VIII. Graduate Programs
Political Science
Courses
(* core course)
The Americas
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POLS*6210 Canadian Politics: Process and Culture U [0.50]
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| 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. |
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POLS*6250 Comparative Governments in the Americas U [0.50]
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| 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. |
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POLS*6290 The American Political System U [0.50]
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| 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. |
Public Policy and Administration
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POLS*6450 The Political Economy of Trade Policy U [0.50]
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| 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. |
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POLS*6630 Public Policy and Administration: Theory and Practice U [0.50]
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| 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. |
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POLS*6640 Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management U [0.50]
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| 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, accountability and the ethics of ministers and officials to Parliament and the public. |
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POLS*6650 Organization and Decision-Making Theory U [0.50]
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| 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 examine actual behaviour in a variety of public sector organizations. |
International and Comparative Development
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POLS*6730 The Politics of Development and Underdevelopment U [0.50]
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| 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. |
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POLS*6750 Development Administration U [0.50]
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| 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 administration, sustainable development, technology transfer, corruption and administrative accountability. |
Methodology and Research Courses
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POLS*6940 Political Research: Theories and Approaches U [0.50]
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| 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. |
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POLS*6950 Specialized Topics in Political Studies U [0.50]
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| 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
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POLS*6900 Pro-Seminar U [0.25]
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| 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). |
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POLS*6960 Directed Readings U [0.50]
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| This is an elective course for students wishing to pursue an area of investigation not covered in 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. |
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POLS*6970 Major Paper U [1.00]
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| 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*7010 |
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Theory and Practice of Policy Analysis: Frameworks and Models |
| MCM*7470 |
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Welfare States in Comparative Perspective |
| MCM*7480 |
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Democracy and Diversity: Multicultural Policies in Comparative Perspective |
| MCM*753P |
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Political Theory and Public Policy |
| MCM*7740 |
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International Political Economy |
| MCM*7820 |
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Development Theory and Administration |
| MCM*7830 |
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Comparative Public Policy |
| MCM*7840 |
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Statistical Analysis for Public Policy |
| MCM*7850 |
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Canadian Public Administration: Public Sector Management |
| MCM*7860 |
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Organizational Theory and the Public Sector |
| MCM*7870 |
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Intergovernmental Relations and Public Policy-Making |
| MCM*7900 |
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Politics of Economic Policy in Market Economies |
| MCM*7920 |
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Public Choice |
| MCM*7930 |
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Research Seminar in Public Administration |
| MCM*7940 |
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Research Seminar in Public Policy |
| MCM*7950 |
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Research Project in Public Policy |
| MCM*7960 |
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Research Design and Methods for Comparative Public Policy |
| MCM*7970 |
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Readings in Comparative Public Policy |
| MCM*798P |
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Environmental Policies and Governance |
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