A leader in its field, the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) has an international reputation for providing the interdisciplinary training necessary to understand international issues and policy in a complex global environment. Building on our longstanding record of graduate training in areas of international development policy, international economic policy, and conflict and security studies, NPSIA provides doctoral students with an opportunity to apply sophisticated theoretical and methodological approaches to important questions of international policy in the areas of security and conflict, development, economic policy, and international governance. NPSIA is a full member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs, which is committed to preparing students for the global workplace. The School produces Canada’s premier foreign affairs annual, Canada Among Nations and the peer-reviewed Canadian Foreign Policy Journal.

A collaborative specialization in African Studies is also available.

Capital Advantage

NPSIA’s location in Ottawa gives the School a direct window on Canada’s role in international affairs, while allowing us to engage with the international policy community. Students benefit in terms of their research opportunities and from having direct access to officials from government departments, business and non-governmental organizations based in Canada’s capital city, and to major repositories of government documents and archives.

Fields of Specialization

• International Conflict Management and Resolution
• International Development Policy
• International Economic Policy
• Security, Intelligence and Defence

Research Highlights

• International negotiation, conflict resolution and analysis
• Terrorism, counter-terrorism and intelligence studies
• Human development, health and social policy
• Trade and economic policy analysis
• Arms control and disarmament