Political Science (BA)

Political Science teaches you about the ways that history, ideas, systems and structures give rise to power and authority. By learning to think critically about relationships of power, you’ll be well-placed to contribute to the public life of your country and the world. Political Science is one of the most popular degree choices at Concordia, with a student body among the most diverse and politically aware in Canada. You’ll find yourself sharing ideas with classmates whose backgrounds represent cultures and political systems from around the globe. You’ll gain insights from prominent national and international academic guest lecturers, as well as politicians and ambassadors.

Choose courses from these groups, which make up the main fields of Political Science:

• International Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Canadian and Quebec Politics
• Public Policy and Administration
• Political Theory

A Bachelor of Arts degree takes a minimum of three or four years (90 ­– 120 credits) of full-time study, depending on your academic background.

Program options

• Honours in Political Science (60 credits)*
  The Honours in Political Science is designed for students with a strong academic background who wish to develop a solid and articulated understanding in political science and who want to acquire an early preparation for graduate studies. In addition to offering a comprehensive undergraduate training in the main fields of political science, the Honours Program in Political Science provides students with a greater emphasis on training in research methodology, epistemology and political theory, all key skills for graduate studies.
• Major in Political Science (42 credits)
  The Major in Political Science is designed for students who wish to develop a solid and articulated understanding of political science. It offers a comprehensive undergraduate training in the main fields of political science, including Canadian and Quebec Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Policy and Administration.
• Minor in Political Science (24 credits)
  The Minor in Political Science is designed for students who wish to acquire basic understanding in political science to complement their training in another discipline. Students completing another program in sociology, economics, business and psychology will find the Minor in Political Science particularly relevant for their studies. Find out how to add a Minor in Political Science.
• Minor in Human Rights Studies (24 credits)
  The Minor in Human Rights Studies encompasses the eternal drive to improve the human condition, debates surrounding the primacy of the individual within society and the universal versus relativist approach to rights, positive and negative freedoms. Find out how to add a Minor in Human Rights Studies .

*Honours is a highly concentrated program, ideal for students planning to continue to graduate studies. If you are interested in Honours, speak with your program advisor in your first year of study at Concordia. Students applying to the University are able to apply to the major.

Integrated path

Get a head start on graduate studies. As an undergraduate student in Political Science, you can take up to nine credits that count towards both your Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science or Public Policy and Public Administration.

Courses

Co-op program

The Co-op program gives academically strong students a chance to bridge university life and the working world by completing paid work terms. Co-op work terms make it possible for you to work in a range of political science-related fields, including:

• Policy evaluation and analysis
• Comparing and evaluating corporate social responsibility policies, including tracking news stories about a corporation or government to assess the public’s reception of policies and actions
• Analyzing government regulation on a theme or topic across countries or time

There are two co-op paths for Political Science students:

• The Institute's main co-op option alternates between study and work terms for the duration of your Bachelor's degree, each work term lasting between 12 to 17 weeks
• The C-Edge option is a single work-term of four or eight months, typically completed in the summer

Internship

Students with a minimum of 27 credits completed and a GPA of 3.3 or above have the option of participating in an internship placement in either the public or private sectors. Normally students secure a relevant internship on their own, however, they are welcome to consult and receive guidance from the Internship Coordinator. Internships offer an exciting opportunity to gain valuable work experience and build career networks while receiving credit. The internship can be taken during any semester (Fall, Winter, Summer).

Political Science graduates have established careers in fields such as:

• Domestic and international law
• Public administration
• Political campaigning
• Public opinion research

Many have gone on to complete graduate degrees and pursue careers in domestic and international NGOs and the United Nations.