MA/MS in Island Studies at University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, Canada is a master's degree in Area Studies programme. The programme is delivered in a hybrid format. Tuition for international students is CAD 25,080 per total (CAD 15,360 per total for local students).
The Master of Arts in Island Studies examines island culture, environment, economy, geography, and politics through an interdisciplinary lens, drawing on policy-oriented research and welcoming students from varied academic backgrounds. The program offers two pathways: a course-based stream combining coursework with work-study experiences and a choice of applied focus areas, or a thesis stream that follows a period of coursework with a period of independent research and writing on a comparative or single-island topic. Instruction is delivered through a mix of in-person, online, and video-based formats, and work-study components can take place in Prince Edward Island or at international sites. It suits students interested in island-specific policy, tourism, sustainability, or governance questions, including those planning careers in government, non-governmental organizations, or community and environmental development work, and who want a research-oriented graduate program built around a specific geographic and thematic focus.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:70.00 / %
Admission Requirements: Applicants need an honours or majors bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with at least second-class ('B', 70–79.9%) standing over the last four semesters or two undergraduate years. Required application materials are official transcripts, a one-to-three-page Statement of Research Interests, a sample of written research work in English, two letters of recommendation from professors or others familiar with the applicant's work, and a resume or CV; applicants do not need to secure a supervisor before applying. The programme states that applicants must be proficient in English, both written and oral, but for the actual score thresholds it defers to UPEI's graduate English Language Proficiency Requirement rather than stating programme-specific figures. Admission runs on a Fall intake (deadlines July 1 international, August 15 domestic) and a Winter intake (November 1).
Application Details
Start Date:Fall and Winter
Application Deadline:UPEI has no shared provincial application service; domestic and international applicants both apply directly through the UPEI Application Portal, and most undergraduate programs (Arts, Science, Business) carry no fixed institution-wide closing date, with applications for the 2027 entry cycle assessed on a rolling basis until seats fill. Several professional programs set their own hard dates instead: for example the Bachelor of Education uses an October 15, 2026 priority-review deadline with rolling admission after. UPEI states that deadlines for non-competitive undergraduate programs are set yearly for international applicants rather than published as a fixed date, and directs applicants to email [email protected]; overall, admission across most programs is rolling. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
