MJHawke

Hey there. This was actually asked in the Online MA Information session that was held on October 28th. They were very "broad" in their answer, saying it is not really essential. But at the same time, they went on and on about how important each and every faculty member is and how each of them teach exclusively at NPSIA and nowhere else. To me, it sounded like they are really proud of their team (and in my opinion, they should really be). They further encouraged people to go on their faculty webpage to get to know and read about the members, but said that contacting them is not really important at this point, and perhaps not encouraged. This is all to say that even though you're going with the course route, showing interest in their faculty and mentioning one or two of them in your statement, as well as how relevant they would be for your academic career based on your goals, would show them you are interested and that you have made your research. I personally see this as a positive when it comes to them making a decision on your application. I hope this helps.

Hey ya'll No big news from me yet, but I received an email from 'International Affairs' yesterday (Nov 19th) about the merging of the fields and program structure. It went to my spam folder, so I thought I'd mention it here in case you missed yours too. In the email they announced a change to the program structure starting Fall 2026. Instead of the usual 8 fields, the program will now offer 4 broader fields, with some areas merged to reflect wider themes and offer more diverse course options. If you’ve already applied, no worries — they’ll map your selected field to the new structure automatically. Here’s how the old fields line up with the new ones: Old → New Field Mapping (Fall 2026 NPSIA MA Program) International Economic Policy (IEP) → International Trade and Economic Policy (ITEP) Conflict Analysis and Conflict Resolution (CON) → Health, Displacement, and Humanitarian Policy (HDHP) Conflict, Fragility and Development (CFD) → Health, Displacement, and Humanitarian Policy (HDHP) International Development Policy (IDP) → Health, Displacement, and Humanitarian Policy (HDHP) Intelligence and International Affairs (IIA) → National Security, Intelligence and Defence (NSID) Security and Defence Policy (SDP) → National Security, Intelligence and Defence (NSID) Diplomacy and Foreign Policy (DFP) → Diplomacy, International Organisations and Foreign Policy (DIFP) International Organizations and Global Policy (IOGP) → Diplomacy, International Organisations and Foreign Policy (DIFP) The application form still shows the old 8 fields, but they’ll handle the translation on their end.

They did mention funding. They said what you just said now; that they are a generous institution who provide a lot of financial support to students. They weren’t very specific but said that scholarships and bursaries are offered on a case-by-case basis, depending on your application and GPA. They also said early applications have a better chance for these kinds of offers, so I’m guessing it’s on a rolling basis too, much like admissions?!

Hey Bohm I attended an Online MA Information session on October 28th. Not sure if you were there? That's where I heard for the first time about the merge of the specializations into only four. They said not to worry if we mentioned the old ones in our statements, as all the faculty and students were still to be informed of the new structure, so it didn't sound like this would be a problem. They are not expecting for us to be experts on such a recent change.

Hi overunder4. I always knew their official date begin reviewing apps was October 1st, which I knew nothing might happen right away, and so I waited (impatiently so) until the 9th and sent them an email to ask when we might hear anything back. I got this response: "Thank you for your email. Application for Fall 2026 is now open. Admission is on a rolling basis, and students are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible. We keep reviewing files and will send out admission offers on a rolling basis until the program is filled. Please note that the application will not be reviewed until all required documents have been submitted. Applications typically start being reviewed towards the end of October." This doesn't say much, but the new date of "the end of October" seems promising.

Hi everyone! 👋 I’m starting this thread for anyone applying (or who has already applied) to Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) for the MA in International Affairs – Fall 2026 intake. I submitted my application at the end of August 2025, and my referees submitted their references on September 2nd. My application status stayed at “Preliminary Review Required” until October 23rd, when it changed to “Review in Progress by Department.” It’s been sitting at that stage since then — so now I’m waiting (and refreshing Carleton Central a bit too often 😅). I thought it would be nice to connect with others in the same boat — to share our updates, timelines, and experiences, and maybe make some future classmates or friends along the way! If you’ve applied, feel free to post when you submitted, what your current status says, and how you’re feeling about the wait. Looking forward to hearing from everyone and keeping each other updated through the admissions cycle!