Political Science

Political Science graduates work in the municipal, provincial, and federal government, as research and policy analysts, senior bureaucrats, members of diplomatic and foreign services, customs officers, employment insurance officers, police officers, social workers, community activists, electoral returning officers, program managers, project officers, and communications officers.  Some graduates work in legal firms, public opinion research companies, the media, labour unions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Introduction to Political Science is a first-year course that presents a systematic study of government and politics, aimed at providing students with some of the conceptual, theoretical and methodological tools needed to explain and understand political phenomena.

Global Politics, a second-year course, studies the use and distribution of national power at the international level, the shifts of that distribution in world politics and the causes and consequences of such shifts.

Canadian Politics is a second-year course that offers a general introduction to the study of Canadian politics, including an analysis of political culture, political parties, federalism, continentalism, regionalism and political institutions.

• Why Politics Matters
• Global Security
• City Politics
• Politics & Film
• The Canadian State & Indigenous Peoples*
• Reason & Revolution
• Public Administration
• International Organizations
• Social & Political Philosophy
• Politics and the Mass Media
• Public Policy Process

*This course fulfills the Indigenous course degree requirement.

POL-1011(6) Introduction to Political Science OR a maximum of two of the following Intro half-courses: POL-1012 The Canadian State & Indigenous Peoples; POL-1014 Great Ideas in Political Thought; POL-1016 Global Political Issues; POL-1018 Issues in Canadian Politics, Government and Democracy; POL-1020 Why Politics Matters
RHET-1102(3) Academic Writing: Social Sciences or other section of Academic Writing (if required)
6 credit hours Humanities. Examples include History and English courses.
18-21 credit hours of Electives, depending on interest. Examples include first-year courses in Economics, Criminal Justice, Environmental Studies, Sociology, and Women’s & Gender Studies.

NOTE: This sample first year is representative of the courses you may take. For many of our programs, you may choose another set of courses and still be well on your way to a degree. Also, for most programs you do not have to take 30 credit hours (five full courses) in your first year.