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Political Science
間眅埶AV Requirements
In addition to the , the department requires written statements of the student’s current interests and proposed areas of research. Applications for graduate work will be considered with reference to the manner in which the proposed area of the candidate’s research coincides with faculty teaching and research interests. See the for general research interests. Should additional course work be deemed necessary, the graduate studies committee will indicate the same as a prerequisite.
A written statement of current research interests, three reference letters from qualified referees, and a sample of written work are also required.
Degree Requirements
The master of arts (MA) program may be completed through an essay or project option, a thesis option, or a field exam option. Students are admitted to the essay or project option and will require approval of the graduate program chair to transfer to another stream. Except in extenuating circumstances, students may only transfer once.
In accordance with Graduate General Regulation 1.6.4, each student will be assigned a supervisory committee.
Essay or Project Option
Students who choose the essay or project option will complete a total of six courses, including
Students with credit for POL 813 may not take this course for further credit. Equivalent Courses: POL813.
and one of
A survey of the principles and techniques of qualitative research design, methods, and data collection tools needed to conduct systematic qualitative political science research.
and four additional courses from at least two of the department's fields of study.
The essay or project option also requires completion of either extended essays in two department fields of study or one research project. Students who choose the research project option will submit a maximum 12,500 word (and bibliography) project, with substantial original content. If an extended essay is chosen instead of a project, each extended essay will elabourate upon course work research and is not to exceed 12,500 words (and bibliography). Extended essays and research projects are defended in an oral defence.
Thesis Option
For those who choose the thesis option, students must submit to the thesis supervisory committee a thesis proposal outlining a brief topic summary, its relevance, the methodology to be followed, a chapter-by-chapter outline, thesis completion timetable and a bibliography. The proposal must be approved by the thesis supervisory committee.
Students in the thesis stream complete a total of five courses, including
Students with credit for POL 813 may not take this course for further credit. Equivalent Courses: POL813.
and one of
A survey of the principles and techniques of qualitative research design, methods, and data collection tools needed to conduct systematic qualitative political science research.
and three additional courses from at least two of the department's fields of study.
Students also pass two written field exams: one in their major and one in their minor field of study. The supervisory committee serves as the nucleus of the field examination committee. With the student's consultation, the supervisory committee will be expanded to include additional examiners if necessary. Students who fail one field examination, and one only, may retake the failed field examination.
Course-intensive Option
Students in the course-intensive option will complete seven courses, including
Students with credit for POL 813 may not take this course for further credit. Equivalent Courses: POL813.
and one of
A survey of the principles and techniques of qualitative research design, methods, and data collection tools needed to conduct systematic qualitative political science research.
and five additional courses from at least two of the department's fields of study. Students will also be required to either write a take-home examination related to their coursework or pass an oral examination of a graduate course research (capstone) essay.
Fields of Study
Interested students should consult the .
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the (residence, course work, academic progress, supervision, research competence requirement, completion time, and degree completion), as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled, as shown above.
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