Graduate Calendar - University of Guelph

Political Science

Faculty
MA Program
Interdepartmental Programs
Courses

Disclaimer

Chair
Ken Woodside (631 MacKinnon, Ext. 52170)
(E-mail: kwoodsid@uoguelph.ca)

Graduate co-ordinator
Fred Eidlin (633 MacKinnon, Ext. 53469)
(E-mail: feidlin@uoguelph.ca)

Graduate secretary
Millie MacQueen (623 MacKinnon, Ext. 53895)
mmacquee@uoguelph.ca

Graduate Faculty

William E. Christian
BA, MA Toronto, PhD London - Professor

Janine Clark
BES, MA Carleton, PhD Toronto - Assistant Professor

O.P. Dwivedi
BSc Allahabad, MA Saugor, Carleton, PhD Queen's, LL.D. (Hon.) Lethbridge, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada - Professor

Fred Eidlin
BA Dartmouth, MA Indiana, PhD Toronto - Professor

Craig A. Johnson
BA Queen's, MA Toronto, PhD London School of Economics - Assistant Professor

Theresa M.L. Lee
BA Toronto, MA, PhD Princeton - Assistant Professor

Maureen Mancuso
BA McMaster, MA Carleton, DPhil Oxford - Associate Professor and Associate Vice-President, Academic

Jean Mayer
BSc, MSc Montreal, PhD Pennsylvania State - Assistant Professor

Judith McKenzie
BES Waterloo, MA, PhD Toronto - Assistant Professor

Richard W. Phidd
BA Sir George Williams, MA Carleton, PhD Queen's - Professor

Troy Riddell
BA, MA Calgary, PhD McGill - Assistant Professor

R. Brian Woodrow
BA, MA, PhD Toronto - Professor

Kenneth B. Woodside
BA Toronto, MA, PhD Chicago - Associate Professor and Acting Chair

MA Program

     The Department of Political Science offers programs of study leading to the MA degree. Students may pursue either a thesis option or a major paper option, both of which are research-based.
     The MA programs focus on three fields: the Americas, public policy and administration, and international and comparative development. The Americas field includes the study of the government and politics of Canada, the United States, and Latin America and the Caribbean from a comparative and theoretical perspective. The public policy and administration field includes the study of the operation and management of governmental institutions and selected areas of public policy. The international and comparative development field includes both area studies and theories of development which link these areas.
     The department works jointly with the Department of Political Science at McMaster University in offering a collaborative program in public policy and administration. Faculty members in the department also participate in the Collaborative International Development Studies program.

Admission Requirements

The department requires an honours degree in political science (or its equivalent) with at least a 'B' average (second-class standing) for consideration for admission to the program. A methodology course equivalent to The Systematic Study of Politics, POLS*3650, in the Department of Political Science undergraduate program, is necessary for admission to the graduate program. Students not satisfying this requirement may be admitted with the provision that it be satisfied by completing the requisite extra course.

Degree Requirements
Departmental Program - Guelph MA Program in the Fields of the Americas, Public Policy and Administration, and International and Comparative Development
In order to fulfill the requirements of the MA degree, students must complete the requirements of either the thesis or the major paper options.

Thesis option:
Students pursuing the thesis option will select one major field from the following: the Americas, Public Policy and Administration, or International and Comparative Development. In order to satisfy the degree requirements, the student will complete four courses plus Proseminar and a thesis as descrbed below for a total of 2.25 credits.
One professional development and orientation course: POLS*6900 Proseminar (0.25)

One of the following field core courses:
POLS*6250 Comparative Governments in the America (0.5), or
POLS*6630 Public Policy and Administration: Theory and Practice (0.5), or
POLS*6730The Politics of Development and Underdevelopment (0.5).

One of the following methodology courses:
POLS*6940 Political Research: Theories and Approaches (0.5), or
SOC*6120 Research Methodology (0.5), or
SOC*6130 Quantitative Research (0.5), or
MCM*7840 Statistical Analysis for Public Policy (McMaster University).

