mango321

Thanks I'm very excited to head to Ottawa, whether it's for NPSIA or GSPIA

Thanks myfirstgoose, I did check there, no awards . It's good to know for sure though- it's confusing searching for awards when they don't exist anywhere!! It would be harsh, but at least more clear, if it said "no funding" where the awards are usually listed. Oh well, talking to my American friends makes me feel grateful for the tuition fees at Carleton/Canada.

Finally got my offical NPSIA offer today! No funding, as expected, but still disappointing :'(. If it doesn't say you have funding on the letter, there is no funding, riiiight?? (just checking haha). Good luck to those on the waitlist! I'm sure you'll be hearing back soon!

Thanks for the info! Carleton Central still stays I'm "recommended for assessment" so I'll just have to wait patiently I guess. Another question (hopefully others are finding my questions helpful too! ) - I'm still very torn between NPSIA and GSPIA. I'm delighted and grateful to have been accepted into both, but they both have a lot going for them, and likely no funding from either makes the decision even harder. Does anyone have more insight/opinions into the pros and cons of each program? For me, pros of NPSIA: better reputation, more connections (although Ottawa seems very well connected too), nicer campus, really friendly staff (Tabbatha was so much nicer and more helpful than the advisers at UOttawa, not that that necessarily reflects on the programs themselves). I'm most interested in the Global Public Policy stream, and would apply for the African Studies Specialization as well. Pros of GSPIA: A few profs that research really close to what I'm interested in (post-colonial and feminist theories), more research based, and the french component. I was in French Immersion but have lost a lot of French over the years and would love to brush up on it- and have it on paper that I did! Thoughts?

Holy smokes, those are a lot of great offers! Has everyone been getting letters as in real, mailed, letters? I assumed the offer would be e-mailed and mailed, but maybe not! If so i'll have to get my parents to sift carefully through the mail (I'm living abroad). Nerve-wracking!!

wow, myfirstgoose and 7alima7, those are amazing funding offers, congrats!! I re-read my gspia offer, and it's the official offer, no funding. I expect the same with npsia, since my grades aren't stellar, and since I have yet to hear back. I'm assuming people with more funding get official offers sooner?? Has anyone else received their official npsia offer?

Hi Everyone! A few days ago I was unofficially accepted into both NPSIA and GSPIA, now I'm waiting to see if I will be offered any funding from either program before making my decision! Now I can finally plan my life around moving to Ottawa (I'm from BC). I am happily surprised to have been accepted, since I was a science (biology) major, with a GPA of 6.5/9. But I do have a lot of relevant work and volunteer experience, including two internships in Africa, and a year of working in South Korea. The hardest part of the application was writing the SOP, since I am used to science type writing, but I guess I wrote what they wanted! Good luck to those waiting, more spots will open up as people make their decisions between programs!

I am applying for international affairs/development MA programs, but coming from a science (biology) degree I felt that I needed to focus on my work experience, but now my SOP looks like a glorified cover letter. Should I be more specific about what I want to research, even if I'm really unsure since I don't have that much academic experience yet?? Any edits, the harsher the better, (on the general layout and concept rather than grammar and wording) would be greatly appreciated!! After graduating from my biology degree, with co-op distinction, I have spent several years of working internationally and gaining teaching and NGO experience in Canada. At this stage in my career, I am excited to continue my studies and pursue a master’s that, paired with my international work experience and science degree, will allow me to work in the field of public education of international development, human rights, and environmental conservation issues. I have had a life long curiosity of how things work, and an undergraduate degree in biology was a perfect fit for me. While learning about the amazing facts of life, I became a capable analytical thinker with a strong grasp of scientific concepts and effective research capabilities. Throughout my degree, I was an active volunteer for social justice issues, especially women’s rights. This included my participation with V-day, which raises awareness of violence against women, for three consecutive years. Through V-day, I helped organize, fundraise for, and performed twice, in their annual stage production, of which all funds go towards ending violence against women globally and locally. During my degree, I also took four human geography courses, which were Economic Geography, Introduction to Human Geography, Geographies of Development, and Research Methods in Human Geography, all of which deeped my understanding of and helped shape my worldview of international affairs and its affect on human development. Through my co-operative education program, I was able to find positions that allowed me to work in governmental positions, a private company, and an NGO, both abroad and in multiple Canadian cities. For example, my fourth co-op placement was in Entebbe, Uganda, where I interned for the (blah) NGO. To help pay for this unpaid internship position, I applied for and was awarded several scholarships. My experience working for blah was an wonderful introduction to international NGO work, and I was able to quickly adapt to the challenges of cross-cultural exchanges, language barriers, and typical NGO funding shortages. blah’s work also helped me gain an understanding of gender issues relating to international developement, as well as consider postcolonial theories, both in developing countries as well as at home in Canada. Upon my return to Canada, having learned that the most important impact one can have on a developing country is often through supporting local initiatives that already exist in developing communities, I spent a semester putting together a fundraiser for blah that successfully raised money and awareness of many of blah’s projects. I was also asked, to write a featured article for my universitie’s newspaper about blah and my experience abroad. After my degree, I decided to gain more international work experience. I first held a 5 month CIDA internship in South Africa, teaching local communities about sustainable marine resource management. Again, I often faced with issues of gender discrimination and racism, which were frustrating re-iterations of my experiences in Uganda. When I returned to Canada, I tutored ESL students while completing a TESOL course, and decided to teach in South Korea. I have now almost finished a year-long English teaching contract in Seoul, South Korea, where, although it is highly technologically advanced, many critics agree that social norms have not yet caught up to international standards, for example in sexist attitudes towards women, including in my own workplace. I am also currently a volunteer tutor for North Korean refugees in South Korea. Throughout my international work, I have also had the opportunity to travel to many other developing countries. I am currently taking online, non-credit, courses in international affairs and globalization to help solidify my theoretical knowledge of international relations and current events. I will also enroll in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics in the summer semester of 2015 in order to fulfill the prerequisites for the master’s program. (example) program appeals to me I think the courses (especially these ones, example) offered are a great match for my career goals. Additionally, I acheived a high level of French speaking and writing abilities through being in French Immersion from Kindergarten through grade 9, and then fully immersed when my family moved to a small, french-speaking town in Quebec for my full school year of grade 10. I am excited improve my French through the bilingual components of (example), as well as through living in (town). My ambition is to combine my work experience, science background, and (example’s interdisciplanary approach to public policy and international development to become an effective international advocate for women’s rights and environmental conservation, whether it be through public, private, or NGO work. Thank you for your time and consideration.