Applying to NPSIA for 2018

[Chuupa]

@Delidas oh yeah ! I'm always in for some beers we should all definitively meet next fall.

Aren't GSPIA and NPSIA hosting events together ? I'm sure we'll end up seeing eachother from time to time.

I am still debating what to do for housing ... 

[Delidas]

@Chuupa I can't see IR circles being very fractured, ahaha. I'm sure we'll be attending the same events regardless of our schools. I'm curious about housing too. I'll need to figure out how many days a week I can anticipate being on campus, and then go from there. Old Ottawa South, the Glebe, and Little Italy all seem reasonably priced without qualifying as sketchy areas.   

[StrawberryFields67]

@Chuupa Here is one of the main housing FB groups for Ottawa students: https://www.facebook.com/groups/524220117678841/

@Delidas I hope you wouldn't mind if a Carleton MPPA student would join in too! I always enjoy a good drink and a talk about policy of some kind!

It looks like I will be taking ECON 1000 this summer with some of you NPSIA folks. Is there some way we could make a FB group/chat to stay in touch?

[Chuupa]

@StrawberryFields67 Oh, wow, thank you ! That's really  nice. I am honestly quite stressed because I'll be in the Philippines all summer... I have no clue how to find a place to live and how to do it from another continent hahaha. Hopefully I'll manage !

@Delidas Yeah, you're right ! I'm really excited for all the conferences and events  

[alexma63]

I'm still debating between GSPIA and NPSIA... so I've joined both Facebook groups . I also got notice from the Swedish application system that my application to Uppsala University has been accepted (finally) and is being reviewed. I think I'll still end up going to NPSIA or GSPIA and do an exchange which seems a lot more financially feasible. 

PROs to GSPIA

- International Office has connections with schools abroad (e.g. University of Iceland, Geneva, etc). 

- International Office offers 1000$ scholarship to anyone completing an exchange.

- Economics course can be done during the program rather than prior to.

- There are couple of professors who have very similar interests to my own (e.g. human rights, conflict, health and social policy, comparative policy)

- Funding package offers 2000$ more.

- Embassy internship seems like an exceptional opportunity. 

- uOttawa is a 10 minute walk from my apartment.

CONs to GSPIA

- Maybe less opportunities throughout the program to go abroad outside of the embassy internship and exchange. I spoke to the admin and she told me that does not typically send around opportunities on a regular basis.

 

PROs to NPSIA

- Admission into the conflict studies stream, which is highly in line with my interests.

- The connections with the civil service and government work are hard to compete with... I think NPSIA's reputation on its own is a significant pull towards the program.

- Frequent opportunities to go abroad (from what I've read on this forum).

- International Office has some exchange connections to schools of interest in Netherlands.

- Empirical focus on statistics courses will like be of benefit in the future.

- There are couple of professors who have very similar interests to my own (e.g. human rights, conflict, health and social policy, comparative policy)

- EURUS courses

CONs to NPSIA

- My sense is there may be less of an emphasis on human rights and social justice than at GSPIA. I mean...  people like Niki Ashton completed the program, so maybe I am wrong on this front?

-  Less money provided in general and for an exchange. 

- I'm already over economics and I've only completed half of a course... my general sense is that NPSIA has a greater focus on it. 

 

Can any former GSPIA or NPSIA comment on these or have anything else to add? My apologies for coming back to this debate but I can't seem to make a decision. 

 

2 hours ago, Chuupa said:

@StrawberryFields67 Oh, wow, thank you ! That's really  nice. I am honestly quite stressed because I'll be in the Philippines all summer... I have no clue how to find a place to live and how to do it from another continent hahaha. Hopefully I'll manage !

@Delidas Yeah, you're right ! I'm really excited for all the conferences and events  

@ChuupaAlso in terms of housing, I've lived in Ottawa for quite some time now and could probably provide some advice. I live in Centretown (downtown) and am paying 1150$/month plus hydro for a small renovated one bedroom apartment. Old Ottawa South often is a sweet spot in terms of affordability and location. Deals in the Glebe and Centretown tend to be harder to find but exist for sure. The last few places I've rented I found either on PadMapper, Kijiji or had someone refer me. Feel free to ask any questions or DM me for more info.

 

Good luck with the apartment/house hunting everyone!

