Political Science: Bachelor of Arts Major and Minor
Description
Political Science is the study of power in all its forms. Since power relationships suffuse all of social life – from the workplace to the family, from the news media to popular culture – practically everything is grist for political analysis; as Aristotle said, we are indeed political animals! Most often, however, political scientists focus upon power as exercised through governments and states, and, in the international arena, between governments and states, Thus, Political Science explores the forces that shape our lives through public rule.
Students in the Political Science major or minor begin their study of power with three introductory courses that provide a base of knowledge in a number of areas within the discipline. Early in their studies, students will take a course in research methods to enhance their skills in that area.. Additional credits from the 1000 and 2000 level will enrich students' knowledge in a number of comparative and thematic areas. At the 3000 level, students will pursue a detailed examination of various political factors, contexts and phenomena. At the 4000 level, students will explore, in a seminar format, areas of enduring importance in the discipline on a thematic basis. Students in the major program are additionally asked to take at least one "experiential" course enriching their practical skills in oratory and public debating, diplomacy, and policy work, as well as one of three courses designed to deepen their appreciation of the tensions and affinities between the national, trans-national, and global identities and power-structures that define our world.
Career Opportunities
Political Science instills a range of transferable skills that are highly desirable in many fields of professional life. Specifically, graduates with a B.A. in Political Science often find careers in the public sector (government departments and semi-independent agencies), partisan politics, the foreign service, international agencies and non-governmental organizations, law, independent research organizations and think tanks, and advocacy groups, as well as journalism, labour unions, education, and business. The breadth of the discipline also leaves students extremely well-positioned for graduate study, whether in Political Science, law, or related fields.
Famous Political Science graduates include:
- U.S. President Barack Obama;
- Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton;
- Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
- Donald Fehr, Executive Director of the NHL Players' Association;
- Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
- Kevin Newman, news anchor, Global National;
- Jeffrey Simpson, Globe and Mail National Affairs Columnist;
- Paul Wells, Maclean's magazine Senior Columnist;
- Mark Parker, CEO of Nike Inc;
- Steve Case, co-founder and former CEO of AOL;
Program Admission Requirements
In addition to KPU's General university admission requirements, including the undergraduate-level English Proficiency Requirement, the following program admission requirements apply:
Year One Admission:
- English 12 with a 'B' (or equivalent)
- Mathematics:
- Minimum grade of 'C' in Pre-Calculus 11, Principles of Mathematics 11, or Applications of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C+' in Foundations of Mathematics 11 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C-' in Pre-Calculus 12 or Foundations of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent)
Year Three Admission:
- 60 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 (including all 1100- and 2000-level major/minor program requirements).
- Grade of 'C' in all required 1000-and 2000-level courses, including the English writing requirement (ENGL 1100 and one of either ENGL 1202 or 1204, or equivalent).
- Two Quantitative courses (total of six or more credits).
- 12 credits of breadth courses
- Mathematics:
- Minimum grade of 'C' in Pre-Calculus 11, Principles of Mathematics 11, or Applications of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C+' in Foundations of Mathematics 11 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C-' in Pre-Calculus 12 or Foundations of Mathematics 12 (or equivalent); or
- Minimum grade of 'C+' in the above Two Quantitative courses (three credits of which must be from the Faculty of Science & Horticulture)
- Second language at the Grade 11 level or 6 credits of post-secondary language courses in the same language. Note: Students need only achieve a passing grade to fulfill this requirement. Beginner's or Introductory Language 11 courses are ineligible to meet this requirement. Students who can demonstrate competency in a second language may request an assessment to have this requirement waived.
Qualifying Year
Students who do not qualify upon initial application to KPU may be eligible for entry to the Qualifying Year. Students who possess at least a 'C' in English 12 (or equivalent) and a passing grade in either Pre-Calculus 11, Principles of Math 11, Foundations of Mathematics 11, Applications of Math 12 (or equivalents) will be able to apply for entry to the BA Qualifying Year. Students will be admitted to the BA program in the second year provided they have successfully completed appropriate qualifying courses. Other applicants who do not qualify are encouraged to consult an Educational Advisor for the appropriate qualifying courses that satisfy the application criteria.
Program Continuance Requirements
Current BA students must meet the following requirements to continue into their 3rd year of study. Registration access to third or fourth year courses is first awarded to students who have completed the following:
- 60 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 (including all 1100- and 2000-level major/minor program requirements).
- Grade of 'C' in all required 1000-and 2000-level courses, including the English writing requirement (ENGL 1100 and one of either ENGL 1202 or 1204, or equivalent).