Two of the following departmental courses:
POLS*6210 Canadian Politics: Processes and Culture (0.5), or
POLS*6290 The American Political System (0.5), or
POLS*6370 Latin America and the Caribbean (0.5), or
POLS*6390 Environmental Policy and Law (0.5), or
POLS*6450 The Political Economy of Trade Policy (0.5), or
POLS*6640 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management (0.5), or
POLS*6650 Organization and Decision-Making Theory (0.5), or
POLS*6750 Development and Administration (0.5), or
POLS*6950 Specialized Topics in Political Science (0.5), or
Courses from other departments with the approval of the department chair.

With the permission of the Graduate Committee, complete and successfully defend a thesis of no more than 20,000 words on a topic approved by the department.

Major Paper option
Students pursuing the major paper option will select two major fields from the following: the Americas, Public Policy and Administration, or International and Comparative Development. In order to satisfy the degree requirements, the student will complete six courses plus Proseminar and two course equivalents of amjor paper research as descrbed below for a total of 4.25 credits.
One professional development and orientation course: POLS*6900 Proseminar (0.25)

Two of the following field core courses:
POLS*6250 Comparative Governments in the America (0.5), or
POLS*6630 Public Policy and Administration: Theory and Practice (0.5), or
POLS*6730The Politics of Development and Underdevelopment (0.5).

One of the following methodology courses:
POLS*6940 Political Research: Theories and Approaches (0.5), or
SOC*6120 Research Methodology (0.5), or
SOC*6130 Quantitative Research (0.5), or
MCM*7840 Statistical Analysis for Public Policy (McMaster University).

Three of the following departmental courses:
POLS*6210 Canadian Politics: Processes and Culture (0.5), or
POLS*6290 The American Political System (0.5), or
POLS*6370 Latin America and the Caribbean (0.5), or
POLS*6390 Environmental Policy and Law (0.5), or
POLS*6450 The Political Economy of Trade Policy (0.5), or
POLS*6640 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management (0.5), or
POLS*6650 Organization and Decision-Making Theory (0.5), or
POLS*6750 Development and Administration (0.5), or
POLS*6950 Specialized Topics in Political Science (0.5), or
Courses from other departments with the approval of the department chair.

Research for Major Paper, POLS*6970 (1.0)

Interuniversity Program - Guelph-McMaster Collaborative MA Program in Political Science in the Field of Public Policy and Administration
     The collaborative program in public policy and administration is an initiative on the part of the Departments of Political Studies/Science at the University of Guelph and McMaster University to co-ordinate their involvement in this particular field.
     In order to fulfill the requirements of the degree, students must complete the equivalent of nine Guelph semester-long courses (or McMaster half-courses) from a prescribed schedule of studies. This is a total of 4.75 credits. A Guelph student may not take more than 50% of his/her courses at McMaster.
     The schedule of studies is moderately structured but does allow students choice and specialization within particular categories of courses.
     Courses are divided into three categories. Students must fulfill the requirements of all three categories. (MCM* indicates courses offered at McMaster University.)

Category A
    Students are required to take the following core one-semester courses offered either at Guelph or McMaster.

POLS*6900 Proseminar (0.25)

POLS*6630 Public Policy and Administration: Theory and Practice (0.5), or
MCM*7830 Comparative Public Policy, or

POLS*6940 Theories and Approaches (0.5), or
MCM*7840 Statistical Analysis for Public Policy, or
SOC*6120 Research Methodology (0.5), or
SOC*6130 Quantitative Research (0.5)

POLS*6640 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management (0.5), or
MCM*7850 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management

POLS*6970 Major Paper (0.5), or
MCM*7950 Research Project in Public Policy (McMaster)

Category B
     Students are required to take at least three one-semester elective courses from the following list. At least one of the three must be selected from each of the two sections.
Section 1

POLS*6650 Organization and Decision-Making Theory (0.5), or
MCM*7850 Organization Theory and the Public Sector
POLS*6750 Development Administration

