Program Requirements

The Honours BA in Political Science program consists of 20.0 credits, of which at least 14.0 must be at the senior level. The program must contain at least 11.0 credits but no more than 13.0 credits in Political Science, including:

• PO101, PO102, PO217, PO218, PO235, PO236, or approved equivalents.
• 1.0 field requirement credit from: PO220 and PO221, PO231 and PO232, or PO263 and PO264.
• 1.0 Canadian credit from: PO263, PO264, PO312, PO313, PO315/NO315, PO316, PO334, PO345, PO347, PO360, PO371, PO373, PO374, PO380, PO431, PO432, PO433, PO452 or PO465. Some special topics courses (PO310, PO311, PO497 and PO498) may also fulfil this requirement; consult the department.
• 0.5 area studies credit from: PO318, PO319, PO369 or PO370. (Some PO310, PO311, PO497 and PO498 special topics courses, such as PO310s (winter 2017), may also fulfil this requirement; please consult the department.)
• 1.0 300-level credit.
• 1.0 400-level credit (other than PO478*).

Degree Program Electives

An additional 9.0 credits toward the degree total of 20.0 credits, only 5.0 of which can be at the 100 level and only 2.0 of which can be from Political Science.

Graduation Requirements

PO GPA = 7.00 or greater and Overall GPA = 5.00 or greater.

Notes

1. Students must receive a grade of 8.00 (B) in two 300-level Political Science courses as a prerequisite for all 400-level Political Science courses.
2. PO263 and PO264 may be used to fulfil both the field and Canadian requirements.
3. Honours Political Science students may take a maximum of two 400-level seminars; the department recommends only one per semester.
4. Students wishing to receive a BA with designation in Political Science may, if they meet all other requirements for an Honours BA in Political Science, substitute 2.0 credits at the 300 level for the Honours BA requirement of 1.0 credit at the 300 level and 1.0 credit at the 400 level.

Adding Research Specialization to your Honours Political Science BA sends a strong SIGNAL to prospective employers and graduate school search committees that your degree is rigorous and research oriented. Moreover, research skills are an important transferable skill for jobs in government and in the private and non-governmental sectors. The inclusion of 2.0 400-level credits in courses directly linked to research skills, in addition to a 0.5 credit 400-level class, differentiates your degree significantly. These classes are only open to high achievers in our department and are rewarding, as students in them are highly engaged and motivated. Reference letters from instructors in PO478* and PO479* will emphasize the importance of Research Specialization.

PO478  Social Science Theories (1.0 cr.; Fall term) - An examination of the nature and development of social science theories, the relationship of theory and research, and the theories and approaches that are commonly used to explain political phenomena.

PO479 Seminar in Research Design (1.0 cr.; Winter term) - Students in this course apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired in PO478 and PO217 (and throughout their studies) to the creation and execution of a major research project on a topic of their choice.

The Honours BA in Political Science with Research Specialization is available to Year 4 Honours Political Science students only. To be eligible, students must have achieved a minimum grade of 8.00 (B) in EACH 300-level political science course they completed in Year 3 (a minimum of two such courses is required), and must have achieved a minimum average of 8.0 in all political science courses taken in Year 3.  Research Specialization students must complete PO478* and PO479* (full credit courses offered in one semester each), plus one additional 0.5 cr. 400-level PO course.

Students wishing to switch into this program will need to complete and submit a Program Selection Form. 

The Legal Studies Option gives students an excellent opportunity to learn about the law. The option's 4.0 credits provide a solid foundation in the social scientific analysis of the legal system in Canada, in other countries, and internationally. It is strongly recommended to students who are considering pursuing law school or employment opportunities that require familiarity with the law.

Entrance Requirements

Honours program students with a minimum overall GPA of 7.0 at the end of Year 1, 2 or 3 are eligible to apply for the Legal Studies Option.

Required Courses

• PO210
• 2.0 additional required credits from: PO209, PO212, PO331, PO333, PO350, PO371, PO380, PO389 (more than one PO389 special topics course may be used to fulfil this requirement; consult the department)
• 1.5 elective credits from: AN243, AN333/SY333, BU231, BU451, BU464, EN330, GS411, HI219, HI253, HI255, HI318, HI375,HI390, NO309h, PO301, PP213, PP217, PP247, SY241, SY242 and WS306

Residence Requirements

A minimum 3.0 of the 4.0 Legal Studies Option credits must be completed at Laurier.

Graduation Requirements

Cumulative GPA of 7.00 in the courses specific to the Legal Studies Option.

