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Thanks for the quick response, @nomadic_joe! I'll try those search tips for sure. I'm not planning on working part-time while in school (except for as a TA, if I'm able to do that. I've TA'd before as well, and am familiar with the time commitments, so am not worried about that). I don't even know that I'd want to take a summer course with how busy I get in my current job haha, but it was just something to play around with! RE: overloading courses, I understand that the MA/JD students do that as par for the course, and I overloaded through a number of semesters in my undergrad while working 20-25hrs a week (not TAing, obviously haha), so I figure that if I'm not working, it should be doable. I'll look into it! While I'm very excited to go back to school, I don't want to go back for another full two years after having been in the workforce for the last three!

@nomadic_joe, are the past syllabi posted anywhere accessible? I tried looking for some just to get an idea of course load and requirements, but it doesn't appear that they're posted anywhere that non-students can access. A more specific question: I'm planning currently to do the coursework option and complete the program in a year. Do you think it would be worth it to do a course in the summer, or should I just jump into it in the Fall, full steam ahead? RE: places to live, I'm also going to suggest Hintonburg and Little Italy for reasonably priced properties that are easy to get to Carleton from in cute, active locations (close to bike paths, cool art scenes, good food and drink, OTrain, etc.).

My status went from "Preliminary Review Required" to "Review in Progress by Department" to "Recommended for Assessment" where it hung out for a number of weeks. After yesterday's e-mail, it still said "Recommended for Assessment" and we were advised that it would only change again when FGPA was processing, which since it has since changed back to "Review in Progress by Department", I'm assuming is happening...! This is consistent with what the School of Social Work had posted as the status progressions: http://www1.carleton.ca/socialwork/2013/2013-14-msw-applicants-admissions-decisions Apparently the last step after this one is "Recommended for Admission", which is when we get the official offer and funding details. Soon! @Blake091 - A friend is doing international security and intelligence and loves the stream. @thunderchunky - I don't think that we can change clusters after we're admitted, because the department assigns us to the cluster they feel most appropriate with our backgrounds, is my understanding. That being said, very few things are ever truly set in stone!

Thanks, @iamnicole! In the e-mail I received yesterday, it said the status would stay at "Recommended for Assessment" until the offer is being processed by the FGPA (which is what happened for AnonymousAcademic in another program after she received the "unofficial" acceptance too), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I hope your status is updated soon, too!

International Dimensions of Development, International Trade Policy and International Institutions and Global Governance, you? I think I'd honestly be happy with any of those haha. Really though, the implications of being in a specific cluster are fairly miniscule. You take their econ class and one other cluster-specific one... That's it. Seems a bit funny to me, but I'm not complaining about the flexibility to customize the program!

Hello again! Haha, I just figured I'd let you guys know that your statuses will probably be updated as the FGPA goes through your applications and processes the final offers. My status just changed this afternoon to "Review in Progress by Department", which apparently means they're going through it. On another thread referencing Carleton admissions statuses, the official offer was out either later that afternoon or the next day with admissions details (clusters for us, I'm assuming) and funding details. With any luck, the turnaround time is that quick for the NPSIA applications as well, and we'll have our official offers in hand! To those still waiting to hear, I'm really keeping my fingers crossed for you!

To my knowledge, you have to apply and be accepted independently of the other program, because you can still do the individual degrees without the joint program. rmrda: I PM'd you.

Huge congrats, everyone! I'm so excited for and proud of us! What a wonderful thing to look forward to in the fall.

Eeeee I'm in!!! I received an e-mail from Tabbatha Malouin, graduate administrator sent to undisclosed recipients that the department recommended me for admission and formal offers will be communicated (including funding details) next week by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs. Hopefully the rest of you received this e-mail as well - looking forward to seeing those who accept at NPSIA in the fall! I'll certainly be accepting. All this waiting is finally over!!!

I know! I'm excited now haha. That'll probably turn to anxiety early next week, but right now, I'm excited haha. Good luck, everyone! Almost there!

Carleton's grading scale on their newspaper's website: http://www.charlatan.ca/2010/09/carletons-grading-system-charts/ If you want a more "official" source (consistent with newspaper), here's one from their School of PPA: http://www5.carleton.ca/sppa/ccms/wp-content/ccms-files/2008106105pal.pdf I'm assuming the percentages are allocated appropriately.

