Bachelor of Arts in Political Science - Public Affairs and Policy Analysis

at Carleton University Canada

Carleton is home to the oldest and largest BA program in law in Canada. In the program, you will acquire a strong understanding of the dynamics of law, including its rules, agents, institutions and power structures. You will study legal theory and its application in everyday life and you will be taught by award-winning researchers and extensively published professors. Carleton’s proximity to Canada’s important public institutions, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, Parliament and the Department of Justice can lead to unique work and volunteer opportunities for our students. As an Honours student, you will have the choice of a concentration in Law, Policy and Government; Business Law; or Transnational Law and Human Rights.

At Carleton University's Sprott School of Business, you will have exceptional opportunities to explore your interests and engage with key issues that are shaping business and communities. Sprott is a close-knit and inclusive community that offers a rich student experience and outstanding support, empowering students to find success and have a positive impact in the world.

Sprott’s Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) is a four-year business degree that delivers a complete business education with options to tailor your program to your individual interests and goals, including co-op.

Marketing - Concentration
Gain critical thinking, analytical, decision-making and creative skills to effectively manage the development, pricing, promotion and distribution of products and services. Learn how to build and sustain high-value customer relationships in competitive environments.

Marketing graduates pursue careers in marketing strategy, sales, advertising, product/brand management, customer relationship management, marketing research, public relations and e-commerce.

Economics may be a specialized area of knowledge, but it is relevant to almost every aspect of our lives. At its core, it is the study of reasoned choice in the context of scarce resources and competing interests. The need to make such choices pervades the day-to-day lives of all of us—as individuals and in society as a whole.

In Carleton’s Bachelor of Economics (BEcon), you will study the operation of market-based economies, examining the causes of economic growth, inflation, unemployment and international trade.

Carleton’s English program ranges from some of the most famous names in English writing to lesser-known authors, taking into account regional, national and global perspectives. You will have a chance to discuss the pressing issues and enduring ideas behind literature, as well as examine the ways in which books spring from cultural contexts and fit into the arc of literary history. You will explore how British and Canadian literary traditions have evolved and how alternative, underground and non-Western voices trouble and enrich those traditions. You may take workshops in creative writing and drama, either as electives or in the context of the department’s concentrations in Creative Writing and Drama Studies. We also offer a minor in Professional Writing, as well a minor in Drama Studies.

The influence of public policy is pervasive in our society. It affects the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink. It affects prosperity and the extent of poverty, as well as our access to education and medical care. It shapes the impact and pace of technological change. It determines the duties and powers of our officials at home and overseas. It influences the pace of technological change, the reach and practical meaning of our rights, and the extent of poverty. As a student in the Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management program (BPAPM), you will examine a wide variety of issues facing society today, as well as institutional challenges, and develop the necessary skills and knowledge to address them.

The BPAPM does this through a curriculum that combines interdisciplinary study of civic institutions and processes with rigorous study of public policy. A selection of courses in political science, economics, law, communications, and history is combined with exclusive courses in public policy. Together, these courses will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of what government, civil and business organizations do, why they do it, and how they might do it better.

The BPAPM program is located in the Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs, which provides an academic home for our students who come from across Canada and abroad. The university college is ancient in conception, characteristic of universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, and following this model our students belong to a select scholarly community. They have exclusive and direct access to academic advising, dedicated student meeting space and an electronic resource centre.

With an average of B or better after first year, you can apply for a student exchange. This involves spending one or two terms studying public affairs at one of Carleton’s partner institutions around the world.

Ottawa provides an unparalleled range of practical policy-related co-op opportunities with governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Our students also have access to a wide range of internships, including international placements in locations such as Peru, China, and Ghana.

Explore the Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management at Carleton University
Our program offers four specializations, each containing concentrations that reflect specific policy areas within the broader specialization field.

• Communication and Policy Studies
  • Concentration in Communication Technologies and Regulation
  • Concentration in Strategic Public Opinion
• Development Policy Studies
  • Concentration in Rights and Human Development
  • Concentration in Global Economic Relations
• International Policy Studies
  • Concentration in International Relations and Conflict
  • Concentration in Security and Intelligence
• Public Policy and Administration
  • Concentration in Social Policy
  • Concentration in Economic Policy
  • Concentration in Environmental and Sustainable Energy Policy

The geopolitical region of Latin America and the Caribbean has emerged as a key area of interest for Canadians. The growing ties between the two regions is shown in the rise in trade and investment relations as well as migrant flows. Furthermore, the complex biodiversity, history and cultures of the area invite new approaches to understanding sustainable development, democracy, human rights, cultural diversity and new forms of cooperation. This specialization addresses all of these issues, and will provide you with an understanding of this dynamic and culturally rich part of the word and its engagement in the global arena.

Economics may be a specialized area of knowledge, but it is relevant to almost every aspect of our lives. At its core, it is the study of reasoned choice in the context of scarce resources and competing interests. The need to make such choices pervades the day-to-day lives of all of us—as individuals and in society as a whole.

In Carleton’s Bachelor of Economics (BEcon), you will study the operation of market-based economies, examining the causes of economic growth, inflation, unemployment and international trade.

The biomedical and mechanical engineering program integrates life sciences with the traditional mechanical engineering topics of solid mechanics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, robotics and control systems to analyze and solve problems related to biomechanical engineering, biotechnology and medicine. The program provides students with a skill set that enables the development of advanced components, systems and techniques for biomechanical applications that are crucial to modern health care. The curriculum is designed with an emphasis on the development of practical and problem-solving skills based on hands-on laboratory and design work.

Computers and computer systems play a central role in business, communication, science, entertainment and medicine. As the range of computer applications continues to expand, so does the demand for computer scientists. Computer Science is an ever-changing discipline that studies the theory, design and implementation of computer applications and systems. You will learn to use computing and information technology to help solve the problems that we face in business, science and society today and those that we will face tomorrow.

The science of biochemistry seeks to understand how organisms function by investigating enzyme reactions, mechanisms of gene regulation, chemical signaling pathways, and cellular structure at the molecular level. Biochemists study how animals, plants and bacteria make use of energy to grow, compete with other organisms and reproduce. Many of the biochemist’s findings are of direct relevance to humanity—they help us understand and treat disease, improve food production and find new techniques to produce valuable products such as vitamins and antibiotics.