• PO101
• PO102
• 2.0 senior Political Science credits

Entrance Requirements

Honours Political Science students with a minimum overall GPA of 7.0 at the end of Year 1, 2 or 3 are eligible to apply for the Legal Studies Option.

Required Courses

• PO210
• 2.0 additional required credits from: PO209, PO212, PO331, PO333, PO350, PO371, PO380, PO389 (more than one PO389 special topics course may be used to fulfil this requirement; consult the department)

Residence Requirements

A minimum 1.5 of the required 2.5 credits in the specialization must be completed at Laurier.

Graduation Requirements

Cumulative GPA of 7.00 in the courses specific to the Legal Studies Option.

The Minor in Public Policy offers you the opportunity to acquire a valuable toolkit that will equip you to make direct and more meaningful connections between the knowledge you acquire within your home department and faculty and the world in which you will live and work. This minor, with its emphasis on developing hands-on analytical and communication skills and applying them to ongoing policy issues, helps prepare you for a competitive labour market upon graduation.

You will be required to take require courses that introduce you to the public policy cycle and the tools of policy analysis, and then choose from a suite of courses that explore environmental, social, Aboriginal, foreign and other policy issues and develop writing skills for policy-making.

Requirements

The Minor in Public Policy consists of a total of 3.0 credits, which includes:

• PO245
• PO345
• 2.0 credits chosen from the following: PO316, PO334, PO344, PO347, PO373, PO420 or PO433

The Political Science Honours BA with Public Policy Specialization consists of 2.5 credits. Honours Political Science students with a minimum overall GPA of 7.0 at the end of Years 1, 2 or 3 are eligible to apply.
A cumulative GPA of 7.00 in the courses specific to the Public Policy Specialization is required to graduate.

• At least 1.5 of the required 2.5 credits in the Specialization must be completed at Wilfrid Laurier University.
• Completion of the specialization requirements will result in a "Public Policy Specialization" designation on the student transcript.

Required Courses (2.5 credits):

1. PO245, PO345
2. 1.5 credits from: PO316, PO334, PO344, PO347, PO373, PO420 and PO433

The BA in Political Science program consists of 20.0 credits, of which at least 14.0 must be at the senior level. The program must contain at least 11.0 credits but no more than 13.0 credits in Political Science, including:

• PO101, PO102, PO217, PO218, PO235, PO236, or approved equivalents.
• 1.0 field requirement credit from: PO220 and PO221, PO231 and PO232, or PO263 and PO264.
• 1.0 Canadian credit from: PO263, PO264, PO312, PO313, PO315/NO315, PO316, PO334, PO345, PO347, PO360, PO371, PO373, PO374, PO380, PO431, PO432, PO433, PO452 or PO465. Some special topics courses (PO310, PO311, PO497 and PO498) may also fulfil this requirement; consult the department.
• 0.5 area studies credit from: PO318, PO319, PO369 or PO370. (Some PO310, PO311, PO497 and PO498 special topics courses, such as PO310s (winter 2017), may also fulfil this requirement; please consult the department.)
• 1.0 300-level PO credit and 1.0 400-level PO credit (other than PO478*) OR 2.0 PO credits at the 300-level.

Degree Program Electives

An additional 9.0 credits toward the degree total of 20.0 credits, only 5.0 of which can be at the 100 level and only 2.0 PO credits.

Graduation Requirements

PO GPA = 5.00-6.99 and Overall GPA = no less than 5.00.

Notes

1. Students must receive a grade of 8.00 (B) in two 300-level Political Science courses as a prerequisite for all 400-level Political Science courses.
2. PO263 and PO264 may be used to fulfil both the field and Canadian requirements.
3. Honours Political Science students may take a maximum of two 400-level seminars; the department recommends only one per semester.

Our one-year program offers a variety of options to fulfil program requirements. You may choose a coursework only option, consisting of eight half-credit courses, or you may choose to undertake a Major Research Project (PO695*), in addition to six half-credit courses.

There are four options to complete the Major Research Project:

• journal article option
• master’s research paper
• public opinion project
• policy analysis project

Admission to the Major Research Project will require the support of a faculty supervisor and the graduate coordinator. You will apply for the Master Research Project at the end of your first semester of graduate studies.

Course Requirements

All students must complete the two core courses:

• PO601: The Craft of Political Science
• PO602: Applied Political Analysis

Other course requirements:

• Students wishing to complete the policy analysis project must take PO604: Understanding and Applying Public Policy Analysis.
• Students wishing to complete the public opinion project must take PO633: Public Opinion and Survey Design.

With the approval of the graduate coordinator and the dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, you may choose some of your electives from those courses offered by other master's programs at Laurier, or by another university.