RE: March 15 - per the grad administrator, they start evaluating before that, but by setting that date, they avoid a whole lot of "how 'bout now?" communications. It looks like historically results have come out around the 19th, so if that's any indication, next week is really when we should be checking. They had mentioned that results would come out mid- to late March, so next week falls comfortably in that category. Good luck, all!

There's a NPSIA thread a little ways down the forum - yes, we're all in the same boat as you haha.

I have to say - in defense of Ottawa, it really is what you make of it! As a disclaimer, I'm not from Ottawa, but ended up here for school after doing some university in Toronto (also not where I'm from - I've moved a lot including internationally, but was born in Montreal). Ottawa may actually be my favourite city that I've lived in so far. When I first moved here, I thought it was beautiful but a bit boring, and definitely more for the suburban family than university students. That being said, having now been here for 7 years (goodness, already!?), it's got SO much to offer. The arts scene is really improving, the food and drink scene as well (still no Montreal or Toronto, but many delicious options if you know where to look), it's beautiful, friendly and clean, and you're really close to great bike trails throughout the city, skating, skiing, anything you want to do in the country, etc. Hahaha, all that to say - don't be afraid that it's going to be underwhelming, just be willing to put yourself out there and find out what it has to offer! You have to discover Ottawa, whereas I find Montreal and Toronto present themselves to you. Congrats to all those with acceptances and upcoming moves!

I haven't heard anything back yet either, thunderchunky! I e-mailed a contact at Carleton to see if we can find out information - will let you know if I hear how to go about finding out.

Hmm, I'm not sure, iamnicole. Mine still says Recommended for Assessment as of just now, as it has for over two weeks now. If we can take the MSW as a good sign, perhaps this is the week that they all start going under review, so that we can hopefully get those coveted Recommended for Admission statuses! Fingers crossed for us all! I'm not sure if all this speculation is helping us or driving us crazier haha.

Thanks, Skip - appreciate the information! Glad to hear you're enjoying the program!

Wow, this has been a great week for you, AA! Haven't heard anything back yet...

My top three were International Dimensions of Development, International Trade Policy and International Institutions and Global Governance. That was my ranked order, but honestly, I'd be perfectly happy with any of those, as I think each of them would be really complementary with my background. I'd like to do the program in one year, so will likely be going to coursework option. You? The boyfriend and I would like to work abroad again after graduation (he'll be done his engineering Masters in the summer), so the exchange programs and co-ops aren't as big of an interest to me, though an internship could be interesting!

Per a friend's friend who graduated from NPSIA and is still in close touch with professors, apparently this is a good year to be applying as they've upped the cohort and funding... Not sure exact stats though.

Just NPSIA's MA in International Affairs. Probably part of why I'm so obsessively checking haha. I looked at a number of different programs, but ultimately that was the one that really stood out to me as the right fit for where I want to take my career after finally obtaining my Chartered Accountant (CA) designation this summer. I already more or less will always have a guaranteed job with that designation (it's a three year endurance test that thankfully is value-adding), so I didn't want to go back to school after all that time unless it was for exactly what I wanted, and will open the career doors that I'm looking for. Basically, I'm sick of being pigeonholed in accounting (even within consulting work), and want to make the strategic decisions, not just account for everyone else's. How about you?

Hahaha hear, hear! The comment on the results page indicated that the PhD candidate (who received news via phone call) would be receiving their official offer by next Wednesday, so I'm assuming that the MA candidate applications probably won't change status until mid-next week... This wait is painful.

Hey guys, I know a few of us have been chatting here, but I figured I'd create one post for NPSIA-specific updates - if nothing else, because I was really excited to see the first acceptance for Carleton International Affairs on the results page! It was for a PhD candidate (huge congrats to the lucky person!), which means PhD notices are likely going to go out today / early next week (if not all today), and hopefully those applying to do the Masters (like myself) are very close behind them. If anyone wants to update with any information/decisions they receive outside of what we already know, hopefully we can all hold on for this last stressful period before results are finally out. Fingers crossed for everyone! Good luck!

Epic win!

Eeeeeeee that's so exciting! Congratulations, AnonymousAcademic!!! What an amazing feeling. Haha, after all the anxious checking of statuses, it almost feels on a small level like a personal success when one of us gets in (even if it's in a different program haha), because it's like another one made it through! Although so many of us are still waiting to hear, it's definitely a day-brightening moment to hear that all this build-up and anticipation was worth it. All the best - Ottawa's a lovely city!