- Two Quantitative courses (total of six or more credits).
- 12 credits of breadth courses
- Second language at the Grade 11 level or 6 credits of post-secondary language courses in the same language. Note: Students need only achieve a passing grade to fulfill this requirement. Beginner's or Introductory Language 11 courses are ineligible to meet this requirement. Students who can demonstrate competency in a second language may request an assessment to have this requirement waived.
Program Requirements
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree must complete all requirements in the Bachelor of Arts framework in addition to their major or minor program requirements.
Political Science Major
Students must complete a total of 45 credits from political science courses as detailed below.
1100- and 2000-Level
At least 15 credits must be at the 1100- or 2000-level and include:
At least 9 credits chosen from: |
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| POLI 1110 | Ideology and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1120 | Canadian Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1125 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1145 | Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1150 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 credits | |
And at least 6 credits chosen from: |
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| POLI 2100 | Sustainability and Government | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2121 | Law and Politics: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2140 | Comparative Politics of Asia | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2150 | States, Markets, Globalization: International Political Economy | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2155 | War, Crime, and Violence: Contemporary Political Conflict | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2200 | Classic Thinkers: History of Political Thought | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2235 | British Columbia Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
And: |
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| SOCI 2260 | Research Methods in Sociology | 3 credits | |
3000- and 4000-Level
Students are required to complete 30 credits of POLI courses at the 3000‐ and 4000‐level, of which at least 9 must be at the 4000‐level. Students completing the Political Science Cooperative Education option require 28 credits of POLI courses at the 3000‐ and 4000‐level, of which at least 9 must be at the 4000‐level.
At least 3 credits chosen from: |
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| POLI 3131 | The Politics of Continental Integration | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3160 | International Organization | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4225 | Nationhood, Nationalism and Beyond (under development) | 3 credits | |
And 3 credits chosen from*: |
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| POLI 3500 | Public Debates in Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4510 | Practicum in Political Science (under development)† | 3 credits | |
And at least 9 credits: |
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| POLI courses number 4000 or higher | 9 credits | ||
* Students completing the Political Science Cooperative Education option are not required to complete this requirement.
† Students may also request course substitution for POLI 4110 or POST 4110.
Streams
Students can choose to focus their studies within Political Science in different ways. There are courses that fit into the International Studies "stream" and the North American Studies "stream." These streams are not separate credentials or noted on your official transcript, but can indicate to possible graduate programs or employers your area of interest.
| International Studies stream | North American Studies stream |
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Political Science Minor
Years 1 and 2
Students are required to complete all of the following courses: |
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| POLI 1120 | Canadian Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1125 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1150 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 credits | |
| SOCI 2260 | Research Methods in Sociology | 3 credits | |
In addition, students are required to complete at least one of the following: |
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| POLI 1110 | Ideology and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1123 | Politics in the City | 3 credits | |
| POLI 1145 | Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2120 | Government & Politics of the Prairie Provinces | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2121 | Law and Politics: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2130 | International Relations Theory | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2131 | European Integration | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2140 | Comparative Politics of Asia | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2150 | States, Markets, Globalization: International Political Economy | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2155 | War, Crime, and Violence: Contemporary Political Conflict | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2200 | Classic Thinkers: History of Political Thought | 3 credits | |
| POLI 2235 | British Columbia Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
Years Three and Four
Students are required to complete at least five from the following, with at least two each from the 3000 and the 4000 level: |
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| POLI 3100 | American Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3122 | Introduction to Canadian Foreign Policy | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3125 | Nation and Identity in Canadian Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3131 | The Politics of Continental Integration | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3146 | Government and Politics of India | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3147 | Foreign Policies of the Major Powers | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3150 | American Foreign Policy | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3160 | International Organization | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3170 | International Peacekeeping | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3199 | Selected Topics in International Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3240 | Chinese Government and Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 3500 | Public Debates in Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4110 | Advanced Applied Policy Seminar | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4125 | The Politics of Multiculturalism in Canada | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4145 | Border Regions and Trans-Border Politics | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4210 | Democracy: Classic and Contemporary Debates | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4330 | International Human Rights | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4340 | Public International Law | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4420 | Issues in Public Policy and Administration | 3 credits | |
| POLI 4500 | Model United Nations | 3 credits | |
Credential Awarded
Upon successful completion of the major program students are eligible to receive a Bachelor of Arts. Transcripts will indicate a Major in Political Science.
Upon successful completion of the minor as part of a Bachelor of Arts program, transcripts will indicate a Minor in Political Science.
