Program Requirements
Note: University regulations apply to all students at Laurier. If there is any discrepancy between the program or progression requirements outlined on this page and those in the university's academic calendars, the academic calendars are the official sources of information. The information below is from the latest calendar, and you may be following progression requirements from an earlier calendar. Students are responsible for checking the appropriate calendar. Contact your program coordinator should you notice any discrepancies.
Undergraduate Programs
Academic Advising
Your undergraduate advisor is Dr. Christopher Anderson. Please feel free to email Dr. Anderson with your questions or to arrange an advising appointment.
For general information about our programs, you may also contact Lauren Price.
The Honours 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 10.0 in Political Science, including:
Required PO Courses:
PO101, PO102, PO217, PO218, PO237.
1.0 International Requirement credit from: PO220, PO221, PO231 and PO232.
1.0 Canadian credit from: PO210, PO263, PO264, PO312, PO313, PO314, PO315/NO315, PO316, PO334, PO345, PO347, PO360, PO371, PO373, PO374, PO405, PO422, PO431, PO433, PO452 and PO465. Some special topics courses (PO310, PO311, PO497 and PO498) may also fulfill this requirement; consult the department.)
0.5 Area Studies credit from: PO318, PO319, PO369 and PO370.
1.0 300-level credit. (refer to Notes 1 and 3)
1.0 400-level credit (must be comprised of two different courses; refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3)
Degree Program Electives: Additional credits toward the degree total of 20.0 credits, including a minimum of 3.0 senior PO credits. A maximum of 5.0 electives may be at the 100 level.
- Students must receive a grade of 8.0 (B) in two 300-level PO courses as a prerequisite for all 400-level PO seminars.
- Honours Political Science students must take two 400-level seminars (1.0 CREDIT); the department recommends only one per semester. They may take an additional PO 400-level lecture (0.5 CREDITS). PO400 lectures have course numbers between 400-419; seminars have course numbers 420-499.
- 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. They may take a maximum of two 400-LEVEL LECTURES to fulfill the 1.0 credit at the 400 level.
- Refer to the University Regulations chapter for progression and course regulations and the earlier section regarding Regulations for All Honours Programs.
The Honours BA Political Science (Sussex LLB Stream) enables students who successfully complete its requirements to earn an Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Laurier and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom (UK) in six years.
The Honours BA in Political Science is only available at the Waterloo campus. It consists of 20.0 credits of which no more than 6.0 credits may be at the 100 level. Students are not permitted to combine two majors.
Due to the compacted nature of the Sussex Stream, students are required to pursue their degree in the following manner:
Additional Information
- Honours BA Political Science and LLB (Sussex) Stream
- Program Note
- Application to Sussex
- Progression Requirements
Honours BA Political Science and LLB (Sussex) Stream
| Year | Courses | Credit Total |
| 1 | PO101, PO102, PO210, PO263; 3.0 elective credits. |
5.0 |
| 2 | PO217, PO218, PO237, and 0.5 SR PO; 1.0 International Requirement credit selected from: PO220, PO221, PO231, and PO232; 0.5 credit from Area Studies selected from: PO318, PO319, PO369, PO370 and PO388*; 1.5 elective credits. |
5.0 |
| 3-5 | Students pursue an LLB at the University of Sussex. Upon successful completion of their LLB, students will be awarded 5.0 transfer credits equivalent to 4.0 PO credits in legal studies courses and 1.0 senior elective credits. | 5.0 |
| 6 | 1.0 credit in 400-level PO seminars; 0.5 credit in 300-level PO courses; 1.0 elective credit 2.5 Laurier Sussex Law stream credits to prepare students to write the National Accreditation exams |
5.0 |
Program Note
Students in the BA Political Science (Sussex Stream) may not declare the Legal Studies Option, or take the following Legal Studies courses: PO209, PO212, PO331, PO333, PO371, PO380, PO389. The law curriculum will be delivered at Sussex.
Application to Sussex
- Students will apply to Sussex via the standard Sussex application procedures. Students will apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) for entry. Students will provide Sussex full application documents, including high school and university transcripts, references (Laurier students will submit references on a standardized reference form), and a personal statement, in line with normal admissions procedures. Sussex will consider applications according to its normal procedures. Students will be guaranteed an offer of a place if they meet the progression requirements described above and where students have achieved Sussex's standard English language entrance requirements, where appropriate.
- Note: The University of Sussex reserves the right not to provide a guaranteed offer after consideration of any relevant unspent criminal convictions a student may have. Sussex recommends that if students have a conviction, Laurier contact the Admissions Office to discuss this before proceeding further.
- Transfer Students into Year 2 (WLU only):
In exceptional cases, first-year students outside of the Sussex BA/LLB Program may apply to transfer into the Program. Admission into the Program is at the sole discretion of the Sussex Admissions Committee. Normally, a student's application will not be accepted unless the following non-exhaustive conditions are met:
- As of May 1 of the applicant's first year, the student has completed 5.0 credits, and;
- The student's overall GPA is at least 8.00, and at least 7.00 for all courses within the student's major, and;
- The program at WLU or at Sussex has space for more students, and;
- The committee believes that the student will succeed in the program, according to any evidence it deems relevant.
