PGDip in Ethics and Public Affairs

This program leads to a Graduate Diploma in Ethics and Public Affairs, delivered on campus at Carleton University in Ottawa. Two diploma pathways are offered alongside a related PhD program: one for current graduate students in a participating Carleton program, and another for professionals. The curriculum combines ethical analysis with social science, with students taught and supervised jointly by philosophers researching public issues and social science or public policy specialists examining the values underlying those issues. Coursework centres on public reason, the idea that the exercise of power must be justifiable to those it affects. Practicum courses allow students to gain work experience in government, civil society, or as policy consultants, supported by a network of professionals offering mentorship on research and professional contacts. The program draws on Ottawa's concentration of government departments, agencies, parliamentary institutions, media, and non-governmental organizations engaging with ethical questions. Graduates are prepared for academic positions or policy-related roles in government, civil society, or consulting. Entry is offered in the Fall term.