 

 

Edited March 26, 2018 by alexma63

[Chuupa]

@alexma63 Hahaha, I recognize you from your présentation on the FB group. As I mentionned, I spent 4 months in Sweden and I was in Uppsala.  It was the best time of my life and I honestly never felt this happy. If it wasn't so expensive, I 100% would have apply for a master there. So if you have any question about the University, the city, Sweden or anything, feel to write to me ! 

And thank you for your input about housing. I'll look on Kijiji. 1000$+ is a bit too much for me haha but its also the price of some dorms in UOttawa :') Pretty sure I'll end up writing to you.

 

Edited March 27, 2018 by Chuupa

[sandradee]

@alexma63 @Chuupa and anyone else who's had interest in Uppsala 

if you were provided full funding with room and board, would you close Uppsala over NPSIA? Admittedly I don't have much knowledge on this school, but a former professor has reached out with a *potential* fully funded opportunity to attend their Masters in Peace and Conflict studies. 

My concern is that I already have a masters degree and my intent on applying to npsia was based entirely on post program job opportunities. I felt like I needed a foot in the door into the Ottawa scene as I'm from the west coast and have never lived in Ontario. Ottawa is where a lot of the work I want to do happens, and NPSIA I felt was the best way to get in to that scene. 

But now that I'm reading up on Uppsala it sounds very renowned, and I wonder if I would be silly to not follow up on this offer. My fear however is that this doesn't advance me any further career wise, as when I finish I'll still have very little connection to Ottawa, and returning back to western Canada is not an option.

any insight of what others would do or what your plans would be if you attended Uppsala would be really helpful! 

[Chuupa]

@sandradee I would choose Uppsala over anything without even thinking about it. I actually wanted to do their Master in Peace and Conflict studies, I met some people that were doing it and they were really happy about it . I don't even have words to describe my experience there, it was just ... raw happiness ? I decided to do my exchange there because I'm interested in development and environment. The university is among the best in the world in those subjects and is well known in general as well. The professors were really nice and I absolutely loved the courses. They were super interesting. However, in case you don't know, their system is not the same as here. They have one class per month (or one that is over two months) instead of having them all at the same time. I love it, but some people do not.

Also, I felt a connection with Sweden that I don't have with Canada. I know I want to live there or in a nordic country after my studies. It felt like home and for the first time, I felt like I belong somewhere (I don't know why I don't like Canada...) I have no clue what I could do there, though. So I understand your dilemma. Doing a program in Ottawa to work for the government is, in my opinion, a very logical move. That's why I am doing it. NPSIA also opens a lot of doors. But as I said, I would go to Uppsala without hesitation if I was provided with funding. Having experience overseas if also very important and it makes you stand out. Uppsala is an amazing city, Swedes are so so nice. I had the chance to live with 6 of them and 4 international students in my dorm. They are like family to me. I can only recommend it.

Edited March 27, 2018 by Chuupa

[alexma63]

6 hours ago, sandradee said:

@alexma63 @Chuupa and anyone else who's had interest in Uppsala 

if you were provided full funding with room and board, would you close Uppsala over NPSIA? Admittedly I don't have much knowledge on this school, but a former professor has reached out with a *potential* fully funded opportunity to attend their Masters in Peace and Conflict studies. 

My concern is that I already have a masters degree and my intent on applying to npsia was based entirely on post program job opportunities. I felt like I needed a foot in the door into the Ottawa scene as I'm from the west coast and have never lived in Ontario. Ottawa is where a lot of the work I want to do happens, and NPSIA I felt was the best way to get in to that scene. 

But now that I'm reading up on Uppsala it sounds very renowned, and I wonder if I would be silly to not follow up on this offer. My fear however is that this doesn't advance me any further career wise, as when I finish I'll still have very little connection to Ottawa, and returning back to western Canada is not an option.

any insight of what others would do or what your plans would be if you attended Uppsala would be really helpful! 