Progression Requirements
- Progression to Year 2 requires completion of five credits during Year 1 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 in all Political Science courses and a minimum cumulative GPA of 8.00 in all 5.0 credits. All credits taken during Year 1 will be included in the GPA requirements for progression into Year 2. These course and GPA requirements must be achieved by August 31.
- To be recommended for application to the Sussex LLB program in year three, students must have maintained a minimum overall GPA of 8.0 (B) over all credits completed over their first three full terms (i.e, minimum 7.5 credits). These course and GPA requirements must be achieved by December 31 of the students' second year.
- Refer to the University Regulations chapter for progression and course regulations and the earlier section regarding Regulations for All Honours Programs.
The requirements are the same as stated in the Honours Political Science except that a minimum of 7.0 credits in Political Science is required.
Degree Program Electives: An additional 13 credits toward the degree total of 20.0 credits, only 5.0 credits of which may be at the 100 level. Electives must include a minimum of 0.5 credits in senior Political Science courses.
The Political Science Honours BA with Legal Studies 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 Legal Studies 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 "Legal Studies Specialization" designation on the student transcript.
Required Courses (2.5 credits):
- PO210
- 2.0 credits from: PO209, PO212, PO331, PO333, PO350, PO371, PO380, PO381, PO382, PO383, PO389 (refer to Note 2 below).
- These courses count towards the minimum 10.5 PO credit requirements for Honours Political Science.
- More than one PO389 (Special Topics) course may be used to fulfil this requirement; consult the department.
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):
- PO245, PO345
- 1.5 credits from: PO316,PO325, PO334, PO344, PO347, PO373, PO382, PO405, PO420 and PO433
Adding the 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 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.
The requirements for the Honours Political Science with Research Specialization program are the same as stated in the Honours Political Science, except that students must take:
PO478*, PO479*, and 0.5 additional seminar credits at the 400 level, instead of 1.0 seminar credit at the 400 level.
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.
The Legal Studies Option consists of 4.0 credits (2.5 required and 1.5 elective). Honours program students with a minimum overall GPA of 7.0 at the end of Years 1, 2 or 3 are eligible to apply for the Legal Studies Option.
A cumulative GPA of 7.00 in the courses specific to the Legal Studies Option is required to graduate. The option is not available to Honours Political Science students, who can instead apply for the Legal Studies Specialization in combination with their Political Science Honours BA.
- At least 3.0 of the required 4.0 credits in the option must be completed at Wilfrid Laurier University.
- Completion of the option requirements will result in a "Legal Studies Option" designation on the student transcript. The option is open to all honours students.
Required Core Legal Studies Courses (2.5 credits)
- PO210
- 2.0 credits from: PO209, PO212, PO331, PO333, PO350, PO371, PO380, PO381, PO382, PO383, PO389 (refer to Note 1 below).
Note: More than one PO389 (Special Topics) course may be used to fulfil this requirement; consult the department.
Elective Courses (1.5 credits)
3 courses from among the following:
- Anthrolopogy
AN243 - Law, Culture and Society
AN333/SY333
- Business
BU231 - Business Law
BU451 - Law and Entrepreneurship
BU464 - Labour Relations
- English
EN330 - Human Rights in Contemporary Cultural Forms
- Global Studies
GS411 - Global Justice
- History
HI219 - History of English Law to 1714
HI253 - Race, Rights and the Law in Early United States History
HI255 - Crime and Justice in Antiquity
HI318 - Crime, Sex, and Scandal in 19th Century Britain
HI375 - Seeking Justice: The Family and Law in Canada, 1867-1969
HI390 - Family Law in Greece and Rome
- Philosophy
PP213 - Legal Philosophy
PP217 - Medical Ethics
PP247 - Business Ethics
- Political Science
PO301 - Drugs, Guns and Trucks: Commerce and Contraband Across North America
- Sociology
SY241 - Sociology of Crime: Structural Perspectives
SY242 - Sociology of Crime: Interpretive Perspectives
- Women and Gender Studies
WS306 - Women and Social Justice
Additional Information
Note
In addition, when choosing elective courses, note that some of these courses have prerequisites. Although these prerequisites may be waived by the program or department administering the course, it is the responsibility of the student to make such arrangements.
The Minor in Public Policy offers students throughout the Laurier community the opportunity to acquire a valuable toolkit that will equip them to make direct and more meaningful connections between the knowledge they acquire within their home department and faculty and the world in which they 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 students for a competitive labour market upon graduation.
Students will be required to take require courses that introduce them to the public policy cycle and the tools of policy analysis, and then choose from a suite of courses which explore environmental, social, aboriginal, foreign and other policy issues, and develop writing skills for policy-making.
The Minor in Public Policy consists of a total of 3.0 credits, which includes:
PO245 and PO345 and
2.0 credits chosen from the following:
PO316, PO334, PO344, PO347, PO373, PO420 or PO433.
Graduate Program
Our one-year Master of Applied Politics 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.