Master of Arts in Political Studies - Canadian Politics

The department offers two MA programs: a twelve-month MA in Political Studies and a twelve-month MA with a specialization in Political and Legal Thought. A number of profound transformations have marked Canadian politics in recent years: public policy challenges from climate change to globalization; continuing changes in the party system; formal and informal developments in the politics of federalism and national unity; new conceptions of Canada’s place in the international system; increasing tension over the meaning and extension of important civil and social rights; and many others. Collectively, these developments have re-configured the political landscape, forcing new and compelling questions on to the agenda of political actors and observers alike. The study of Canadian politics has long been a central preoccupation in the Department of Political Studies. This history is alive in the research and teaching of several members of the current faculty. The Department offers graduate instruction and supervision concerning all of the traditional foci of students of Canadian politics: central institutions, the constitution, public policy, national unity and federalism, political parties and elections, and political economy. At the same time, the Department boasts unique strengths in numerous areas, including the law and politics of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, public opinion and voting behaviour, the politics of the welfare state, gender and politics, and political communication. Graduate students in the Department of Political Studies also benefit from close affiliations with the School of Policy Studies, and the Departments of Women’s Studies and Philosophy.

M.A.: Four (4) year undergraduate degree in political science, or an equivalent with an minimum B+ average For international students, if required, an IELTS score of 7.0 on the Academic module; or a