Political Science
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 and authority 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. This generally branches out into distinct directions, including the study of Canadian politics and government and other region-specific studies; comparative politics (contrasting the politics of various societies); international relations (war, peace, diplomacy, etc.); political thought (which explores political ideologies and philosophies of power, justice, and social order); and increasingly, the power and authority of the non-state actor in both the domestic and global arena.
In this section
Student Profile
The student of Political Science wants to understand the world of power. Because power, authority, and public rule intersect with questions of history, philosophy, society, economics, culture, and more, Political Science often attracts students that are looking to bring together a range of interests, as well as students that want to tackle practical questions of policy, government, international conflict and order, human rights, and social change.
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);
- The foreign service and diplomacy;
- Partisan politics (e.g., as speechwriters, policy advisors, researchers, or candidates);
- International agencies and non-governmental organizations;
- Law (law schools accept more graduates from Political Science than any other field);
- Independent research organizations and think tanks;
- Advocacy groups;
- Journalism, labour unions, education, and business;
- Innovative tech corporations which seek critical and open minds to safely guide them through their envelope-pushing endeavours
The breadth of the discipline prepares students extremely well and places them in an advantageous competitive position for graduate study, whether in Political Science, law, or related fields.