Essential information for the Public and International Affairs program

At GSPIA, we educate policy leaders for Canada and the world.

The first year of the MA in Public and International Affairs provides students with a multidisciplinary grounding in the concepts and practice of national and international policy as well as professional development workshops on essential skills such as writing effectively and delivering presentations. Then, students specialize and gain hands-on experience by taking elective courses, pursuing co-op work experiences or internships, and writing their major research paper to deepen their expertise on a subject that interests them.

The MA in International Affairs involves much more than classroom learning. We provide opportunities for our students to get hands-on experience and learn important professional skills.

The Senior Fellows program offered by the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs pairs Public and International Affairs Master’s students with some of Canada’s most experienced policy professionals. These include educators, private sector leaders, leading journalists, senior military leaders, former diplomats, and policymakers. Students can seek guidance during one-to-one sessions, but they are also invited to engaging events throughout the year.

Many of our graduates pursue rewarding careers in the federal public service. They work in virtually every department of government, such as Global Affairs Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, and in “central agencies” such as the Privy Council Office. Others have gone on to successful careers in non-governmental organizations in Canada or abroad, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as in journalism and business. Some opt to continue their graduate education.

GSPIA has 29 dedicated professors who are leaders in their fields. We believe that educating policy leaders requires a multidisciplinary training, so our faculty includes political scientists, economists, historians, sociologists, and ethicists. In addition to their academic excellence, many also have direct policy experience.

The School hosts nearly 20 Senior Fellows who are among the most experienced policy professionals in Canada, including some who previously served as deputy ministers of federal government departments. Their expertise covers international trade, national and international security, human rights, journalism, economic planning, business, and much more. MA students in public and international affairs also benefit from being paired with a Senior Fellow – an expert in their field, with deep knowledge of international affairs and public policy – who offers students insights and guidance drawn from their distinguished career.

For Canadian students:

• Students enrolled full-time in the M.A. in Public and International Affairs, whose admission average is 8.0 / 10 or above, will receive a Graduate Scholarship worth $7,500 for the first year of study.
• Those with an admission average of 9.0 / 10 or above will also receive TA-ships or RA-ships paying $12,508 over two years.

For international students:

• The Faculty of Social Sciences holds a competition for the allocation of different types of awards and financial support for international students. A committee considers applications submitted by the program to which the student has been admitted. Funding is not guaranteed to all students who meet the eligibility criteria. Scholarships are awarded until the funds are all allocated.

Visit the Finance your graduate studies on the Faculty of Social Sciences website for information on all scholarships, research grants and assistantship positions offered to graduate students.

Our program is designed to give students a solid conceptual grounding in both national and international policy as well as the opportunity to specialize and to pursue hands-on work experiences as part of their education. Although the degree can be completed in less than two years, most students choose to take advantage of these opportunities to gain the full benefits of the program.

Applicants must have completed an honours undergraduate degree (or its equivalent) in the social sciences, arts, management, or law, with at least a 75% (B+) average (calculated in accordance with graduate studies guidelines). Applicants with degrees in other disciplines may also be considered, depending on the relevance of their previous degree and experience to the MA in Public and International Affairs.

A basic knowledge of economics is required. There are two ways to meet this requirement:

• The first is for students to have successfully completed introductory courses in macroeconomics and microeconomics at the undergraduate level. At the University of Ottawa, this requirement can be met by taking the courses ECO 1102 or ECO 1302 and ECO 1104 or ECO 1304, or their equivalent. (The Faculty of Social Sciences will offer these courses in the summer to facilitate the completion of this requirement.) Equivalent courses from other universities are also accepted.
• Alternatively, students who lack these courses could still be admitted to the program on the condition that they take a remedial course in economics offered by the GSPIA during their first term.

For more information, see the admission requirements.

GSPIA is a bilingual School in a bilingual university – a huge advantage for our students. Aspiring policy leaders who hope to work on national or international issues in Canada need at least a working knowledge of both official languages.

All students must take at least one course (3 units) in the second official language.

The university offers a range of opportunities for students to strengthen their bilingualism, including courses in English or French as a second language. They are not requirements of the MA in Public and International Affairs, but some students take advantage of these options while they are at uOttawa.

Candidates who have not graduated from a French-speaking or an English-speaking university must pass the computerized Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or equivalent, before admission.

The Major Research Paper offers MA students in public and international affairs the opportunity to explore and deepen their knowledge of a topic that interests them. The MRP does not have to make an original contribution, but it must demonstrate extensive research and independent analysis.

Each MRP is supervised by one professor, who helps the student define their research question and guides their work.

The regular full-time program can be completed in a minimum of four (4) semesters. While, the co-op full-time program and the part-time program may not be completed in less than seven (7) terms. The maximum time allowed to complete all API programs is twelve (12) sessions (4 years).

Students must complete at least one course (3 credits) of the program in the second official language; this course is at the choice of the student, it can be a compulsory course, an elective specialized seminar or a capstone seminar.

The first year is essentially devoted to acquiring the multidisciplinary foundations essential to studies in public and international affairs. Students enrolled in the program must take six (6) or seven (7) compulsory courses, depending on their condition of admission, involving various disciplines. Through these compulsory courses at the beginning of the program, students acquire the foundations (knowledge, theories and concepts, research and analysis techniques) necessary for understanding contemporary issues in public and international affairs, which allows them to participate in advanced seminars on more specific topics during the continuation of the program.

If any of your prerequisite economic courses have been completed during the last semester of your undergraduate program or during the summer prior to the beginning of the API program, you must make sure that your last official transcript is sent to the Graduate Studies office. The admission requirement to take the course API 5100 during your first term in the program remains in your file until we have the proof of completion of the prerequisite courses. If all the documents have been submitted and the economic course condition remain in your admission file, contact your academic unit.

A basic knowledge of economics is required. There are two ways to meet this requirement.

The first is for students to have successfully completed introductory courses in macroeconomics and microeconomics at the undergraduate level. At the University of Ottawa, this requirement can be met by taking the courses  and/or their equivalent.

The second way to meet the economics requirement is to take a remedial course offered by the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, after admission, during the first semester of study. The course, entitled “Economics for Public Management and Policy” (API 5100), offers an intensive survey of the economics and mathematical skills necessary to be adequately prepared for the program’s core courses in economics. Completion of this course will also be recommended for students who may need to ensure that they have the necessary basic skills in mathematical analysis. This remedial course will be in addition to the 39 units required by the program.

GSPIA takes full advantage of the presence and active mobilization of several renowned practitioners, such as former senior government officials and diplomats, who enrich the School's intellectual life and contribute to the quality of the student experience.

A mentoring program pairs each student entering the program with a Senior Fellow to facilitate exchanges and thus create lasting mentor/mentees relationships between the two groups. We strongly encourage you to contact senior fellows who have had a career that interests or fascinates you; they all love to share their experience with our students.

Profiles and contact details for all Senior Fellows are available on this page of the school website.

The summer courses at GSPIA are offered during six (6) weeks instead of twelve (12) with three-hour classes twice a week for each course. Summer is separated into four (4) different semesters. The dates of each session are available in the academic calendar. The courses API5125 / API 5525: Macroeconomic Policy in French and English are both offered either during the day or in the evening. Two (2) to three (3) elective specialized seminars are also available during the summer, while capstone seminars can rarely be offered. The list of courses is available online in late February, early March at the latest.