The Department of Political Science offers a series of undergraduate academic plans designed to meet the needs of students with varying interests.
Three-Year General Political Science
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a cumulative Political Science average of 65%.
Eligibility for graduation in the Three-Year General Political Science academic plan includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate BA Program-level requirements. See "BA Degree Requirements."
- Political Science Plan-level requirements:
- at least six academic course units (12 courses) in Political Science, with a minimum cumulative average of 65%, including:
- ten PSCI courses above the 100-level with at least four courses at the 300-level or higher
Four-Year General Political Science
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a cumulative Political Science average of 65%.
Eligibility for graduation in the Four-Year General Political Science academic plan includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate BA Program-level requirements. See "BA Degree Requirements."
- Political Science Plan-level requirements:
- at least nine academic course units (18 courses) in Political Science, with a minimum cumulative average of 65%, including:
- 16 PSCI courses above the 100-level with at least four courses at the 300-level or higher
Honours Political Science
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a cumulative Political Science average of 75%.
Eligibility for graduation in the Honours Political Science academic plan includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate BA Program-level requirements. See "BA Degree Requirements."
- Political Science Plan-level requirements:
- at least ten academic course units (20 courses) in Political Science, with a minimum cumulative average of 75%, including:
- 18 PSCI courses above the 100-level with at least two courses at the 400-level
Recommended Course Sequence
Year One
PSCI 101A, 110
Eight other courses
Year Two
Six courses in Political Science
Four other courses
Year Three
Six courses in Political Science
Four other courses
Year Four
Six courses in Political Science, at least two of which must be at the 400-level
Four other courses
Honours Political Science (Administrative Studies)
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a cumulative Political Science (including Administrative Studies) average of 75%.
Eligibility for graduation in Honours Political Science with an Administrative Studies Specialization includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate BA Program-level requirements. See "BA Degree Requirements."
- Political Science Plan-level requirements:
- at least ten academic course units (20 courses) in Political Science and seven academic course units (14 courses) in Administrative Studies, with a minimum cumulative average (including Administrative Studies courses) of 75%, including:
- the requirements for an Honours Political Science degree
- the following courses must also be taken:
- ECON 101, 102; PSCI 260, 331
- two of PSCI 333, 334, 433, 434
- four courses in Political Science beyond the 100-level which have been designated as Administrative Studies courses by the Department of Political Science
- four courses not in Political Science, selected from courses which have been designated as Administrative Studies courses by the Department of Political Science
Other Options
Options available to students in Political Science include: Women's Studies, Legal Studies and Criminology, Peace and Conflict Studies, Human Resources Management, International Studies, and Russian and East European Studies.
Co-op System of Study in Honours Political Science
The academic plan leading to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Honours Political Science (Co-op) is designed for students who intend to enter careers in government, mass media, business, political parties, or public opinion organizations. The academic plan consists of five further academic terms and a minimum of four paid work terms with participating employers.
The academic requirements of the co-op system of study are identical with those of the regular Honours academic plan in Political Science. The co-op mode is open to students enrolled in either regular Honours Political Science or Honours Political Science (Administrative Studies Specialization).
The first work term of the co-op mode occurs after the successful completion of Year Two courses. At the beginning of the fourth year students may have the option of either continuing the pattern of alternating work terms or working for a full year before returning to campus for the last two academic terms.
Interested students should apply to Co-op in November of Year Two. Ordinarily, qualified students are admitted in January of Year Two. The minimum requirement to be considered for admission to the co-op system of study is a 75% average in at least three Political Science courses.
Honours Political Science (Arts & Business Co-op and Regular)
Students may combine an Honours Political Science academic plan with Arts and Business. The requirements in Political Science are identical to the Joint Honours requirements listed below except only 20 academic course units are required. See Arts and Business for the Arts and Business requirements.
Joint Honours Political Science
A Joint Honours academic plan with Political Science may be taken in combination with most Arts disciplines in which an Honours academic plan is offered or with many Honours majors in other Faculties. See the department for the most recent list of approved combinations. Students who wish to combine a study of Political Science with a broad training in a related discipline such as Sociology or History, or in fact in any other discipline in which they are interested, can do so in Joint Honours.
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a cumulative Political Science average of 75%.
Eligibility for graduation in Political Science Joint Honours includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate Program-level requirements for the Home Faculty, including at least 21 academic course units. If the Home Faculty is Arts, see "BA Degree Requirements."
- Political Science Plan-level requirements:
- at least seven academic course units (14 courses) in Political Science with a minimum cumulative average of 75%, including:
- 12 PSCI courses above the 100-level with two courses at the 400-level
- Plan-level requirements for the second Major
Recommended Course Sequence
Year One
PSCI 101A, 110
Two introductory courses in the other discipline
Six other courses
Year Two
Four courses in Political Science
Four courses in the other discipline
Two other courses
Year Three
Four courses in Political Science
Four courses in the other discipline
Three other courses
Year Four
Four courses in Political Science, at least two of which must be at the 400-level
Four courses in the other discipline
Three other courses
Joint Honours Political Science/History, Specialization in International Relations and Global Governance
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a cumulative Major average of 75% in each of Political Science and History.
Eligibility for graduation in Joint Honours Political Science/History with a Specialization in International Relations and Global Governance includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate BA Program-level requirements, including 21 academic course units. See "BA Degree Requirements."
- Plan-level requirements:
- Joint Honours requirements as specified in both the History and Political Science academic plan sections of the Undergraduate Calendar with a minimum cumulative average of 75% in each of Political Science and History
- of the 14 academic course units (28 courses) required, 16 courses must be in International Relations and Global Governance including:
- HIST 111, 130; PSCI 281, 282
- three of HIST 220, 223, 226, 239, 258, 263, 264, 265
- three of HIST 311, 341, 351, 358, 372, 385, 389
- three of PSCI 250, 252, 253, 255, 257, 350A, 350B, 355, 359, 438, 451, 453, 454, 485
- three of PSCI 357, 381, 382, 387, 389, 432 (cross listed with ERS 404), 439, 456, 457, 458, 481, 483, 484, 486, 489 (cross listed with ERS 489 and GEOG 429)
Political Science Minor
Any student in Honours or Four-Year General Major in Arts or an Honours academic plan in other faculties may qualify for a Political Science Minor. The Minor requires successful completion of a minimum of five academic course units (ten courses) in Political Science with a minimum cumulative average of 65%, including:
- two PSCI courses above the 200-level