About the Program
NPSIA’s Ph.D. program is interdisciplinary and focuses on international policymaking processes and institutions. Its objective is to provide students with advanced training and research skills suitable for both an academic career, or for more senior policy analysis and research positions in government and non-governmental institutions.
International Conflict Management and Resolution
Interdisciplinary and policy-oriented research on international and intrastate conflict management and resolution. Sources of and responses to conflict, drawing from traditional and non-traditional frameworks with an emphasis on diagnostic and analytic skills. Topics include conflict management, peacekeeping, crisis decision-making, the management of terrorism, arms control, concepts of security, peace-building, and conflict prevention.
International Development Policy
Interdisciplinary and policy-oriented research on international development. Global, regional, community and institutional dimensions of development as a social, economic and political process. Topics include the linkages between development and trade, finance, regional integration, technology transfer and transnational enterprises, the environment and natural recourses, health, education, labour, and institutions.
International Economic Policy
Interdisciplinary and policy-oriented research on the relationship between the global markets, civil society, and states. Theories and policy approaches to international political economy, drawn from economics, political science and other disciplines. Topics include trade, finance, multinational corporations, international migration, and a critical analysis of the issues surrounding the phenomenon of global integration.
Academic Regulations
- See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
- To successfully complete the doctoral program, students must obtain a grade of B- or better in each course credit, and Satisfactory or Distinction in the field seminars, comprehensive examinations, doctoral research seminar, the research prospectus defence, and the Ph.D. thesis and its oral defence.
Admission Requirements
- Admission into the Ph.D. program will be judged primarily on the applicant's ability to undertake research successfully and his/her prospects for completion of the program. Admission to the Ph.D. program is governed by the requirements stated in the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
- The normal requirement for admission to the doctoral program in International Affairs is a Master's degree in a social science with at least an A- average.
- Relevant work experience is also considered. Students who lack sufficient background at the graduate level in international affairs will be required to take supplementary courses extra to degree prior to admission.
- Students with no formal training in economics must complete a 1.0 credit (or equivalent) course in introductory economics (introductory microeconomics and introductory macroeconomics for economics majors) plus at least 1.0 credit (or the equivalent) at the advanced undergraduate (typically third or fourth year) or intermediate theory level to be considered for admission.
- Students who are admitted to the doctoral program but lack sufficient specialization in their fields of study may be required to take additional courses at the graduate level in preparation for their field seminars.
- All applicants whose first language is not English will be required to obtain an overall score of 70 or over on the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment with a minimum score of 70 for the writing section or a TOEFL score of 250 computer-based, 100 iBT (minimum score of 25) in each of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Program Requirements
The Ph.D. in International Affairs is a 10.0 credit program. The specific requirements are:
- A thesis [5.0 credits]
- Two field seminars [0.5 credit each] in the area of declared fields
- Two field comprehensive examinations [0.5 credit each] in the area of declared fields
- A doctoral research seminar [0.5 credit] which requires public defence of a research prospectus
- 1.5 credits of compulsory courses in research methods and policy analysis
- 1.0 credit (or the equivalent) of compulsory economics courses
- A demonstrated ability in a second language
Detailed Program Requirements
Residence Requirement
All Ph.D. candidates must be registered full time for a minimum of six terms to satisfy the residence requirement.
Courses
The following 2.5 credits of compulsory courses must be completed within the first two years of initial registration.
- INAF 6001: Qualitative Research Methods [0.5 credit]
- INAF 6002: Quantitative Research Methods [0.5 credit]
- INAF 6003: Advanced International Policy Analysis [0.5 credit]
- An additional 1.0 credit (or the equivalent) selected from the economics courses offered by the School, related to the chosen comprehensive examination field and selected with permission of the Associate Director. Candidates with sufficient economics training may be permitted to substitute other courses.
Field Seminars
- Two field seminars (0.5 credits each) must be completed within the first two years of initial registration. At least one of these will be in a field offered by NSPIA faculty (INAF 6100, INAF 6200, INAF 6300). The field seminars provide a venue for doctoral students to explore the literature that serves as the foundation for the comprehensive examinations and some students may be advised to take additional courses.
Field Comprehensives
- Two field comprehensives (0.5 credit each) must be completed with grade of Satisfactory or Distinction within the first two years of initial registration. Failure to complete this requirement within the time limit may result in withdrawal from the program.
- The comprehensive examination is based on a set of readings provided at the beginning of the academic year (Fall term) and may be completed through a combination of self-directed study, M.A. courses, the Field Seminar and consultation with faculty members. A candidate whose performance is not satisfactory may, at the discretion of the examining board, be required to submit to either an oral or written examination.
- Students may, with the School's permission, apply to complete a field and an associated comprehensive examination in another discipline. The field must be in a discipline related to the student's program of study, and requires the approval of the host department. The student is required to fulfil all of the host department's requirements for the equivalence of a field designation, including any course work and the associated comprehensive examination.
Doctoral Research Seminar
- A seminar where research issues are discussed. Satisfactory completion of the seminar requires the successful public defence of a research prospectus that will be the basis for the dissertation.
Thesis (5.0 credits)
- All Ph.D. candidates are required to successfully complete and defend a thesis equivalent to 5.0 credits on a topic approved by the School.
Language Requirement
- All students must demonstrate an ability to read academic material in a language other than English sufficient to conduct doctoral research in international affairs. This requirement will be fulfilled before the defence of the research prospectus. To fulfil the language requirement, a student must pass a written examination administered by the School, or meet the equivalent standard as determined by the School.