@sandradee Uppsala is an exceptional program internationally. It is held in a very similar regard to the International Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin. I strongly considered it because I'd actually like to work in Europe post graduation.... I'm crossing my fingers that this will still be possible with NPSIA and/or my MSW. One of my Icelandic friends is working as a Brexit exit specialist in London, which is pretty interesting. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. Benefits for me include: fulfilling my lifelong dream of living in a Nordic country (I have a thing for welfare states), and being part of an exceptional program with a strong research base. As part of my investigation in picking schools, I got in touch with an Austrian woman studying at Uppsala and Jean Daudelin, who is a professor at NPSIA (Associate Director of the program as well). The Austrian student I spoke to described the program as having a strong research base rather than policy base.... very focused on methods and conducting research. When I spoke to Jean Daudelin he said:

"The Canadian government recruits broadly, but one of the best ways to get in is the coop option which a number of Canadian university programs, many of them at Carleton or Ottawa U., offer. They give students an opportunity to gain experience in the public service (and more mundane things like a security clearance) and they give government departments an opportunity to assess the qualities of a potential employee over a significant period of time. In addition, it significantly lowers the cost of graduate studies as students are paid the salary of the position that they occupy (coop jobs in government are NOT minimum salary jigs). Remember also that most Canadian universities have exchange programs that enable students to spend time and study abroad. Many of our students, for instance, complete their programs with a semester at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Lastly, and although you have done your undergraduate degree at Carleton, EURUS and NPSIA should rank high in your list of options. Both programs have an excellent reputation, a coop program, they offer exchange options, and they have been very successful at placing their graduates in the public service." 

Jean's comments helped me conceptualize the cons of going abroad which include lack of career connections and also the potential for significant debt (which might not be the case for you). Honestly, if I was given full room and board and full funding, I would be highly tempted to choose Uppsala. But given the lack of an opportunity for me, the pull of a potential job opportunity here, and also opportunity to go abroad pull me towards NPSIA.

I hope this is helpful

[Investigate311]

On 3/22/2018 at 4:48 AM, Flyflyaway said:

i chose Npsia! haven't accepted yet, but the deadline for the MPPA has passed and i couldn't get any response when i emailed/called asking for an extension- I'm sure its because of the strike. I think it was a blessing though because it made me make a decision rather than thinking about if for another 2/3 weeks....

i'm pretty sure i'll do the same,  just because the in class is from 4:30-5:30 then 6-9 and i don't do well with night classes... i think ill find the econ hard enough as it is...

Good call! I wound up requesting a decision extension b/w SPPA & GSPIA last year that drove me bonkers. Switching into NPSIA for next year though. Seee youuuuuuuuuu in the fall brotendo 

[Delidas]

22 hours ago, alexma63 said:

@sandradee Uppsala is an exceptional program internationally. It is held in a very similar regard to the International Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin. I strongly considered it because I'd actually like to work in Europe post graduation.... I'm crossing my fingers that this will still be possible with NPSIA and/or my MSW. One of my Icelandic friends is working as a Brexit exit specialist in London, which is pretty interesting. Anyway, I'm getting off topic. Benefits for me include: fulfilling my lifelong dream of living in a Nordic country (I have a thing for welfare states), and being part of an exceptional program with a strong research base. As part of my investigation in picking schools, I got in touch with an Austrian woman studying at Uppsala and Jean Daudelin, who is a professor at NPSIA (Associate Director of the program as well). The Austrian student I spoke to described the program as having a strong research base rather than policy base.... very focused on methods and conducting research. When I spoke to Jean Daudelin he said:

"The Canadian government recruits broadly, but one of the best ways to get in is the coop option which a number of Canadian university programs, many of them at Carleton or Ottawa U., offer. They give students an opportunity to gain experience in the public service (and more mundane things like a security clearance) and they give government departments an opportunity to assess the qualities of a potential employee over a significant period of time. In addition, it significantly lowers the cost of graduate studies as students are paid the salary of the position that they occupy (coop jobs in government are NOT minimum salary jigs). Remember also that most Canadian universities have exchange programs that enable students to spend time and study abroad. Many of our students, for instance, complete their programs with a semester at the Sorbonne in Paris.

Lastly, and although you have done your undergraduate degree at Carleton, EURUS and NPSIA should rank high in your list of options. Both programs have an excellent reputation, a coop program, they offer exchange options, and they have been very successful at placing their graduates in the public service." 

Jean's comments helped me conceptualize the cons of going abroad which include lack of career connections and also the potential for significant debt (which might not be the case for you). Honestly, if I was given full room and board and full funding, I would be highly tempted to choose Uppsala. But given the lack of an opportunity for me, the pull of a potential job opportunity here, and also opportunity to go abroad pull me towards NPSIA.

I hope this is helpful

Just thought I'd add a personal anecdote.

