were to make another point against NPSIA, it would be that the 'Ottawa Advantage' might be a little exaggerated. For those that are interested in international development, the merger of CIDA with DFAIT means that co-ops are much more competitive and by no means guaranteed. Another comment that I would add is that Munk seems to place a much higher focus on innovation and 'the big idea' through its MGA Labs, while I would argue that NPSIA might arguably focus more on the traditional niche areas that are aimed at training civil servants/diplomats.
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