MCM*7870 Intergovernmental Relations and Public Policy

POLS*6950 Specialized Topics in Political Studies

MCM*7930 Research Seminar in Public Administration
Section 2

POLS*6390 Environmental Policy and Law

POLS*6450 The Political Economy of Trade Policy

POLS*6290 The American Political System

MCM*7740 International Political Economy

MCM*7900 The Politics of Economic Policy in Market Economies

MCM*7920 Public Choice

MCM*7940 Research Seminar in Public Policy

Category C
Students must complete one course from the following:

Regular departmental graduate courses; or

Other courses in the collaborative program from Category B; or

Selected courses from allied disciplines, with the approval of the collaborative program committee.

Interdepartmental Programs

Collaborative International Development Studies MA/MSc Program
The Department of Political Science participates in the MA Collaborative International Development Studies (CIDS) program. Professors Clark, Dwivedi, Eidlin, Lee, Mayer, Woodrow and Woodside are members of the International Development Studies Interdepartmental Group. These faculty members' research and teaching expertise includes aspects of international development studies; they may serve as advisers for MA students. Please consult the International Development Studies listing for a detai led description of the MA collaborative program including the special additional requirements for each of the participating departments.

Thesis option:

One professional development and orientation course: POLS*6900 Proseminar(0.25)
Five CIDS core courses: (See the Collaborative International Development Program entry in this calendar (2.25)
One of the following methodology courses:
POLS*6940 Political Research: Theories and Approaches (0.5), or
SOC*6120 Research Methodology (0.5), or
SOC*6130 Quantitative Research (0.5), or
MCM*7840 Statistical Analysis for Public Policy (McMaster University).
Two departmental graduate courses (1.0)
With the permission of the Graduate Committee, complete and successfully defend a thesis of no more than 20,000 words on a topic approved by the department.

Major Paper option :

One professional development and orientation course: POLS*6900 Proseminar(0.25)
Five CIDS core courses: (See the Collaborative International Development Program entry in this calendar (2.25)
One of the following methodology courses:
POLS*6940 Political Research: Theories and Approaches (0.5), or
SOC*6120 Research Methodology (0.5), or
SOC*6130 Quantitative Research (0.5), or
MCM*7840 Statistical Analysis for Public Policy (McMaster University).
Two departmental graduate courses (1.0)
Research for a Major Paper, POLS*6970, (1.0)

Rural Planning and Development Shared MA Program
Students registered in the Department of Political may participate in a shared MA program with the University School of Rural Planning and Development. Please consult the Rural Planning and Development Shared Programs listing for a detailed description of the shared programs including the core course requirements of the university school.