I'm pretty close to a professor who used to work at GAC, and she still maintains connections there. She told me that due to hiring practices, grads from NPSIA/GSPIA are much more likely to get jobs than are students who attend prestigious schools overseas. It may be a bit different should you plan to work in the non-profit sector, or private sector, but I still figure it's something worth considering. Personally, it played a big part as to why I chose NPSIA over a well-funded offer to study in Switzerland. You just can't beat the co-op component. 

Also, from what it sounds like, NPSIA offers more than a few international opportunities. If that's the angle from which your interest in studying abroad stems, you should be accommodated well at Carleton. At least, that's what I'm hoping is the case. 

[sunshine18]

Can someone link me to the exchange universities NPSIA has?

[Delidas]

@sunshine18 You can find them in this pdf. I'm hoping that other international opportunities are available in the form of internships, or co-ops. 

https://carleton.ca/isso/wp-content/uploads/PDF-Exchange-Partners-FEB-23.pdf

[gemmi]

Hey!

I have been lurking around on this forum since I have not heard back yet from the school. Still hopeful, but at this rate it seems rather doubtful of an acceptance. In any case, for those who were waiting for response from the school, have you guys heard anything? For those who are at the school have you heard any news that decisions have all been made and that the incoming class has been finalized?

[NPSIA grad]

Hi all, current NPSIA student. Application season / grad cafe veteran. Feel free to DM me any questions about the program (co ops, internships, etc.)

[sunshine18]

What's everyone doing about the housing situation? It would be great to live with other NPSIA students  

[Irwi]

On 25/03/2018 at 11:18 PM, StrawberryFields67 said:

I hope you wouldn't mind if a Carleton MPPA student would join in too! I always enjoy a good drink and a talk about policy of some kind!

@StrawberryFields67 You are in the MPPA? I accepted an offer for that program as well. Do you know of a Facebook group similar to the NPSIA one posted in this thread?

[SamNpsia]

On 3/30/2018 at 8:51 AM, gemmi said:

Hey!

I have been lurking around on this forum since I have not heard back yet from the school. Still hopeful, but at this rate it seems rather doubtful of an acceptance. In any case, for those who were waiting for response from the school, have you guys heard anything? For those who are at the school have you heard any news that decisions have all been made and that the incoming class has been finalized?

I received my admiossion 2 says ago

[Issa]

Has anyone received any rejections from NPSIA yet?

 

I am wondering if "no news" is still "good news".

[Omie]

6 hours ago, Issa said:

Has anyone received any rejections from NPSIA yet?

 

I am wondering if "no news" is still "good news".

No rejections, but I've been "recommended for assessment" since March. I contacted them a couple times and their office is a mess after the strike. Not sure if we'll be hearing back anytime soon

[saraNPSIA]

I was sick all year, and never really got the chance to sit down and properly apply to Grad schools. I called uOttawa and asked if they still had spots and they said no, and that their waitlist is longer than the class size so that I should apply next year. But I called NPSIA, and they said they still have spots left and I should go ahead and apply. What do you guys think my chances are? I submitted the application two days ago.  I'm an okay student with a 3.2CGPA from the University of Toronto, but a 4.0 from my year abroad at Sciences Po Paris, I've done a few cool internships during my undergraduate. 

Edited April 19, 2018 by saraNPSIA

[sunshine18]

For anyone taking the econ course with Carleton during the summer, how much are you guys paying for it? According to carleton central it will 1,648.86; however that seems a little high for just 1 course...

[srudyk]

17 hours ago, Issa said:

Has anyone received any rejections from NPSIA yet?

 

I am wondering if "no news" is still "good news".

I was just accepted to NPSIA two days ago, on April 17th. I had completely written the possibility off, so it came as a surprise. I think the strike delayed things a lot more than expected. Don't lose hope!

[Corenn]

18 hours ago, saraNPSIA said:

 I called uOttawa and asked if they still had spots and they said no, and that their waitlist is longer than the class size so that I should apply next year. But I called NPSIA, and they said they still have spots left and I should go ahead and apply.

2

That's so interesting. Why is it that Ottawa has such a long wait list, I'm very curious! o.o I was had the impression NPSIA was very popular.

[srudyk]

16 hours ago, sunshine18 said:

For anyone taking the econ course with Carleton during the summer, how much are you guys paying for it? According to carleton central it will 1,648.86; however that seems a little high for just 1 course...

I just took Micro and Macro econ at University of Ottawa this year, and each half year course cost me about $800-900. So $1600 for the full year course seems about right. Still so expensive though.