MA Social Practice and Innovation at Ontario Tech University

Programme overview

In the Master of Arts in Social Practice and Innovation (MSPI), students hone and combine theory and methods from political science, legal studies, and communication and digital media studies and put them into practice by designing an innovative community engagement project that addresses a social problem. The Master of Arts in Social Practice and Innovation (MSPI) is an interdisciplinary program at the intersections of legal studies, communication and digital media, and political science.

Faculty: Social Science and Humanities | Duration: Approximately 16 months, based on full-time study | Study mode: full-time | Intake: September | Location: Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

What you will study

Graduate students in the MSPI program will take courses across the three disciplines to conceptualize practices which address social problems and build collaborations with diverse communities.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Hold a undergraduate degree in Communication, Legal Studies, Political Science or a related field, with a minimum overall academic standing of a B (GPA: 3.0 on a 4.3 scale or 73 to 76 per cent). Prospective applicants will be asked to demonstrate engagement with social innovation in their applications (e.g., through previous academic work, volunteer work, or work experience). Prospective applicants with undergraduate degrees from other fields who are able to demonstrate an impressive level of social engagement (e.g., Health Science) will also be considered, such as applicants whose professional work experience as managers or policy analysts demonstrates aptitude for social policy-oriented work. All applicants to graduate programs at Ontario Tech University must submit the required documents outlined in the checklist of required documents .

Domestic applicants: CAD 7,579 a year (2026-2027). Domestic full-time flat-fee tuition, annual amount based on three terms (per-term amount is one third). Flat-fee annual amount (three terms), full-time, 2026-2027; excludes ancillary fees. Source

International applicants: CAD 20,124 a year (2026-2027). International full-time flat-fee tuition, annual amount based on three terms. Flat-fee annual amount (three terms), full-time, 2026-2027; excludes ancillary fees. Source

Graduate intakes: January 2027, May 2027 and September 2027, depending on the programme.

Graduate applications are submitted online through OUAC. Master's deadlines (domestic / international): September 2027 entry: MBAI, MFDA, MITS, MA/MEd Education, MEng programmes and Social Media Communication May 1, 2027 / April 1, 2027; MASc programmes April 1, 2027 / February 1, 2027; MHSc (thesis), MSc Computer Science, Materials Science, Modelling and Computational Science, Applied Bioscience, MA Criminology February 1, 2027 / February 1, 2027; Nursing (MScN) February 1, 2027 (domestic only); Forensic Psychology (MSc) December 1, 2026. January 2027 entry: MASc and MSc programmes September 1, 2026; MBAI, MFDA, MITS, MEd and MEng programmes November 1, 2026 domestic / October 1, 2026 international. May 2027 entry: MASc and MSc programmes January 15, 2027 domestic / November 13, 2026 international; MEd (online) February 15, 2027 domestic / November 13, 2026 international.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.ontariotechu.ca/

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