Courses

Course/(Credit Value)	Term	Course Description
(* core course)
The Americas
POLS6250 Comparative Governments in the Americas* (0.5)		This course provides the theoretical and methodological foundation for the analysis of Canada, the United States, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Methodological issues in the analysis of constitutional regimes and theoretical frameworks for the comparative analysis of political institutions are examined.
POLS6210 Canadian Politics: Process and Culture* (0.5)		This course begins with a study of the works of democratic theorists, Canadian and foreign. Conclusions drawn from this analysis are then applied to our political institutions and processes with a view to their evaluation and reform in accordance with the democratic ideal.
POLS6290 The American Political System* (0.5)		This course examines the institutions, processes and policies of the government and politics of the United States. Seminar discussion focuses on evaluating approaches to the study of the American system. Topics to be covered include Congress, interest groups, executive-legislative relations and reinventing government.
POLS6370 Latin America and the Caribbean* (0.5)		The analysis of the political development of Latin America and the Caribbean looking at the context, ideologies, structures, processes and effects of policy formulation and implementation.
Public Policy and Administration
POLS6630 Public Policy and Administration: Theory and Practice* (0.5)		This course provides an overview of important contributions in the study of public policy and public administration. It reviews a number of theories of the state and the literatures which have grown up around them. It also covers a range of narrower areas of public policy and administration such as organization theory, public budgeting and regulation and the literatures which they have generated.
POLS6640 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management* (0.5)		This course examines the growth of the administrative state in Canada, especially in the post World War II period. It critically reviews issues such as the concept of public sector management, the delegation of authority, personnel management, accou ntability and the ethics of ministers and officials to Parliament and the public.
POLS6390 Environmental Policy and Law* (0.5)		Examination of the policy, institutions, processes and legal procedures which encompass the field of environmental policy-making and law in Canada.
POLS6450 The Political Economy of Trade Policy* (0.5)		This course examines international trade policies - multilateral, bilateral and unilateral - from a political economy perspective with particular attention to the evolving World Trade Organization as well as regional experiences under NAFTA and the European Union.
POLS6650 Organization and Decision-Making Theory* (0.5)		This course reviews a variety of theories and models used for explaining public sector organization behaviour. The models include economics, political science, contingency and institutional approaches. The theories and models are then used to examin e actual behaviour in a variety of public sector organizations.
International and Comparative Development
POLS6730 The Politics of Development and Underdevelopment* (0.5)		This course, for MA students specializing in international and comparative development, has a primarily theoretical orientation, focusing on the main paradigms that have evolved to explain central problems and issues of development and underdevelopment, particularly modernization theory, dependency theory, world-systems theory and Marxist state- theory.
POLS6750 Development Administration* (0.5)		This course traces the roots of the developmental paradigm and the emergence of a unique administrative mechanism to handle the development goals of Third World nations. Special issues for discussion include: the cultural context of development admi nistration, sustainable development, technology transfer, corruption and administrative accountability.
Methodology and Research Courses
POLS6940 Political Research: Theories and Approaches* (0.5)		This course provides an introduction to the nature of empirical social science by examining the major theoretical approaches to the study of politics. It is designed to encourage students to understand and critically assess the potential and limitations in each. Accordingly, a comprehensive survey of the philosophical assumptions and the methodological issues underlying political inquiry and analysis are undertaken, with a focus on the fields of study in the departmental graduate program.
POLS6950 Specialized Topics in Political Studies* (0.5)		This course is intended to be an elective course for students wishing to pursue an area of investigation not covered in the other courses offered by the department. This course may also be chosen by students who want to further pursue a subject area to which they were introduced in a previous course.
Other
POLS6900 Proseminar* (0.25)		This course is a 0.25 credit course introducing students to graduate studies in the department and to the profession of political science. It includes information on the following: formation of a student's faculty advisory committee; preparation of research proposals for thesis and major papers; library orientation; research using the WWW and computers; and discussion of faculty research. All graduate students are required to take this course. The course is graded satisfactory (SAT) or unsatisfactory (UNS).
POLS6970 Major Paper* (1.0)		The major paper is an extensive research paper for those who do not elect to complete a thesis. It may be taken over two semesters. The length of the major paper is not to exceed 10,000 words.

Courses at McMaster University available to students in the collaborative MA program
MCM*7470 Welfare States in Comparative Perspective
MCM*7740 International Political Economy
MCM*7760 Internationalization and Public Policy
MCM*7820 Development Theory and Administration
MCM*7830 Comparative Public Policy
MCM*7840 Statistical Analysis for Public Policy
MCM*7850 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management
MCM*7860 Organizational Theory and the Public Sector
MCM*7870 Intergovernmental Relations and Public Policy-Making
MCM*7900 Politics of Economic Policy in Market Economies
MCM*7920 Public Choice
MCM*7930 Research Seminar in Public Administration
MCM*7940 Research Seminar in Public Policy
MCM*7950 Research Project in Public Policy
MCM*7960 Research Design and Methods for Comparative Public Policy
MCM*7970 Readings in Comparative Public Policy
MCM*798P Environmental Policies and Governance

The Office of Graduate Studies has attempted to ensure the accuracy of this on-line Graduate Calendar. However, the publication of information in this document does not bind the university to the provision of courses, programs, schedules of studies, fees, or facilities as listed herein. Other limitations apply.