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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 academic advisor should you notice any discrepancies.
Your undergraduate advisor is Dr. Jörg Broschek; poadvising@wlu.ca; DAWB 4-118
Spring 2025 appointment hours: Tuesdays 1pm-2pm online via Teams; Thursdays in-person 1pm-3pm.
Request to book an advising appointment: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/PoliticalScience@wlu.ca/bookings/
For general information about our programs, contact Lauren Price.
The Honours Political Science program consists of 20.0 credits, of which no more than 7.0 may be at the junior level (100 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, PO245, PO263, and PO264.
0.5 Area Studies credit from: PO318, PO319, PO369 and PO370. (Some PO310 special topics courses may also fulfill this requirement)
0.5 300-level credit. (refer to Notes 1 and 3)
1.0 400-level PO Seminar credit (must be comprised of two different courses; refer to Notes 1, 2, and 3)
Degree Program Electives: Additional courses to reach a minimum 9.0 senior PO credits within the 20.0 credit degree. A maximum of 6.0 electives may be at the 100 level.
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 7.0 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
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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
Progression Requirements
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. Electives must include a minimum of 0.5 credits in senior Political Science courses. Additional 100 level credits are permitted, but cannot exceed the maximum specified in the link above.
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.
Required Courses (2.5 credits):
Additional Information
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.
Required Courses (2.5 credits):
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 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.
The Master of Applied Politics program incorporates research and professional elements. The program offers practical skills such as policy, electoral and media analysis, survey instrument design, and problem solving in domestic and international contexts, that are grounded in the theoretical foundations of the discipline. The program encourages the development of a range of skills related to policy-making, the public service, advocacy and the private sector.
The major research project, consisting of a journal article, master's research paper, policy analysis project, or a public opinion project, encourages individual study programs that are flexibly tailored to personal research and career interests. Matched with a dynamic and diversified faculty, the MAP delivers an effective learning experience that is designed to facilitate student success.
In order to be admitted to the master's program, a student must meet the general admission requirements of the university. An honours graduate in a program other than political science and general degree graduates may be admitted if evidence justifying admission is offered; however, a program of appropriate preparatory studies (qualifying year) may be required of such applicants. Honours graduates in political science may also be required to successfully complete additional undergraduate courses before they are admitted to the master's program.
Graduates of the Conestoga College Graduate Certificate in Public Service, having met the requirements above, will be considered for advanced standing to a maximum of 1.0 credit.
Our one-year program offers a variety of options to fulfill program requirements. Students may choose a course-work only option, consisting of eight half credit courses, or students 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: the journal article option, master's research paper, public opinion project, or a policy analysis project. Admission to the Major Research Project will require the support of a faculty supervisor and the graduate co-ordinator. Students will apply for the Master Research Project at the end of their first semester of graduate studies.
All students must complete the two core courses: PO601 - the Craft of Political Science and PO602 - Applied Political Analysis.
Other course requirements:
With the approval of the graduate co-ordinator and the dean of graduate & postdoctoral studies, students may choose some of their electives from those courses offered by other master's programs at Laurier, or by another university.
Contact Us:
E:
Political Science
T:
548-889-4905
F:
519.746.3655
Office Location: DAWB 4-120
Office Hours:
Book an advising appointment with Dr. Jörg Broschek, Undergraduate Advisor.
For general information: Lauren Price - Office Administration Coordinator, Political Science and North American Studies.
Chair
E:
Dr. Christopher Anderson
Office Location: DAWB 4-120A
Graduate Officer
E:
Dr. Dejan Guzina
Office Location: DAWB 4-154
Undergraduate Officer
E:
Dr. Jörg Broschek
Office Location: DAWB 4-118
Office Hours:
Winter 2025:
Tuesdays online via Teams between 1pm-2pm
Thursdays in-person between 1pm-3pm
Sussex-Legal Studies Coordinator
E:
Dr. Izabela Steflja
Office Location: DAWB 4-114