3 programs, side by side

Rows marked with a dot are where these differ. Everything is each university’s own published wording; the “your average” row is yours, calculated the way each program does it.

	Carleton Public Affairs and Policy Management OUAC CPX Remove	McMaster Social Sciences I OUAC ML Remove	Renison Social Developmental Studies and Bachelor of Social Work Double Degree OUAC WSS Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	80–82%	80–87%“Low-to mid-80s”	80–83%“Low 80's”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	No course codes parsed — see prerequisites	ENG4U	ENG4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	—	—
Prerequisitesas published	Optional concentrations: Development and Human Rights; International Policy; Public Policy and Administration Combined honours with Communication and Media Studies available 6 best 4U/M courses Alternative Offers Find more information about alternative offers +1 more on the program page	English 4U * Completion of Advanced Functions 4U and Calculus & Vectors 4U are strongly recommended for students interested in Economics. * Completion of Calculus & Vectors 4U and Biology 4U are strongly recommended for students interested in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour.	Any Grade 12 U English (min. 70%)
More than marks?supplementary application	Marks only	Marks only	Marks only
Co-op	Available	Available	No
Degree	—	Bachelor of Arts, BA, Bachelor of Social Work, BSW	Bachelor of Arts, BA, Bachelor of Social Work, BSW
First-year intakewhere published	—	950	—
What you study	International Development Media and Communication Studies Others in Business & Administrative Studies Politics	Anthropology Economics Health Informatics Human Geography	Psychology Social Policy Social Work Sociology
What it is	You study how governments, organizations, and institutions make decisions and solve public problems, combining politics, policy analysis, and communication. The program lets you focus on areas like international development, social policy, or media's role in public discourse, and you can pair it with a communication degree if you want. It suits people interested in working in government, non-profits, advocacy groups, or international organizations where understanding policy and public issues matters more than technical expertise.	Social Sciences I is a first-year entry point where you explore human behaviour, society, and social systems through subjects like economics, sociology, anthropology, politics, and social work. Unlike a specialized program, you sample multiple disciplines before declaring a focus, letting you discover which area — from international development to health policy — matches your interests. It suits students curious about how societies work and drawn to understanding people and social issues from different angles.	This program combines a degree in the social sciences with professional training as a social worker. You study human behaviour, social policy, and sociology in the first part, then move into specialized social work practice and ethics. It suits people who want both a broad understanding of society and the credentials to work directly with individuals, families, and communities facing challenges.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	criminology geography political science psychology sociology	Applied to directly
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	16 published, 9 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	5 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	None published by average
Source	Carleton University on OUInfo	McMaster University on OUInfo	Renison University College on OUInfo

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Same subject area and a similar published range, at a campus you have not got in the table yet.

Ranges are what each university publishes, not guaranteed cutoffs, and limited-enrolment programs often admit above them. Confirm anything you are about to act on with the university; each column links to its source.