Spring 2019 Graduate Calendar

POLITICAL SCIENCE

THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE

Admission Requirements
The normal requirement for admission to the one-year M.A. program is an honours degree or combined honours degree in Political Science, or an honours degree in a related discipline, such as International Relations, with a 77% average. Honours graduates in fields other than these will be considered on the basis of their academic background and standing. Those with less than a four-year degree, or with minor deficiencies, will be required to take additional courses, or to enter a two-year program.

Program Requirements
Completion of the M.A. degree will follow one of three routes:

A. Major Paper
(1) Successful completion of POLS-8000 (Scope and Approaches to Political Science).
(2) Successful completion of five further graduate classes (one of which may be taken outside of the department subject to the approval of the graduate chair)
(3) Completion of a major paper. The major paper will be written under the direction of a committee normally composed of two Political Science faculty members. A successful oral defence of the major paper is required.

B. Thesis
1. Successful completion of POLS-8000
2. Successful completion of three further graduate classes (one of which may be taken outside of the department subject to the approval of the graduate chair)
3. Completion of a thesis. The thesis will be written under the direction of a committee composed of two Political Science faculty members plus a member outside Political Science, but from within the University. A successful oral defense of the thesis is required.

C. Internship
(1) Successful completion of POLS-8000 (Scope and Approaches to Political Science).
(2) Successful completion of five further graduate classes (one of which may be taken outside of the department subject to the approval of the graduate chair)
(3) Successful completion of an Internship (POLS-8950), which includes:

One 6 month internship. This is graded on a pass/fail basis.
One 40 page Major Internship Paper (MRP) written on a topic relating to the student's internship placement. This will be graded on a pass/fail basis as with the existing major paper stream.
A poster presentation of the research paper held at a public event marking the culmination of the internship.

After successful completion of three graduate courses, the graduate committee will request applications from students interested in participating in the internship stream (C).
The committee will select the successful students. The Political Science Graduate Committee will evaluate the performance of the remaining students and recommend completion of the degree by route (A) or (B).

All students must successfully complete POLS-8000 in order to complete the degree. Any student securing an failing grade will normally be asked to withdraw from the program.

Additional Information that pertains to all program streams:
All students must successfully complete POLS-8000 in order to complete the degree.
Any student securing an failing grade will normally be asked to withdraw from the program.


POLITICAL SCIENCE: COURSES

POLITICAL SCIENCE: PROGRAMS

GRADUATE STUDIES FACULTY REGULATIONS